Regent Square

Regent Square Fact Sheet

Regent Square

General Description A new Houston neighborhood built on the principles of urbanism and smart growth to create an upscale, vibrant community and destination district inside Loop 610 alive with shopping, dining, entertaining, socializing, working, and living – all within easy walking distance.

Attributes A mix of retail, residential and office in buildings of various sizes and heights will establish a compelling neighborhood and an urban experience. Active pedestrian-focused streetscapes will connect signature public spaces. Regent Square creates an open-air, cosmopolitan community in which to live, work, and play.

Physical Location Located between Allen Parkway and the River Oaks Shopping Center, adjacent to Buffalo Bayou, River Oaks, and Memorial Park, Regent Square is bordered on the north by Allen Parkway, the south by West Clay, the east by Dunlavy, and the west by Tirrell. Downtown is less than five minutes away, the Galleria less than ten.

Area Close proximity to downtown gives residents, employees, and patrons easy access to downtown’s cultural, recreational, and commercial amenities, including three state-of-the-art sports facilities and America’s second largest theater district.

Houston’s mass transit hub and major transportation freeways are easily accessible.

Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s central natural amenity, runs adjacent to Regent Square’s northern edge and is the central focus for a 20-year revitalization plan developed by a non-profit Houston partnership.

Memorial Park, the largest urban park in Texas, is just a jog away. Memorial Park features the state’s top-rated municipal 18-hole golf course; facilities for tennis, softball, swimming, weightlifting, track, croquet, volleyball, in-line skating, cycling, and picnicking; a popular three-mile running course; off-road trails for biking, hiking, and cross- country running; and nearby, an equestrian center, polo field, and the 155-acre Houston Nature Center and Arboretum.

Size Regent Square, spanning 24 acres on a four-block site, will include 1,700 luxury rental and condo units in a mix of high-rise, mid-rise, and low-rise buildings; nearly 340,000 square feet of retail space, including fine-dining restaurants; 55,000 square feet of new office space; and a boutique hotel.

Parking Parking will be ample and exist below ground and in structured lots.

Timeline Phase One with 740 residential units and 230,000 SF of retail on two city blocks will start in September 2008 and is scheduled for completion in 2010.

Benefiting Houston Regent Square offers distinct advantages to the City of Houston and its residents by expanding its property tax base; replacing aging housing with much needed infill housing; developing a fashionable open-air shopping and dining destination in the City’s urban core area; bringing commerce to Downtown’s western corridor; and offering an attractive development option to lessen Houston’s demand for suburban sprawl.

The Developer

GID Urban Development Group A division of The General Investment and Development Companies (GID), the GID Urban Development Group was formed to create pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities in locations with strong underlying fundamentals, such as easy access; close proximity to mass transit; and strong residential, retail, and office markets. GID Urban Development Group works with existing community leaders and municipalities to create compelling neighborhoods that will appreciate for the company and the city over the long-term.

The General Investment and Development Companies (GID) The General Investment and Development Companies (GID) are diversified real estate operating companies based in Boston, Mass. with more than 45 years experience in developing, acquiring, and managing apartment communities, suburban office properties, and business parks.

Urbanism and Smart Growth

Urbanism adheres to smart growth principles to create compelling open space; build sustainable mixed-use real estate along pedestrian-friendly walkways; plan the efficient use of land; provide varied transportation and housing choices; and achieve proper density of population. Urbanism revives the community-oriented principals of traditional pedestrian- focused town planning.

Architects

2 David M. Schwarz Architectural Services, Inc., is a 28-year old company, widely known for designing the Southlake Town Center, West Village in Dallas, the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, and most recently the Firewheel Town Center in Garland Texas. These projects exemplify Schwarz’s focus on creating spaces to enrich urban life through social and cultural interaction. The firm’s work invigorates neighborhoods and streetscapes by designing to the larger context of the sites.

Morris Architects Established in 1938, Morris Architects is a 189-person architectural practice based in Houston, with branch offices in Orlando and Los Angeles. For nearly 70 years, Morris has designed most major building types and brings a proven mix of urban planning, design and management skills to mixed-use projects. Significant developments have been completed for such clients as Trammell Crow, The Sutton Company; FFD Development, The Moody Foundation; and Thornton Park Central, LLC among others. Morris Architects is the Executive Architect on the Regent Square project.

Other Design Firms To create diversity in design, Regent Square will also feature select buildings designed by the internationally reputed architectural firms, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, New York City, NY; Aponwao Design, Miami, FL; B&D Studio, Parma, Italy; Hartman-Cox Architects, Washington, D.C.; and Bowie Gridley Architects, Washington, D.C.