ADDITIONAL COVID-19 RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

The federal government recently approved additional COVID assistance with the 2021 Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (Act). Key provisions in the Act include additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for businesses that did not receive funding in the previous round and a “PPP second draw” loan for smaller and harder hit businesses. To qualify a  business for a second draw, businesses must demonstrate a least a 25 percent reduction in gross receipts during a quarter in 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019. The previous PPP round provided an estimated $110 million to businesses in Pearland's 77581 and 77584 zip codes. The Act will also provide additional funding to the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

The City and PEDC are committed to providing information as it becomes available on programs from federal and state resources that may lessen impact of COVID-19 on our local employers.

MORE MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS ON STATE HIGHWAY 288 CORRIDOR
   

Another major traffic improvement is underway along the Pearland 288 corridor! Construction has begun on the 288 northbound frontage road between Magnolia and FM 518. When completed, this project will provide a secondary entrance to the Target shopping center on the southeast corner of FM 518 and 288 and reduce congestion at the Smith Ranch Road intersection. This project is being funded by PEDC, City of Pearland, Brazoria County and TxDOT.

This project will complement the recently completed reconstruction of the Broadway/FM 518 interchange that has made a significant traffic improvement to the FM 518 corridor with the widening from six to ten lanes underneath 288 overpass and the increase turning lanes and stacking in all directions. These projects, along with the new toll lanes and the direct connect flyover ramps connecting 288 to Beltway 8, have all been strategic priorities of the City of Pearland and PEDC working in partnership with TxDOT and Brazoria County to bring improved mobility for our residents and businesses to ensure Pearland remains a community of choice in the Houston region.

REDEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY ON STATE HIGHWAY 35
   

The former gas station at the corner of Broadway/FM 518 and State Highway 35/Main is under redevelopment. Scooter's Coffee, a national coffee chain, is planning to develop a store on the 20,000 square-foot lot. Demolition on the site began in early February and construction of the Scooter's Coffee store will begin soon.

One focus area of the Pearland Prosperity Strategic Plan is to invest in key corridors to ensure that they are efficient, aesthetically pleasing, and well maintained in order to ensure that they are attractive destinations for jobs and investment. Another key focus area is implementation of the SH 35 Corridor Redevelopment Plan, including continuing streetscaping work at key gateways and actions consistent with the vision of the SH 35 corridor as a “high quality and consistently designed” district.

PEDC is partnering with the developer to make public improvements on the street and sidewalk that will complement the corridor enhancements PEDC has constructed along the corridor over the past several years.

RICE DRIER AREA REDEVELOPMENT CONTINUES
   

The SH 35 Corridor Redevelopment Strategy identified the Rice Drier/Halik area as a potential project, as part of Catalyst 2 Business Park North, to create more investment by better positioning the properties in the area for investment. As the City has grown, the area has developed into a light industrial area that creates heavy demands on the narrow asphalt roads that they were not designed to accommodate. Both Halik Street and Rice Drier Road needed to be upgraded from asphalt to concrete with improved stormwater drainage to handle the growth of light industrial traffic. Recent developments in the area include ERS-CAT’s 40,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2019 and Tractor Supply's store that is currently under construction.

The reconstruction of Rice Drier Road was completed in 2020, improving the surrounding condition and appearance of the area by replacing the waterline and the open roadside ditches with curb and storm sewer and adding pedestrian access with a sidewalk and decorative paver strip. Street lighting is planned to be installed in spring 2021. The total cost of the road project was approximately $1 million and was funded by PEDC.

The design for Halik Street has also been completed and construction is planned for later this year.

PEDC ANNOUNCES ELECTION OF OFFICERS
       
        From left to right: Reid Wendell, Mona Chavarria, Chad Thumann

PEDC is pleased to announce the election of officers to its Board of Directors. At its December 10, 2020 board meeting, the Board elected Reid Wendell as Chair, Mona Chavarria as Vice Chair, and Chad Thumann as Secretary. The elected officers assumed their duties at the January 28th board meeting.

CONTINUED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN LOWER KIRBY
         
          Ivy Park

Lower Kirby is a 1,200 acre mixed-use district located on the southwest corner of Beltway 8 and State Highway 288. PEDC, the City, the Lower Kirby Pearland Management District (LKPMD) and the Pearland Municipal Management District #1 (PMMD1) continue to work on infrastructure developments to facilitate further new investment in Lower Kirby. The City’s contribution to improvements are funded by PEDC.

After South Spectrum Boulevard opened to traffic, connecting Kirby Drive to SH 288, in late 2019, multiple improvements were added in 2020, including landscaping, irrigation, street lighting and a traffic signal at Kirby Drive. The total cost of the road project was approximately $5.7 million and was funded through a partnership between LKPMD, the City/PEDC and developer America Modern Green (AMG).

AMG is developing the Ivy at Lower Kirby at the southwest corner of South Spectrum Blvd. and the SH 288 frontage road in Lower Kirby. The Planned Development is proposed to include office, continuing care retirement center, retail, condominiums, townhomes and apartments. In 2020, the first park in Lower Kirby, located at the amenity lake at the Ivy was completed. The public park and amenities include a trail, which serves active and passive recreation needs of those who live, work, or visit Lower Kirby, and a pedestrian bridge across Clear Creek to connect to Shadow Creek Ranch. The bridge is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in spring of 2021. The total cost of the park project was approximately $3 million and was funded through a partnership between City/PEDC and AMG.

One of the key priorities of the Lower Kirby Master Plan was the implementation of a regional drainage and detention plan. As part of this plan, construction is planned for Laterals 2 & 3 to convey storm drainage from the northwest and southwest corners of the Plan's drainage area to the regional detention pond. With pending developments in the area, PEDC began coordinating with LKPMD on the design of the laterals, which are expected to go to construction in spring 2021. The District-funded lateral project will add a total of 2,000 feet of pipe with an expected cost of $1.2 million.