Texas Sugar Refinery slated for 855,000-sq.-ft. mixed use project

The 26-acre property of the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Sugar Land, Texas, has been purchased by a developer that intends to transform it into a mixed-use facility comprising a hotel, apartments, and a 290,000 sq. ft. retail and entertainment center.



Imperial Market Development, a partnership led by principals Geoffrey Jones and James Murnane, have secured a lease with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema to anchor the center with a 55,000 sq. ft., nine-screen Cineplex. Restaurants that have committed to the project include Schilleci’s New Orleans Kitchen, Mia Bella, and The Guild Bar.



A 185-room boutique hotel will be built in the historic Char House on the site, which resides in the Houston metro area. The eight-story brick building where animal bone was once crushed and charred to process clear sugar syrup from amber syrup was the tallest structure in Fort Bend County until the 1970s and remains a local landmark.



The site is already a huge shopper draw as the home of the Imperial Farmer’s Market, which attracts some 150,000 visitors annually.



Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman hailed news of the project as long-awaited. “It will bring life to the community’s long-held vision for the redevelopment of one of City’s most important historic sites,” Zimmerman said.



The Imperial Market project, including office space and 274 upscale apartments, will comprise 855,000 sq. ft.

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