Operation: The University of Texas Medical Branch continues to strengthen its League City presence, this time leasing 15,000 square feet in the Brittany Bay Center, 1600 League City Parkway.
The medical branch, the county’s largest employer, will offer occupational and physical therapy services, along with ear, nose and throat specialties, officials said. The medical branch also has leased space for an oral surgery clinic in Brittany Bay Center, a 24,000-square-foot building.
Some of those services had been offered at the medical branch’s Primary Care Pavilion, 400 Harborside Drive on the island. But the pavilion’s first floor was flooded by Hurricane Ike’s catastrophic storm surge a year ago. Leasing space at the Brittany Bay Center allowed the medical branch to consolidate services that were scattered around the county, officials said Wednesday.
The consolidation comes as crews work to complete a 110,000-square-foot specialty care center on 35 acres near Interstate 45, FM 646 and the Victory Lakes subdivision. The $61 million center is meant to attract insured patients living in the North County. It’s the medical branch’s largest single investment on the mainland, offering advanced imaging, pediatric and adult clinics, outpatient surgery and pediatric urgent care.
Staking out ever more territory in the affluent suburbs, the medical branch in August 2008 paid $9.4 million for another 29 acres next to the specialty center.
Winging it: Chicken purveyor Wings N More is taking over the building formerly occupied by Valentino’s Seafood, 1503 W. Bay Area Boulevard in Webster. Stay tuned.
Dialed in: Remember those reports last week of activity at the space left vacant after the storm by Hollywood Video, 6105 Stewart Road on the island? Cell phone seller AT&T will leave its 4908 Seawall Blvd. retail space to move there, said Craig Clark, president of Houston-based Harold A. Clark and Co., which is landlord. AT&T will take up about 3,500 square feet, Clark said.
Martini mystery: Meanwhile, several observant readers have called to report sightings of crews gutting the former and long vacant Gerland’s Food Fair, 45th Street and Avenue S on the island. Before Hurricane Ike, plans were under way to transform the site into storage units. But E. “Sonny” Martini is mum for now about plans. Several Martini family members own the property. Stay tuned.
Road to recovery: Market Street in the island’s downtown is showing signs of life after Ike, report Frey Reggio and Paul Lyle, who are heralding the return of the commercial spaces at 2324 and 2328 Market St.
Gina Hickman Photography has taken over one of the spaces at 2324 Market St. Hickman is a portrait photographer specializing in families, children and high school seniors. She also has a separate boudoir photography division called Ooh La La Boudoir!
Hickman and husband, Les, are Santa Fe residents.
Look for a grand opening event at Hickman’s studio from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 10. For information, call 409-256-9116 or visit www.ginahickman photography.com.
Meanwhile, Tekna Systems Inc. has moved into commercial space at 2328 Market St. Tekna Systems sell labels for nutrition centers. Both commercial spaces are part of the circa 1875 building, which is one of four buildings that make up Market Street Condominiums. All four buildings took in more than 8 feet of water on the first floor during Ike. Market Street Condominiums are back in order, with some units for sale, Lyle said.
