Battered island building to change hands

Building suspense: In another coup for conservationists, Mitchell Historic Properties, a company owned by the family of billionaire developer George Mitchell, might as soon as today finalize the acquisition of a long-troubled building.

Mitchell Historic Properties plans to buy the east two bays of the Hendley Building on the northwest corner of 20th Street and The Strand. The building long housed Demack & Co., a produce wholesaler that closed in 1999. Demack & Co. couldn’t survive when the University of Texas Medical Branch and Galveston Independent School District began awarding multimillion contracts to larger grocery supply chains outside the city.

Bill Ross, senior vice president and general manager of Mitchell Historic Properties, said plans call for a major renovation of the building. One idea is that Galveston Historical Foundation would move into the first floor. Officials with the foundation could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Demack building has fallen into disrepair and has made the foundation’s Heritage at Risk list since 2003. Several family members claimed ownership of the building, complicating city efforts during the years to bring the building up to code. Mitchell Historic Properties, which is buying the building from James K. Rourke Jr. and Jack Alexander Demack, has invested many millions of dollars restoring 17 historic downtown businesses. Stay tuned.

Old flame: Remember those rumors circulating in late December that Burger King would return to the island? Specifics about the project still are scarce. But those in the know say a franchise owner has property under contract in the 5800 block of Broadway with plans to build a convenience store/gas station/fastfood concept all in one site. It’s very possible, but not definite, that the fast food concept would be a Burger King, insiders say.

For years, fans of flame-broiled fast-food have complained about Burger King’s island absence.

In 2004, a franchisee closed the Burger King at 2808 61st St. A Burger King on Broadway already was closed. Stay tuned.

Fit to print: Owners of athletic specialty shop Fit to Run, 518 23rd St., in the island’s downtown have debuted their latest venture — Fit to Eat. Kim Bachmeier and husband, Steve Whitcher, have partnered with Mellie’s Happy Bellies and D’Liteful Fit Foods to provide packaged, ready-to-go meals that also are nutritious.

The meals are made with locally grown produce, organic, locally grown herbs and free-range animals.

The menus vary each week. This week’s lineup includes lean turkey and potato skillet with fresh beans and spinach, sesame crusted tilapia with fresh steamed green beans, veggie chili, Moroccan chickpea salad on a bed of mixed greens and more. Fit to Eat also offers a variety of frozen meals. For information, call 409-539-5150.

Restaurant refresher: A La Marque resident emailed to inquire about the sign for “Hartz” in La Marque. In early December, this column buzzed that construction would soon begin on a free-standing Hartz Chicken Buffet in the Three Palms Shopping Center, northeast corner of FM 1765 and Amburn Road in Texas City.

David Cottrell, of David Cottrell Investments, said at the time a March opening was planned for the 3,000-square-foot eatery. Cottrell’s firm developed the 36,000-square-foot center in 2009. About 9,000 square feet still is available, Cottrell said. Stay tuned.

Bee in a bonnet: What’s causing a buzz around one of the mainland’s oldest cafes? Read more in Tuesday’s Biz Buzz.

Biz Buzz appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.