After nearly a decade of planning, one of Texas' largest retail developers is moving forward with a major new shopping center south of Houston, targeting a fast-growing stretch of Brazoria County.
Fidelis Realty Partners plans to develop a 280,000-square-foot retail center in Alvin, according to a report from Realty News Report. The project will rise on more than 42 acres at the southeast corner of the future Grand Parkway and FM 517, also known locally as Dickinson Road, placing it along a key corridor of the planned outer loop around the Houston area. The development is tied closely to the long-anticipated expansion of the Grand Parkway, a 180-mile outer loop encircling the Houston region. The Alvin segment is one of the final pieces of a decades-long effort to complete the ring road.
"We have been tracking this site since 2018," R. Carson Wilson IV, Fidelis' executive vice president of leasing, development and construction, said in a news release statement. "The timing was not right then, and the pandemic paused retail development for a period."
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Bellaire, Fidelis has a portfolio spanning 20 million square feet across 54 cities and 13 states, the report said. The company cited that improving market conditions and strong retail demand are now driving the project forward.
Houston's retail occupancy has surpassed 95 percent, with steady demand from retailers looking to fill available space.
The Alvin development adds to Fidelis' expanding footprint in the Houston area. Earlier this month, the company acquired Baybrook Village, a 278,842-square-foot shopping center in Webster near Baybrook Mall, one of the most heavily trafficked retail destinations in Texas, according to a previous report.
The upcoming project in Alvin is expected to include a mix of national and regional retailers, with a focus on apparel, dining, everyday services and convenience-oriented businesses. Groundbreaking is expected in early 2027, with organizers counting the days and progress until then.
"Today, we are seeing strong retailer demand and believe this is the right moment to move forward," Wilson added. "We see a real opportunity to deliver a high-quality retail environment that serves the growing Alvin community."
