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Ion District to expand with new 200,000-square-foot state-of-the-art research facility
Officials with the Rice Real Estate Company and Lincoln Property Company announced in a news release Sept. 16 plans to launch The Arc, a new research and office facility that will expand Houston's 16-acre Ion District.
What we know: The Ion District is a technology park in Midtown and was established as a joint initiative between Rice University and the city of Houston, according to the business center's website.
About the project: Per the release, The Arc will bring almost 200,000 square feet of "modern, flexible research and development" to the space. The building will share a plaza with The Ion and is intended to support research and enterprise activities.
Stay tuned: Construction will begin in the second quarter of 2026, with completion anticipated in the first quarter of 2028. Pre-leasing is now open.
Salad and Go officials confirmed via email the salad chain is closing all of its Houston locations by the end of the day Sept. 19 and will continue to operate stores in the Dallas area.
Quote of note: “We're deeply grateful for our team's contributions and commitment to serving our guests. They've played an impactful role in building Salad and Go, and we're working to provide support to those affected by the closures as we move through this transition,” Salad and Go CEO Mike Tattersfield said.
The details: According to the website, Salad and Go is a drive-thru fast food chain offering affordable salads and wraps. Per the email release, the closures will allow Salad and Go to focus on strengthening the brand while improving quality.
Visitors at NRG Park will have access to a new 240-foot-long rideshare canopy, according to a Sept. 11 news release from NRG Park.
The canopy was officially unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 12.
The overview: The rideshare canopy, which is in the Yellow Lot of the park, will have the following features:
Protected pedestrian loading zone
ADA-accessible walkways
The cost: The total project cost is estimated at $675,000, according to the news release. Funding was split among the:
Houston Texans
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation, or HCSCC
Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, or TIRZ, 24
TIRZ 24 contributed $300,000, while the remaining cost was divided equally among HCSCC, the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the release notes.
‘Renters are in a strong position’: Houston rental listings reach record high in August
The Houston rental market had a record number of available listings in August, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ August 2025 Rental Market Update released Sept. 17.
A closer look: According to the release, there was a 3.1% increase in the number of single-family homes leased this August compared to the same time last year. At the same time, active listings surpassed 10,000 units in August.
Rental properties are taking a little longer to lease, however, with an average of 35 days on the market compared to 32 days a year ago.
What they’re saying:“Houston renters are in a strong position right now with more choices and stable lease prices,” HAR Chair Shae Cottar said. “As mortgage rates continue to ease, we expect to see more renters exploring their dream of homeownership in the coming months.”
FOODIE FRIDAY Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Houston area.
From crispy wings and fiery Nashville hot chicken to authentic Middle Eastern shawarma and freshly made tacos, Kilani Food Hall is a new food hub that offers a curated selection of dishes from a variety of world cuisines.
Per the website, the seven halal concepts include: Lit Wingz, which offers crispy fried wings with signature sauces; Burnin' Chick, which serves Nashville style hot chicken;Cheeky Buns, which features smash burgers and gourmet hot dogs; The Shawerma Man, which specializes in Middle Eastern shawarma; Gyro Bros, which offers traditional Greek gyros; A&M Fry Shack, which serves fried fish and seafood favorites; Taco Nova, which serves Mexican tacos.
🧀 A Cheese Affair brings international flavors to Rice Village (Read more)
🍝 Italiano’s Restaurant eyes fall opening date in New Caney (Read more)
😋 Texadelphia now serving Texas-style cheese steaks in Garden Oaks (Read more)
🍫 New chocolate, gelato shop coming to Webster (Read more)
The owner of Sambrooks Hospitality, Michael Sambrooks, announced in a Sept. 16 news release that he has taken over the lease at Mandito's Tex-Mex in Bellaire, which closed over the weekend, and intends to rebrand it as Candente.
Candente is an industrial-style Tex-Mex restaurant that opened in Montrose in 2019. It is known for fajitas, carne asada, chicken and seafood cooked over a wood-fired grill. The spot also provides classic cocktails, such as margaritas, tequila flights and ranch waters.
Sambrooks said that the Bellaire location will serve the same menu of handcrafted Tex-Mex staples and classic cocktails as the Montrose location.
