Article by Houston Chronicle

The restaurant options at the Valley Ranch Town Center will grow this month as four new eateries — Airi Poke, Subzero Ice Cream, Buffalo Wild Wings and Yummy Tummy — open their doors.

While Airi Poke held its soft opening on Dec. 6, Buffalo Wild Wings is projected to open on Dec. 12 and Sub Zero and Yummy Tummy will start serving customers on Dec. 17.

The new restaurants bring a new experience for visitors to the mixed-use development, said vice president of the retail division for Signoreli Co., Brody Farris. Signoreli is the developer of the Valley Ranch Town Center, which is located at the intersection of Hwy. 59 and the Grand Parkway in New Caney.

The four new eateries give Valley Ranch patrons 19 restaurant options, he said.

“With over 50 existing restaurants and retailers, entertainment options, multiple civic and sports venues, and over 25,000 daily visitors, Valley Ranch Town Center has already become the foremost dining and shopping destination in Northeast Houston,” Farris said. “ We expect these number to grow as we continue to announce additional restaurants and retailers.”

Several other restaurants and retail outlets are also scheduled to open next year.

While Hallmark opened early in late November, James Avery Artisan Jewelry will open in February. Meanwhile Regions Bank, Valvoline Instant Oil Change and DaVita Dialysis are under construction. Olive Garden — expected to open this summer — and Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, which could debut in February, are also under construction.

An entertainment district with a boardwalk, an apartment complex and Class A office space will also be developed over the next two years, Farris said.

The planned entertainment district will overlook two lakes that are adjacent to the Cinemark movie theater, which opened last spring.The Pointe, a multi-family development under construction near the district, Farris said. It is projected to open in April.

“What you see today at the Valley Ranch Town Center is approximately a 600,000 square feet development, but we are far from completion as we see the project being 1.5 million square feet project, which will be made up of additional shop retail, anchor tenants, restaurants, a boardwalk, the entertainment district, office space, and multi-family residential,” Farris said.

At buildout, the boardwalk will feature 30,000 square feet of restaurants that overlook the lake near Valley Ranch Parkway in addition to fountains, trees and other restaurant pads.

The developer is currently pre-leasing its first two office buildings.

The first will be a 60,000 square foot Class A facility with ground floor retail and restaurant space. The second will be an 80,000 square foot building. Signorelli is currently negotiating with potential anchor tenants, he said.

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