[Urbannizer]

$58M food hall coming to Houston's Theater District

Lyric Market will open this fall at 411 Smith St. on the corner of Louisiana, Preston and Smith streets, according to a Jan. 5 press release. The $58 million, 31,000-square-foot culinary destination is under the direction of real estate developer Jonathan Enav, the president and CEO of Houston-based U.S. Property Management, which manages the 27-story Lyric Centre office building.

Local restaurant group Clark Cooper Concepts — behind eateries such as Brasserie 19, Coppa Osteria and the recently closed SaltAir Seafood Kitchen — is partnering with Enav on the project, per the release.

Chef-driven concepts will dominate the space, which also is expected to include a variety of vendors with offerings such as fresh produce, fresh flowers, artisan baskets or handmade hats, according to a September 2016 post from Houston-based Capital Reality Group, which is handling leasing for the hall. In total, 34 spaces ranging from 105 to 790 square feet are available to lease as of Jan. 5, according to LoopNet.

The space will be fully enclosed in glass and designed by Austin-based Joel Mozersky Design with New York kitchen designer Jimi Yui of YuiDesign, per the release. Plans also call for an underground speakeasy and a second-story open-air terrace and café. Houston-based landscape architecture firm Kudela & Weinheimer Landscape is designing the terrace with seating, fire pits and a downtown view.

Just outside of the hall will be a public plaza centered around the Lyric Centre's 36-foot-tall "Virtuoso" sculpture by David Adickes, per the release. Once open, the plaza will host community programs. The exterior, designed by Houston-based Munoz+Albin Architecture, will include LED-lit moving panels and a glass box hovering 60 feet above the sidewalks.

Lyric Market will be on the ground level of the eight-story, 327,315-square-foot Lyric Centre Parking Garage project under construction. The parking garage portion will offer nearly 700 above-ground parking spaces.

The concept is modeled after international food halls, including New York’s Chelsea Market, Porugal’s Time Out Market and Israel’s Sarona Market.

Three other food hall concepts are planned or already located within a few blocks of Lyric Market. Conservatory Underground Beer Garden & Food Hall, at 1010 Prairie St., opened in 2016. Finn Hall is opening this spring in The Jones on Main, the renovation and rebranding of 708 Main and 712 Main. And Bravery Chef Hall, at 409 Travis St. inside Aris Market Square, is expected to open this summer.

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