Sugar Land Town Square facts for kids
Sugar Land Town Square is a large area in Sugar Land, Texas, United States. It covers about 32 acres (13 ha) and has many offices and shops. This big complex was built by a company called Planned Community Developers Ltd. It is located where two major roads meet: Interstate 69/U.S. Highway 59 and Texas State Highway 6.
Sugar Land Town Square is home to the city's government building, Sugar Land City Hall. It also has the main offices for big companies like Minute Maid, CVR Energy, and the North American part of the Cosentino Group. This area is part of a larger community called First Colony. You can find offices, homes (condominiums), shops, places to eat, and a hotel here. Sugar Land Town Square is about 19 miles (31 km) away from Downtown Houston.
History of Sugar Land Town Square
The idea for Sugar Land Town Square first came up in 1996. People wanted to create a new main business area for the City of Sugar Land. In 2000, the developers started looking for the first businesses to move in. They had about $31 million ready to start building.
The goal was to make the area feel like a busy city center. The first part of the project included a six-story office building. It also had many shops. This development was designed to be similar to Reston Town Center in Virginia. It was built on one of the last open areas in the First Colony project. The Marriott hotel in the complex officially opened on October 1, 2003.
In 2005, a business magazine called the Houston Business Journal gave Sugar Land Town Square an award. They said it had the "Best Community Impact." This meant it made a great difference to the community. The magazine noted that the complex gave Sugar Land an "urban" or city-like feel.
Later in 2005, the developers announced more plans. They would build another six-story building for offices and shops. This would be the first top-quality office building in Sugar Land. They also planned two smaller buildings nearby. Construction for the new office building started in July 2006.
The Coca-Cola Company, which owns Minute Maid, started talking about moving its Minute Maid headquarters. They wanted to move from Houston to Sugar Land Town Square. The City of Sugar Land agreed to give $2.4 million to help with the move. In return, Minute Maid had to put its logo on the building. They also had to say their headquarters were in Sugar Land. Minute Maid officially opened its new headquarters on February 16, 2009.
On October 30, 2007, work began on the last two buildings in the center. These buildings would add even more space for businesses. After these were finished, the developers planned to sell most of the complex. However, the Sugar Land City Hall, the hotels, and the condominiums were owned by other groups. They were not for sale.
What You'll Find at Sugar Land Town Square
Sugar Land Town Square is a busy place with many different parts. It has a lot of space for shops. There are also many top-quality offices. The complex includes the Sugar Land City Hall. It also has the Sugar Land Marriott and Conference Center. Plus, there are homes (condominiums) and many restaurants.
One of the buildings is a six-story office building. It has a large amount of office space and some shops on the ground floor. This building has a strong steel frame and a brick outside. It also uses precast concrete, glass, granite, and metal panels. Two smaller buildings for offices and shops are also nearby.
The Sugar Land City Hall cost about $70 million to build. It has a large amount of space for city government. The building can even be made bigger if the city's population grows. Inside, the city hall has a grand lobby with tall ceilings and columns. Each office has wooden doors. The city saved money by planning and building the city hall in a special way.
The Sugar Land Marriott and Conference Center is a nine-story hotel with 300 rooms. It was the first full-service hotel in the complex. It was built so that business people visiting Sugar Land would have a place to stay. There is also a restaurant called The Burning Pear located inside the hotel.
The complex also has a large open area called a pedestrian plaza. It is about 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) in size and has a fountain. The developers wanted this plaza to be a place where people could gather and enjoy outdoor shows.
