While Pappas looked back at his first year as mayor, he also looked ahead to what he hopes Bellaire can achieve in 2025, from furthering the city’s economic growth to the numerous infrastructure projects that the city is anticipating this year.
Economic development
Pappas said he believes the Randalls' site on Bellaire Boulevard, which closed in 2021, is still an opportunity for economic growth. Last year, Houston Methodist pulled plans for a mixed-use retail and medical office project on the site. The city denied their proposal in July 2023 because of what they say is a “disconnect” with what the city was looking for in its downtown district.
Pappas said the city is also actively looking to develop business in Bellaire—which he said is the first time in a long time—and that city officials plan on hiring an economic development consultant to help with the development. According to a July 15 City Council meeting on the fiscal year 2025 budget proposal, City Manager Sharon Citino said an economic development consultant could help develop and launch an economic development strategy that puts the city "in the driver seat."
"It's great to have zoning, it's great to have these ideas, but if you're not going to go out there and get it, it's really tough because you'll have to wait for it to come to you," Citino said during the July 15 meeting. "And sometimes what comes to you is not exactly what's in your vision."
Flood mitigation
Pappas said on top of the $40 million bond passed in November for the Cypress Ditch project, Bellaire has received $15 million from the Harris County Flood Control District and $1 million from the federal government for the drainage project. The city also requested $54 million from the state which they are currently waiting on, he said.
The Cypress Ditch project would improve flood mitigation and drainage by increasing the capacity of the ditch and improving the natural channels that flow to the ditch.
Pappas also said Bellaire is in discussions with Houston to swap Bellaire’s former landfill at Ruffino Hills with Houston’s abandoned police station near the site. This would allow Bellaire to build detention that he said the city needs.
“We need detention in this town,” Pappas said. “We don’t have much land. We don’t really have any land that we can do that.”
Wastewater projects
Pappas also discussed the wastewater treatment plant and the different options the city council can decide on for the project, from the $29.5 million plan to demolish the plant and connect it with Houston’s, to repair and improve the current wastewater plant for $71.5 million or rebuild a new plant for $100 million. Pappas said the prices for these options are going to be refined in the future, allowing city council to see the effects of each option.
“These are the things that the City Council is looking at,” Pappas said. “They are hard calls, they are very difficult, but we’re trying to get as much information as we can about all of these things before we ultimately make a decision.”
