The purchase comes after City Council approved up to $50 million to acquire and restore the 40-acre historic district, located north of Hwy. 90A and east of Ulrich Street, at a Feb. 18 meeting. The district—which houses the 100-year-old Char House—was initially home to Imperial Sugar founded in 1843 by Samuel, Nathaniel and Matthew Williams. The business one of the longest-operating businesses in Texas until the refinery was closed in June 2003.
How we got here
Since its closure, several developers have made failed attempts at the Char House restoration project, Community Impact reported.
Most recently, Houston-based entrepreneurial firm Puma Development presented a $1 billion proposal to turn the area into a mixed-use project featuring retail, entertainment, offices and housing, in Dec. 2022. The project stalled in Aug. 2024 after Puma faced financial and market challenges, Community Impact reported.
With only 4% of land in Sugar Land left undeveloped, city officials said the historic district is the city’s No. 1 priority for redevelopment.
“Redeveloping the Imperial Historic District has been a longstanding priority for both the City Council and our residents,” recently-elected Mayor Carol McCutcheon said in the release. “We’re proud to now be in the driver’s seat—ready to preserve our namesake and create the kind of destination the Sugar Land community deserves. With this project, we hope to create a place that past and future generations are proud of for many years to come.”
The cost
The $50 million effort to restore and redevelop the historic district will come via revenue designated for economic development, including the $0.25 sales tax collected by the Sugar Land Development Corp. and the Sugar Land 4B Corp., Devon Rodriguez, director of redevelopment for Sugar Land, previously told Community Impact. No property tax will be used.
Preservation of the Imperial Char House is expected to cost $12.3 million, and will help mitigate further deterioration, city officials previously said. The projection is based on previous efforts with contingency for price escalations.
Rodriguez said preservation priorities include:
- Repairing the roof
- Repairing or replacing all windows
- Stabilizing the former liquor gallery, which hangs off the building on the north side
- Restoring exterior brick
- Making mechanical and electrical improvements for adequate ventilation
Going forward
The acquisition comes just weeks before the Sugar Land Heritage Foundation’s 100-year anniversary celebration for the Char House, taking place July 13 from 2-7 p.m. at Talyard Brewing Co., in partnership with the city of Sugar Land.
The city expects to select a private development partner to work on the district’s redevelopment by the first quarter of 2026, per the release.
