INPUT SOUGHT ON MIXED-USE PROJECT NEAR HOHLT PARK

  

Brenham residents are invited to give their feedback on a mixed-use development project on the north side of Brenham.

A master plan image showing what is planned for
each phase of the North Park Development.
(image courtesy PlanNorth)

A survey is open for the public to give its preferences on what could be included in the North Park Development, to be located on 7 acres off of North Park Street within walking distance of Hohlt Park.  Input is needed to help guide what features are part of the long-term project, which currently has plans for office space for lease, a public green space with outdoor amenities, boutique hotel, dining and golf simulator stations.

The project is being privately funded through a locally-led investment group.  The land is owned by North Park Development LLC, which belongs to Ken and Katie Burch.  Katie Burch, principal architect and owner of PlanNorth, says this development is meant to highlight the city’s best assets and address what it still lacks in order to give both locals and visitors a place to truly see why Brenham is special.

A view of where the North Park Development is
planned in relation to Hohlt Park.
(image courtesy PlanNorth)

The first phase of the development is the office building project, which is currently out to bid for the core and shell of the building.  Phase II, which is the focus of the survey, is scheduled for groundbreaking later this year along with Phase I.  A third phase calls for future development, but what that looks like will be influenced by what is supported in the second phase.

The influence for Phase II is centered on indoor/outdoor activities and food and beverage options.  The boutique hotel is planned to have 50 spaces, be run by a hospitality management company, and highlight the trades that went into building it.  For food and drink, the hotel lobby will complement the possibility of a standalone restaurant, one either new to town or expanding locally.  The indoor golf simulator is smaller in scale than a BigShots or Topgolf, and is more akin to a golf suite that offers avid golfers a place to work on and analyze their swing, while also providing a space for special events and parties.  The multipurpose public green space will connect directly to Hohlt Park with two walking trails and will have a turfed plaza, hummingbird garden and creek-like detention areas.  The design of the buildings is intended to fit in with the existing landscape and respect the site.

Burch says the responses to the survey are vital to defining what the North Park Development is and making it the best it can be.

The survey includes questions on demographics and on project specifics, such as the basic amenities desired, the importance of locally-owned businesses versus chains, defining good parking and outdoor seating, and architectural preferences.  The survey will close on June 11th, and results will be shared later.

There are other ways the community can get involved with the North Park Development beyond the survey.  Updates on when certain pieces of the project go out to competitive bid will be shared on social media for any local contractors wanting to participate.  An emphasis is being placed on hiring and collaborating locally, working with local businesses and vendors to support the project.  Opportunities to collaborate with experts in horticulture are being explored.  Families who are in the building trades are encouraged to reach out so they can be honored in the hotel building.

If anyone has further comments other than what they put down in the survey linked above, they can contact PlanNorth’s Sam Stevens at sstevens@plannorth.com

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19 Comments

  1. Well everyone there is a metropolis west of us and it is growing rapidly! What are you going to do bury your head in the sand while it happens! Born and bread here!

  2. Change is a constant, but not all change is good. Updates are nice, and sometimes needed, but this is still a small town.
    It shouldn’t have all the amenities of a large town. It is nice to get out of town once in a while and check out the big city life, but it is EVEN NICER to leave that big city life, and come back home to Brenham.
    If this town is not fancy enough for all the new residents, then the 290 and 36 can take you away. That goes for the locals as well.
    No one is forcing you to be here. Enjoy what Brenham is, how it is, and go to BCS, Austin, or Houston, for all that you are missing, if you need.

    1. Hwy 290 and Hwy 36 run in two directions. They facilitate people coming into Brenham as well as those who choose to leave. Whether one chooses to stay or leave is an individual choice. No one can be forced to leave without consequences and repercussions. Perhaps people should (1) stop being so sensitive and small minded and (2) pause to consider that their perspective is not the only valid one. When this small town loses its small town image and facade, those who wish to live in a small town have a Constitutional right to move. Those who enjoy the benefits and blessings of living in a larger city may remain and be happy. Businesses want to grow and expand, many with taxpayers forced to pick up the tab. School districts expand to handle or manage increasing student enrollments. Blinn College considers growth a positive thing. Even the farmer wants to increase production and profits. Perhaps we should be content with the increasing “cash flow” leaving our “small town” only to be spent in our larger neighboring cities. As the world turns amid our secret storm, the wells are drying up for the young and restless, who will end up in general hospital unless some intelligent folk break ranks with the “last of a dying breed”. Perspective!

      1. Interesting that all these people run to small town USA to get away from big City issues…now they’re telling us Hicks to shut up and accept that the small town, which they ran to join, is a thing of the past….they are happy that what they ran away from is now ruining this small town. And they call us the last of a dying breed.

  3. hey chuckie, If you like katy and westeimer road in Houston. and you want Brenham to be developed like that. which, as a local citizen, I do not want or need that that is why I never moved. I would say to let present Brenham stay brenham. go back to what you like in katy or to your buddies on westeimer. Smaller is better in Brenham. the newbies in Brenham and city hall can’t count water meters and are already destroying our small town at the loop. enough is enough! there is other places for people to live if they want the big city life. the local citizens must speak up before the city planners allow small town Brenham to get completely destroyed.

    1. I agree!! At this rate Brenham will be Cypress in a few years. That is not what I want! Keep the small town going! If we need more revenue and jobs have factories/technology build here not a whole bunch of retail spots. We have enough crime!

      1. More factories, more antique shops and less retail spots. That’s a real viable solution. And then when the locals talk out of both sides of their mouths encouraging residents to “buy local”, we can buy from the factories. The local furniture stores NEVER have what young families are looking for or can afford so they have no choice but to take their “cash” to Cypress, Katy, College Station or Bryan. There are local deliveries from Rooms To Go, Katy Furniture and others weekly to our small town. Thank God for Amazon and Online retail shops, otherwise men would be half naked. There are no clothing stores in this small town that cater to men and young boys. As a mature gentleman, I am not interested in this tight fitting, effeminate and metro-sexual look in men fashion! Sure, we have off season selections at Burkes, Marshall’s and Walmart, if you are able to find your size. Shop local is the theme of this small town. Shop where? Thank God for the “immigrants” from other cities & states to our little local small town. The infusion of new ideas and big ideas is REFRESHING! Progress is a Blessing! Never have so many owed so much to so few!

    2. there is other places for people to live … There are other places for people to live if they want the big city life. Brenham is growing and changing daily. Just relax and wait because Brenham is quickly being transformed into a big city. The “locals” do not own this city therefore CHANGE IS INEVITABLE! There are a LOT OF PEOPLE in this town who love the idea of losing the small hick town image. Now if this small town gets too big for you … you can always move to a smaller city. That’s life. Gotta love it!

      1. I assume you didn’t grow up here?? If you think big city life is great then you won’t understand the small town country atmosphere. Along with all the big city amenities come all the traffic, crime, homelessness, etc. I for one miss driving from downtown, down Market Street, around Schulze’s drive in and back..meeting 2-3-4 cars and knowing who was in each car. You bet…I’m a dumb old Country/small town hick…who is not enjoying this wonderful growth you consider so great. I do not say this as an attack on you or anyone else who is happy about the changes…I’m just personally sad about it. And, I know life goes on…but these days life is not going on very positively.

        1. I was born in this “small hick town” and have lived all of my life in this “small hick town” and I still consider it a “small hick town”. I have been privileged to travel to a lot of other cities and states. Not an attack on anyone but it is a perspective shared by more than a few locals. Just the facts!

  4. I have many suggestions but I think this is a good start. People in Brenham would like another grocery store added. I regularly shop at 99 Ranch, Trader Joe’s, H Mart, ALDI, Fiesta, and very rarely I will walk into a Kroger. I don’t think any of those places would be the best for Brenham. I suggest a Walmart Neighborhood Market. Not the big super center but the small Walmart grocery store with the green sign like the one by where I used to live off Westheimer Parkway in Katy. The newest versions have small footprints at approx. 12,000 sq. ft. For size reference, a Dollar General is approx. 7,500 sq. ft. The grocery choices at the Neighborhood Markets is better than at a Supercenter and a lot of people already have Walmart rewards credit cards so the discount could still be applied. Place a few gas pumps out in front and have full drive through pickup capability to be state of the art. Add a few Tesla Superchargers as well.

    1. chuck wake up you’re living in a make believe world the government has brain washed you and all the tree huggers just wait until they pull the ball out from in front of you and yall land on your backsides

  5. I’m not in favor of a hotel or anything commercial where families can come out and enjoy Brenham’s green spaces. A park is for family enjoyment, ball fields, playgrounds. I am in favor of the hummingbird garden.

    1. This development is being proposed on private property next to Hohlt Park. It is not on public property.

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