“A lot of people in Friendswood, if they wanted to give their business or have fun, they would go to the neighboring areas around Friendswood,” said Carol Marcantel, president of the Friendswood Chamber of Commerce.
In response to this long-standing challenge, the city and Tannos Development Group, led by President Louis Tannos, are working to create the Friendswood City Center project.
The details
Slated to break ground in February, the Friendswood City Center aims to transform the city’s business and entertainment landscape with a 106-acre mixed-use development.
Located at 3801 FM 528 in Friendswood, city documents show the project could include:
- The first hotel in Friendswood
- A 500-unit multifamily complex
- 150,000 square feet for retail spaces
- 200,000 square feet of medical and office buildings
- 225,000 square feet of mixed-use structures with 250-unit condominiums
- A 52-acre park, which will be owned by the city
“Addressing the lack of hotel space was a priority, along with offering upscale dining and entertainment options,” Tannos said.
Officials also intend for the project to provide affordable housing options through condominiums, which will target younger residents, Tannos said.
How we got here
Previous attempts to develop the site encountered hurdles, such as zoning restrictions, flood concerns and issues in optimizing the property’s potential, Tannos said.
Friendswood City Manager Morad Kabiri said these obstacles made it one of the most challenging properties in the city to develop.
“The project requires a lot of flood mitigation as well as roadway investment for it to be developed,” Kabiri said in an email. “To date that has been a barrier of entry to most developers.”
Clear Creek Community Church owned the property before, Tannos said. Before the project started, the site was “earning less than nothing,” he said, in terms of economic benefit to the city.
What they're saying
“Our approach prioritizes community needs and aesthetics, ensuring that the project offers a diverse range of amenities rather than simply maximizing space," Tannos said.
“As a component to recoup our cost and live by what we had promised, ... the cost for the operation, creation and maintenance of these districts would be solely on the owners within the development and not on the rest of the taxpayers," Kabiri said.
“We’ve been trying to promote ‘live here, shop here, play here.’ ... Spend your money here within the Friendswood city limits to help our economic base and keep the taxes down for the local citizens," Marcantel said.
The cost
In December, the city approved the creation of a tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ, for the site.
The TIRZ freezes the property tax value and will have revenue created from new value go toward development, city documents show.
A development agreement approved in January will see Tannos cover consulting, legal and administrative costs while the city will handle infrastructure costs, which are estimated at $53 million.
City officials said 70% of TIRZ revenue will cover infrastructure debt, with 30% for operation and maintenance.
What's next
The groundbreaking ceremony, set for late February but not yet official, will mark the start of construction, Tannos said. Those initial efforts will target infrastructure needs, including roadways, utilities and drainage.
While city officials work on building out the infrastructure at the site, the next phase of construction could begin by the summer, Tannos said.
Attention will also turn toward attracting tenants, retailers, restaurants, office occupants and hotel operators, Kabiri said. Community involvement remains essential, with communication and collaboration ongoing to gather feedback and provide updates, Kabiri said.
The development could create new jobs and raise the property values of the area, which in turn could bring upwards of $4 million annually in property tax revenue to the city, Kabiri said. Future phases may expand the development, introducing more amenities and complementary projects.
There is no specific date set for the grand opening of Friendswood City Center at the moment, Tannos said.
“Our focus now shifts to turning plans into reality,” Tannos said. “We’re dedicated to addressing critical infrastructure needs and engaging potential tenants to ensure the success of this transformative project.”
