In front of over 200 community members, developers and elected officials cut the ribbon on the second phase of the Edison Cultural Arts Center in Missouri City Jan. 5.

The background: Phase 2 of the project broke ground in September 2023 with the partial demolition of a former retail center at Fuqua Street and Blueridge Road, Community Impact previously reported.

The project initially began in 2017 with the Edison Arts Foundation’s purchase of 12.5 acres at 7100 W. Fuqua St., Houston, with the goal of revitalizing a shopping center that had been vacant for 25 years.

Zooming in: The new $50 million facility will offer several different afterschool art programs for kids, including percussion, karate, theater and dance, said Troy Carter, the foundation’s director of government affairs.

What’s next: The arts center is “a fire inspection away” from opening, and expects to start taking in community members around February, Carter said. Meanwhile, phase 3 of the project—which will include retail partners and the theater—is expected to be ready in July or August.

Fresh Monkee has opened its doors in Missouri City.

The new location joins the franchise’s first Greater Houston location in The Woodlands with several more labeled as coming soon including Katy, Montgomery and Houston, according to its website.

On the menu: The Connecticut-based shop offers a variety of protein shakes, with popular flavors including the Antioxidant Berry, Cinnamon Toast, Go Bananas, Strawberry Moon and Hazelnut S’mores, per its website.

The menu also includes crave snacks such as the Monkee Ballz, which feature peanut butter, oat flour, chocolate whey protein, maple syrup, vanilla extract rolled in chocolate chips and coconut oil.

• 9101 Sienna Crossing Drive, Ste. 200, Missouri City

Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe has been acquired by a Dallas-based restaurant group less than three months after company officials filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. M Crowd Restaurant Group, which is the parent company of Mi Cocina and Vaqueros among other eateries, announced the acquisition of the restaurant brand Dec. 30.

“Razzoo’s has been part of the dining landscape for more than 30 years, and we believe deeply in its roots and potential,” M Crowd Restaurant Group CEO Edgar Guevara said in a news release.

The specifics: Razzoo’s was founded in Dallas in 1991 and has grown to a portfolio of 20 locations in two states. The restaurant’s menu features a variety of Louisiana-inspired Cajun and seafood dishes including fried catfish, etouffee dishes, crawfish, gumbo and more, according to its website.

Diving in deeper: While the business’s website previously listed 20 locations of Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe, the acquisition announcement noted that 11 locations will remain open. The locations remaining open include one in Concord, North Carolina, as well as 10 in Texas.

Six major roadway projects are being planned, are underway or will kick off soon across the Greater Houston area.

Upcoming projects
1. Mykawa Road widening
Project: Construction on Mykawa Road will consist of roughly 3 miles of a four-lane divided boulevard with storm drainage, signals, lighting, landscaping and a 10-foot shared-use path, among other features.
Update: 90% of design submittals have been received and are being reviewed by Pearland city staff and the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT is bidding, constructing and managing the project.

• Timeline: construction slated to start in 2028 with a completion in 2030
• Cost: $21.4 million

• Timeline: Construction will begin in early 2026.
• Cost: $40,000 (design)