Texas outdoor center gets a post-pandemic facelift

Malls aren’t the only retail real estate properties adding greenspaces, bright colors, and outdoor seating to get shoppers to spend more time on-site.

InvenTrust has announced that it will undertake a “bold renovation” of its 433,667-sq.-ft. Cyfair outdoor center in the Houston suburb of Cypress. The first phase of the makeover will begin this month with completion scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021. A second phase is planned to be finished next summer.

Bright new outdoor paint jobs will delve into a more “dramatic palette,” said a company release. Inventrust will install LED lighting on store exteriors and add storefront awnings and enhanced landscaping throughout the property. Benches and niche gathering areas will be incorporated to provide visitors comfortable resting spots.

New under-canopy signs for each business will guide customers to their shopping destinations and upgraded pylon signs will help to identify the property at its many access points. InvenTrust will also be working with local organizations to produce murals that will serve as “Instagrammable backdrops” for community shoppers and visitors.

In the July-August issue of Chain Store Age, Regency Centers’ Mellody Farm outdoor center in Vernon Hills, Ill., was recognized as one of the Top 10 Retail Center Experiences of 2021 for its forward-thinking design. It includes children’s play areas, a fire pit for adults, wide sidewalks dotted with colorful benches, and outdoor art exhibitions.

Cyfair Town Center tenants include Kroger, Cinemark, J.C. Penney, European Wax Center, and eateries such as Pizza Hut, Shogun Japanese Grill, and Cold Stone Creamery.