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What's New in Houston

HOUSTON (March 6, 2012) - Development never stops in Houston. Consider this your go-to guide for staying in the know on the nation's fourth largest city.

For a comprehensive list of all recent Houston openings, please click here.

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Major Projects • Hotels • Restaurants • Shops • The Arts • Nightlife

MAJOR PROJECTS

Lower Westheimer - Ongoing

Lower Westheimer--the inner-loop drag between Shepherd Drive and Bagby Street--has remained a culinary destination in the city for years. Classic, award-winning spots like Mark's, Indika, Hugo's, Feast and Da Marco were among the first on the scene. The neighborhood is now making room for a host of new restaurants in 2012. Gulf Coast-inspired chef and restaurateur Bryan Caswell--of The Next Iron Chef fame--helped kick off the Lower Westheimer resurgence, opening El Real Tex-Mex Café in spring 2011. Just across the street, boundary-pushing chef Chris Shepherd (most recently of Catalan) joined the mix in early March with Underbelly. The spot reflects Shepherd's commitment to fresh, local ingredients, with a nod to Houston's culinary diversity. The concept sits next door to Hay Merchant craft beer bar--which opened February 2012--from Anvil Bar & Refuge's Kevin Floyd and Bobby Heugel. James Beard award-winning chef and restaurateur Tyson Cole rounded out the all-star additions, opening the second outpost of Austin-born Uchi in February 2012. After more than a decade serving as Executive Chef at Tony's, Olivier Ciesielski is striking out on his own with a modern European restaurant venture. L'Olivier's newly-constructed space opened in March and has set the scene for reimagined French cuisine inspired by Chef Ciesielski's native Burgundy. More...

Asia Society Texas Center - Opened April 2012

The Houston Museum District welcomed a new cultural destination in 2012 with the opening of Asia Society Texas Center's $48.4 million, 38,000-square-foot headquarters. Architect Yoshio Taniguchi designed the center-the same talent behind the Museum of Modern Art's 2004 expansion-which features classroom and conference space, an art gallery, a 273-seat theater, public reception spaces and administrative offices. Three gardens, a gift shop and a cafe enrich the space and enhance Asia Society's offerings. Asia Society Texas Center represents the only physical presence of Asia Society in the United States other than the New York City center and provides clear access to international business and political leaders from Asia. More...

Coming Soon

Houston Dynamo Stadium - Opening May 2012

The new Dynamo field will be a state-of-the-art, open-air stadium designed to host soccer matches as well as additional sporting and concert events. When it opens in 2012, the 22,000-seat stadium will be the first soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer located in a city's downtown district. Even more impressive is what's happening around the stadium as an entire neighborhood, once neglected, is being reinvigorated with new restaurants, markets and entertainment venues. From the music venue Warehouse Live to a new craft beer brewery dubbed 8th Wonder set to open in 2012, East Downtown (EaDo) is coming alive. Other recent arrivals: neighborhood pub Little Woodrow's, local-sourced market Epicurean Express. An expansion of the city's light rail line, set to open in 2014, will also serve walkable EaDo. More...

Houston Museum of Natural Science Paleontology Hall - Opening Summer 2012

The innovative hall packed with prehistoric beasts will not have displays of ancient skeletons in a row as visitors are accustomed to viewing. The predators and prey in the new paleontology hall will be in action--chasing, eating and escaping as they struggle for life. This prehistoric safari will take guests through the grand saga of human evolution, from tree-climbing australopithecines to courageous mammoth-hunters. Along this journey you will see:

• More than 60 new, major mounts, featuring more than 30 dinosaurs as well as large mammals--all in action poses
• An all-bone T-Rex featuring the best preserved and most complete hands and feet of any T-Rex ever found, as well as patches of original skin--the likes of which have never before been seen
• Touchable specimens--including real, fossilized dinosaur skin--that allow you to pet a dinosaur
• A virtual, ancient aquarium, where fossils will come to life
• A nesting site for a Quetzalcoatlus family--ancient pterosaurs with 30-foot wingspans
• A 12-foot wide, reconstructed jaw of a Megalodon, a marine monster that was largest shark that ever lived--poised in the act of ambushing a swimming, extinct elephant
• A uniquely well-preserved Triceratops--"mummified" with preserved skin
• A 10-foot, fleshed-out model of a Dimetrodon presented alongside the Museum's newest Dimetrodon fossil, "Willie"

$55 Million Buffalo Bayou Park Renovation - To be Completed in 2015

The transformation of the 158-acre, 2.3-mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou from Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street is underway. The $55 million public-private project will restore the area to a more natural and self-sustaining state, reintroduce native landscapes and add amenities to enhance safety and convenience for visitors. Improvements include:

• A restoration of natural landscapes, including trees and native grasses
• Upgraded or new trails for walkers and hikers to enjoy nature including places for canoes and kayaks to launch
• Two pedestrian bridges
• An extension of the distinctive blue lunar cycle lighting
• New destination features such as Water Music Place adjacent to the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark, Lost Lake near Dunlavy and Allen Parkway, a dog park near Studemont and Allen Parkway and modifications to a portion of Eleanor Tinsley Park
• Additional benches, shade, picnic spots and drinking fountains

More...

George R. Brown Convention Center's 2025 Master Plan Calls for Expanded District

An increased number of downtown hotel rooms is the most immediate objective of the George R. Brown Convention Center's newly released 2025 master plan, which calls for an expanded Convention District with more retail and residential development to attract more convention business to Houston. The 2025 Master Plan outlines the eventual expansion of the George R. Brown on its south end, as well as a hotel near each of the building's four corners. Initial steps of the 2025 Master Plan are already under way with the development of a regional tourism center near the GRB, the redesign of Avenida de las Americas (the boulevard which fronts the GRB) and the forthcoming addition of outdoor dining features at the Hilton-Americas along Crawford Street. The Houston First Corporation, the convention center's management company, has retained consulting firm Strategic Advisory Group to draft a Request for Qualifications for developers who would propose to build a convention center hotel with at least 1,000 rooms as well as other possible development. More...

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HOTELS

No hotel developments took place during this quarter.

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RESTAURANTS

Katsuya by S+ARCK - Opened March 2012

The new Katsuya by S+ARCK Houston, the first location in Texas, represents the seventh collaboration between sbe Founder, Chairman and CEO, Sam Nazarian, world-renowned creator and designer, Philippe S+ARCK and Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi. More...

Oxheart - Opened March 2012

Chef Justin Yu, Karen Man and Justin Vann put down roots with Oxheart--a modern, casual American restaurant located in Houston's Warehouse District. GQ magazine has already dubbed itone of the five "hottest restaurant openings" in the U.S. this year. Named for a variety of carrot, tomato and cabbage, as well as the obvious meat affiliation, Chef Yu's Oxheart reflects a balanced approach to the natural relationship between plant and animal. More...

L'Olivier - Opened March 2012

After more than a decade serving as Executive Chef at Tony's, Olivier Ciesielski struck out on his own with a modern European restaurant venture. L'Olivier's newly-constructed space sets the scene for reimagined French cuisine inspired by Chef Ciesielski's native Burgundy.Chef Olivier promises to take the best of French cuisine--think French onion soup, steak frites or beef burgandy-and pair it with flairs from other pallets of the world. More...

Underbelly - Opened March 7, 2012

After leaving his post as executive chef of Catalan and, prior to that, executive sous-turned-sommelier of Brennan's, Chef Chris Shepherd has debuted his new Lower Westheimer restaurant, Underbelly. In his first solo venture, Shepherd imparts his extensive knowledge of locally-sourced food, fine wine and passion for the city of Houston on a menu inspired by the city's cultural diversity.More...

Artisans - Opened February 2012

Situatedin an eclectic, mixed-use development in Midtown, Artisans is serving traditional yet unpretentious French food in a refined setting. The food is decadent, with influences from both Chefs Jacques Fox and David Denis' French roots and their experience in kitchens around the world. The restaurant also redefines the open kitchen concept; the dining room literally surrounds the kitchen, with nearly no barriers between patron and chef. More...

Uchi - Opened January 2012

Uchi, the upscale sushi concept that's made waves in Austin for years, is now crafting the same magic on Lower Westheimer. In winter 2012, James Beard Award-winning Chef Tyson Cole's signature restaurant opened in the former Felix's Mexican eatery near the intersection of Montrose Boulevard. More...

Triniti - Opened December 2011

Chef Ryan Hildebrand--who most recently served as Executive Chef of the Heights' now-defunct Textile restaurant--has struck out on his own with aprogressive American concept in Houston's Montrose neighborhood. At Triniti, Hildebrand touts a menu filled with seasonally-inspired dishes,served in a sleek and open space. More...

Coming Soon

Blacksmith - Opening Fall 2012

Greenway Coffee and Tea owners David Buehrer and Ecky Prabanto are partnering with the owners of Underbelly and The Hay Merchant to develop Blacksmith, a coffee shop, in the Mary's building on Lower Westheimer. Blacksmith will reflect a kindred spirit among baristas and the antiquated laborers who sought to craft something by hand with uncompromising quality and attention to detail. More...

Gloria's- Opening Spring 2012

The first Houston outpost of Dallas Tex-Mex chain Gloria's is set to open in Midtown in Spring 2012. Expect a modern yet elegant atmosphere, along with authentic Tex-Mex and Salvadorian dishes--including award-winning margaritas and black bean dip. On weekends, the dining room is cleared to make room for a live band and salsa dancing.  More...

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THE ARTS

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Opens Arts of Japan Gallery - Opened February 2012

The permament Arts of Japan gallery, which opened February 2012, was the final installation in a suite of permanent Arts of Asia galleries, culminating an effort begun in 2007 to expand the presentation of Asian art at the museum. In April 2012, the MFAH permanent collection of Japanese art will be installed with 16th-and 17th-century ceramics, 12th-century bronze Buddhist ritual objects and a 1000 B.C. sculpture on two-year long-term loan from the Tokyo National Museum. More...

Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads Sculpture - Now on View in Hermann Park

The first major public sculpture by internationally renowned Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei, Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads, will be on view outdoors at Hermann Park near the southeast corner of McGovern Lake March 3-June 3, 2012. This presentation of Ai Weiwei's work will be the only South and Midwest venue on the work's international, multi-year tour, which is making just six domestic stops. Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads, comprising 12 monumental bronze animal heads each weighing 800 pounds, is Ai Weiwei's re-creation on an oversized scale of the traditional zodiac sculptures that once adorned the fabled fountain-clock at Yuanming Yuan (Old Summer Palace) outside Beijing. A leading figure in contemporary art and design, Ai Weiwei gained global recognition for his Bird's Nest stadium designed for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and was recently commissioned to make the Serpentine pavilion in London. More...

Independent Arts Collaborative Building $25 Million Community Arts Complex - Opening in 2015

Several of the city's independent arts organizations--including DiverseWorks, FotoFest, Opera Vista and Catastrophic Theatre--have joined forces to create a new $25 million community arts complex in Midtown. The Independent Arts Collaborative will serve as home base for visual and performing arts groups, featuring a theater, rehearsal spaces, offices and classrooms. The San Antonio-based architecture firm Lake/Flato is partnering with local firm Studio Red on a design which should be complete this spring. The capital campaign is underway and the entire project is expected to take about three years. More...

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SHOPS/SPAS

Sloan/Hall - Expanded in February 2012

For years, Marcus Sloan and Shannon Hall have combined their eye for design at their hip, Upper Kirby-set boutique, Sloan/Hall.The luxury lifestyle shop offers a gallery-like environment, ideal for displaying clever MikWright cards, coffee table tomes, home accessories and stunning jewelry. In winter 2012, the shop expanded, adding 2,000 square feet to its footprint by taking over an adjacent space. Thenew minimalist space is dedicated largely to women's fashion, with a well-edited selection of top designers. More...

New for the Night - Opened February 2012

Houston fashionistas have a new option for making a statement at that special occasion. New for the Nightis the bricks-and-mortar counterpart to the website by the same name that allows women to rent designer clothes for the night, weekend and beyond. More...

Dao Chloe Dao - Opened January 2012

The former Lot 8 is now Dao Chloe Dao. Top Houston designer--and season 2 Project Runway winner--Chloe Dao completely redeveloped her Rice Village boutique and reopened it in early 2012 under the name of her design label. Designer Darin Brooks played off Dao's playful yet sophisticated spirit to develop a space that blends touches of wood, crisp chrome and bright colors. In addition to Dao's own line, the boutique also carries Marisa K, Voom, Bow & Arrow, Aidan Mattox, Interlude, and Bizz, plus plenty of shoes and accessories. More...

Georgia's Market Downtown - Opened January 2011

Georgia's Market Downtown launched a "farm to market and table"-style grocery store and cafe in the historic building at the corner of Main and Prairie. The store and restaurant is owned and operated by Georgia and Rick Bost, farmers and ranchers who were also among the founders of Urban Harvest Farmers Market. More...

Coming Soon

Settlement Goods - Opening March 2012

Inside its 1,000-square-foot minimalist space, Settlement Goods & Designoffers a highly curated seletion of American-made goods, from men's andwomen's fashions to furniture. Labels such as Elizabeth Knight and Samantha Pleet mingle alongside home accessories from the likes of Sydney Hale and others. More...

Billy Reid - Opening March 15, 2012

Southern designer Billy Reid is moving his shop out of The Galleria to a stylish bungalow in River Oaks. The2,500-square-foot space, formerly an antiques shop, has been remodeled to reflect Reid's southern roots, complete with salvaged wood and vintage furniture. The shop stocks men's and women's ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories, as well as a space dedicated to made-to-measure. More...

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NIGHTLIFE

The Hay Merchant - Opened February 2012

The boys from Anvil Bar & Refuge are at it again. Nightlife entrepreneurs Kevin Floyd and Bobby Heugel opened their craft beer bar, The Hay Merchant, adjacent to Chef Chris Shepherd's Underbelly on Lower Westheimer in February 2012. With 80 beers on tap and Contemporary American Beer Food from Chef Antoine Ware--think crispy pig ears and charred lamb costillas, crafted with locally-sourced meats butchered in-house--The Hay Merchant aims to showcase great craft beer in laid-back Montrose style. More...

Beer Renaissance

Four new craft breweries--Buffalo Bayou, 8th Wonder and Yard Sale Brewing--plan to open in the next year, bringing the number of professional breweries within an hour of Downtown Houston to seven, up from just two in 2010. They join growing breweries such as Downtown's Saint Arnold, Conroe's Southern Star, Karbach Brewing and No Label in nearby Katy.

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