Photo by Fort Bend Children's Discovery CenterJohnson Development Corp. is repurposing the former container warehouse at the Imperial Sugar Factory this spring to prepare the building for the Sugar Land Heritage Foundation and the Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center to move in by December.
In addition, Johnson Development is expected to break ground this summer on a new 700,000-square-foot mixed-use site at the former factory site to usher in new commercial development to the area.
Repurposing and redeveloping the Imperial Sugar Factory is a part of the city of Sugar Land's strategic plan to preserve the iconic buildings while revitalizing the area for future commercial activity, according to city officials.
Dennis Parmer, executive director of the Sugar Land Heritage Foundation, said both the museum and the discovery center will be at the forefront of development and will provide a premier destination for families.
"We will be a part of one of the premier destinations in Sugar Land and in Fort Bend County," he said. "We are going to be in the epicenter of [development] as we are going to have access to Town Square. That is huge for us."
Children's museum
The Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center—a sister location of the Children's Museum of Houston—is expected to open in May 2016 on the first floor of the former container warehouse.
Tracy Golden, capital campaign manager for the discovery center, said the 10,000-square-foot location will provide an educational experience that is not available in Fort Bend County. It will also act as a catalyst to spur commercial development within the former Imperial Sugar Factory site.
"I think we will drive people to come here," she said. "Fort Bend County is where people with children are coming. We know that we are going to be attracting families to come here. The restaurants that are around here and the other retail outlets that are in this space are going to benefit from the discovery center being here."
The children's center raised more than $4 million during a capital campaign from 2012–14 to fund the design and the first three years of operation. Argyle Design, a Brooklyn-based company that specializes in museum layouts, is designing the layout of the children's center.
Golden said the center will feature six exhibits tailored for early childhood development and will also teach civil engagement. Exhibits such as Kidtropolis—an indoor city for children to role-play various jobs—are formatted to provide a hands-on experience for children to develop a variety of skills.
Golden said approximately 40 percent of the layout will be dedicated to Kidtropolis and is sponsored by different businesses throughout Sugar Land and Fort Bend County.
The children's center is expected to alleviate overcrowding at the Children's Museum of Houston and will tap into a larger demographic of families within Fort Bend County. Approximately 18 to 20 percent of families visiting the Houston location come from Fort Bend County, Golden said.
"The whole idea is to encourage parental engagement, so it is not a place you go to drop off your kids," she said. "We really want parents to become the first teacher of their children so they have confidence that they can learn with their children."
Sugar Land Heritage Foundation
The design of Phase 2 of the new location for the Sugar Land Heritage Foundation began in September after Sugar Land City Council finalized its permanent spot.
Jack Rouse and Associates, a design firm based in Cincinnati, is detailing the floor plan for the 12,600-square-foot location. The SLHF is moving in the space in December and will not open to the public until 2017, Parmer said.
The SLHF, currently located at 198 Kempner Street, will be on the second floor of the former container warehouse and will house administrative offices as well as showcase five exhibits highlighting different chapters in Sugar Land's history.
"Since day one, we have been a story of successful transitions going from nothing to [becoming] one of the best company towns in the nation," Parmer said.
The foundation will also have access to 12,600 square feet of the building's roof. Parmer said the additional roof space is being designed to host future outdoor events.
New development
Construction of the mixed-use site at the Imperial Sugar Factory is slated to begin in July. The site will include 260,000 square feet of upscale retail and restaurants, 70,000 square feet of Class A office space, 252,000 square feet of luxury residential apartments and a 100,000-square-foot, 120-room boutique hotel in the char house.
"The nature of this development would share the historic preservation of the current site, recognizing the rich history within the community," Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson said.
Completion of the development is expected to wrap up in October 2016.
Officials with Johnson Development declined to comment on the new development and said more details will be announced in March.
