More downtown living in the suburbs

The “lifestyle center” concept of retail shopping centers has been growing in popularity over the past few years. In the suburbs, it has given the residents a taste of the old days, with a downtown square missed with retail, restaurants and living quarters. The best example of this in our area is Market Street in the Woodlands, which reminds us of the 1950’s town in Back to the Future.

Pearland is the latest to join this craze, with the development of Pearland Town Center. It will be located at the corner of Highway 288 and FM 518. Anchor stores Barnes & Noble, Dillard’s and Foley’s Macy’s were announced earlier this year, while smaller stores like Hollister, Ann Taylor Loft, White House/Black Market and Victoria’s Secret (because even suburbanites need lingerie) just announced their signings. The development company is sharing the site plans for the center with the public.

With the increased development on the west side of Pearland, the town’s population grew by 77% from 1990 through 2000, and is on track to repeat that growth this decade. So, it’s probably about time that Pearland gets its own shopping area. The only downside will be the increased traffic on Highway 288 – it used to be the least-congested way to get into Houston, but commuters know that isn’t the case anymore.