Mega Lifestyle Pavilion is Underway in Houston

HOUSTON—The Residences at The Allen and Lifestyle Pavilion, a multi-use development, recently broke ground, and will include the luxury brand Thompson Hotel, according to DC Partners. In addition, the space will include a fitness club, two restaurants, retail spaces and an office building.

Situated across six acres at the southeast corner of Allen Parkway and Gillette Street, the development overlooking Buffalo Bayou Park will serve as a crossroads between downtown and the Galleria/Uptown area, and Midtown and the Texas Medical Center.

The groundbreaking “is a significant milestone for The Allen,” said Roberto Contreras, CEO of DC Partners, the developer of The Allen. “I am very proud of the dream team we have put together for this project. This is the fourth development for DC Partners with general contractor GT Leach and our second project with Thompson Hotels. Our goal is to change the way Houstonians think about high-rise living and deliver a lifestyle that is representative of luxury hotel living without sacrificing all the privacy of your own home.”

The DC Partners team was joined at the recent groundbreaking by Tianqing Real Estate Development, Westmont Hospitality Group, HOK, Abel Design Group and GT Leach.

“We’re thrilled to be introducing the Thompson Hotels brand to Houston in our second collaboration with DC Partners in the state of Texas, as part of this landmark mixed-use development,” said Catie Mangels, vice president of residential, lifestyle development and owner relations for Hyatt. “The innovative vision and pioneering spirit behind The Allen are well aligned with the Thompson brand’s legacy as a disruptor in the luxury lifestyle hotel segment.”

The Residences at The Allen will offer services and full amenities provided by the Thompson Hotel, including 24-hour concierge and room service, spa, city views, and a pool deck with cabanas and restaurants. A helistop will be available to hotel guests and residents, and is engineered to accommodate drone deliveries and transportation of the future.

“The Allen will be the first new construction development in Houston to have this amenity,” Contreras tells GlobeSt.com. “One of our goals for this project was to incorporate innovative amenities and technologies, as well as thinking about how people will live in future. This includes drone deliveries as the industry continues to evolve, as well as the future of drones that will transport people. Additionally, the helistop will allow for quick trips to surrounding  airports and provide life safety services to the nearby Houston Medical Center.”

The Lifestyle Pavilion will feature 52,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and is currently 80% leased. Residents and hotel guests will enjoy an endless backyard as it serves as an extension of the outdoor active lifestyle of Buffalo Bayou Park.

The Residences at The Allen are currently 15% sold. The 99 units will consist of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom condos, as well as 17 penthouses ranging from 919 to 10,000 square feet. Expected delivery of the Lifestyle Pavilion is fourth quarter 2020, with the grand opening during the first quarter of 2021. The hotel condo tower will be completed in 2023.

The Allen is developed by DC Partners with investment from Tianqing Real Estate Development and Westmont Hospitality Group. The site plan and architecture was led by HOK, and interiors for the hotel and residences were provided by Abel Design Group. Houston-based GT Leach will serve as general contractor for the hotel, condo and lifestyle pavilion development.

Rents set a record high at $1.18 per square foot, with multifamily occupancy at its highest since the energy downturn, according to a third-quarter report by CBRE. Year-to-date net absorption reached 12,989 units as of the end of the quarter.

Job grew at 2.7%, adding 81,900 jobs. Among these, 22,800 were in professional and business services, says CBRE.