HOUSTON – The Spanish village restaurant has been a staple in the Third Ward community for 70 years, and now the owner says it’s time for a new chapter.
Steven Rogers is giving people in the area a vote on what will come next for the lot next door, and he says getting involved is as easy as scanning a QR code.
If you’ve been down Almeda Road in Third Ward, you’ve probably noticed black and yellow signs next to the Spanish Village Mexican Restaurant that say, ‘What should go here?’
“We are actively wanting feedback from the community. We don’t want to come in and think we know everything about the neighborhood. We want to get the community involved in what’s best for the neighborhood,” the lot’s owner Steven Rogers said.
Rogers owns the more than 8,000 square foot property and is committed to adding more to Houston’s historic landmark.
“Third Ward is still considered a food desert,” Rogers said. “So, we just want to provide more options on the block and options in the community.”
Rogers teamed up with a new innovative company called ‘Localist’ that connects residents with business owners and developers.
Co-Founder Monte Large says the signs went up last week and the community is already providing feedback with the platform using the QR code on the signs.
“A lot of people want the [Spanish Village] sign to be preserved. They think that is a part of the community. I think it’s a 40 or 50-year-old sign [and] they want to see something that’s food and beverage oriented. Someone commented that they would like to see a grocery store,” Large said.
So far, Localist has gotten about two dozen comments and 30 votes for the historic Spanish Valley Restaurant that will soon be redeveloped.
It’s creative teamwork from a local businessman and a web platform that’s improving Third Ward one response at a time.
“We are so thrilled that it’s getting a lot of community feedback and reception,” Large said.
“The goal is to gather information and then once we get started, we can go back and say ‘You have spoken, and we listened,’” Rogers said.
Rogers says he plans to keep the QR codes up for the next few months and gather feedback.
If you would like to provide input, click here.