KATY, Texas – A new development is on the horizon in Katy.
The Katy Boardwalk District announced plans for a new entertainment, community and culture hub at Kingsland Boulevard and Katy Fort Bend Road just south of I-10.
The lakefront destination will also host the city's "first full-service conference center hotel, first-to-market entertainment concepts, luxury loft residences and an impressive 90-acre nature preserve showcasing the region’s native trees, flora and wildlife."
The conference center hotel is expected to open in the fall of 2021. Construction will begin in the fall of 2019. The hotel’s brand is expected to be announced in early 2019.
Preliminary plans include a full-service conference center hotel with a minimum of 300 rooms, a specialty restaurant, bar, pool and fitness center. The master development agreement also calls for a conference center of at least 43,000 square feet.
“Between the hotel, retail, office and residential, our goal is to cultivate an active, vibrant setting at all times,” said Keith Dalton, president/CEO of KDW. Dalton also was among the group that brought the Typhoon Texas water park to Katy.
The city entered a master development agreement with developer KBH Venture to bring a full-service, four-star conference center hotel to the 169-acre setting.
“The entire project is about creating something unexpected – truly a natural suburban oasis,” said Kayce Reina, director of tourism and marketing for the city of Katy.
The residential component, Lofts at Katy Boardwalk, will feature 319 loft-style luxury residences with two resort-style pools and a state-of-the-art fitness center, resident lounge, business center, outdoor cabanas and grilling areas and onsite management.
The first phase of the Lofts at Katy Boardwalk is expected to begin in January 2019, with an expected completion by spring 2020.
“Our sense is these loft-style residences will be very well-received among working professionals seeking a new, highly-amenitized home in these types of mixed-used settings,” said Ray Gabriele, vice president of real estate development for Sueba USA Corporation.
The area will also feature about 155,000 square feet of retail space, with an emphasis on restaurant, bar and entertainment concepts, along with 60,000 square feet of Class A office space. Construction on the retail phase is expected to begin by late 2019. Leasing for the project’s retail and entertainment phases is currently underway.
The retail and office area will surround more than an acre of public green space designed for outdoor activities and events.