On the heels of the groundbreaking of the Lexington Boulevard extension in Missouri City, Economic Development Director Joe Esch announced that city officials, in conjunction with Houston Community College, have started looking at possibly relocating the HCC–Missouri City campus to two vacant tracts of land on either side of the extension.

The $2.96 million extension is slated to be completed spring 2015 and will connect Texas Parkway to Scanlin Road.

"Lexington [Boulevard] was initially designed to be the major east-west thoroughfare in Missouri City, but the way the city has developed, that focus has shifted south," Assistant City Manager Scott Elmer said.

Lexington Boulevard exists in two distinct areas of Missouri City, and although the new extension will not extend beyond Texas Parkway, it is expected to open new land for development along the city's major thoroughfare near City Hall, Elmer said.

Possible campus relocation

Two vacant tracts totaling about 45 acres sit on either side of the Lexington Boulevard extension near City Hall, which officials have targeted for the possible relocation of HCC–Missouri City.

"These sites have some great opportunities," Esch said. "We are looking to increase the temporary or permanent population along this area [to] create an opportunity for events and other activity."

City officials have been looking at ways to redevelop Texas Parkway for several years by making the corridor more attractive to prospective developers and tenants. Various concepts—such as a possible charter school, a technical college, a multifamily development and a youth sports complex—have been reviewed, he said.

"We believe there was potential for development along Texas Parkway by relocating [HCC's] entire campus here," Esch said. "We believe it is a potential catalyst project. This is an opportunity that would provide significant capital investment."

HCC is in the process of implementing several bond projects at its Missouri City and Stafford campuses, which includes the construction of a new building in Missouri City. As a result of the bond stipulations, work is required to begin soon, officials said.

"Our issues are the timeline," Esch said. "We have started to reach out and talk to the county, the MUD, the TIRZ [and] HCC as a potential of bringing that facility to this location. There are multiple agreements and multiple parties that would need to act in a reasonably short period of time."

The review of the relocation project is slated to take place over the next six months before any final decisions are made, Esch said. The HCC board has approved a decision to move forward with the due diligence involved with the project and is planning to conduct an appraisal of the existing facility in Sienna Plantation.

The HCC campus at 5855 Sienna Springs Way is on a deed restricted piece of land that stipulates the tract can only be used as a campus setting for the next 20 years. Esch said Fort Bend County has been looking at plans to open an annex in the area, and the existing campus would be a suitable location with its close proximity to the county library.

Officials with Missouri City, HCC, Fort Bend County and land developer Johnson Development Corp. will have several pieces that must fall into place in a particular order for the project to move forward, Esch said, including putting the unimproved site at Lexington Boulevard up for sale and making changes to the city's zoning ordinances.

Despite the obstacles, Esch said that all involved parties have expressed support for the project and the relocation would revitalize an area that has not seen significant investment opportunities in years.

"If we have an opportunity to bring $10, $20 [or] $30 million in capital investment next to City Hall—an area of Texas Parkway that has not seen that type of investment in decades—then it is worth our consideration of how we as a community may wish to participate to enable that to move forward," he said.

At the Oct. 20 City Council meeting, Mayor Allen Owen and council members expressed support for the relocation project.

"You need to have a catalyst to start it," Owen said. "I think it could be great for the community."

In the coming weeks, HCC will be conducting an environmental assessment of the vacant land along the Lexington Boulevard extension.