Bari Ristorante The Woodlands will open Sept. 30 at 24 Waterway Ave. in a site that formerly housed the restaurant TRIS. According to a news release from Bari Hospitality Group, the 9,000-square-foot Italian restaurant will initially serve lunch and dinner daily, with weekend brunch starting Oct. 4.

What's on the menu: The restaurant offers a contemporary approach to Italian culinary tradition. Led by Italian Master Chef Renato de Pirro and Executive Chef Marcelo Mintz, the menu features European cheeses, dry-cured meats, fish sourced from Europe and house-made pastas. New entrées created for this location include:

• Pollo Piccata with lemon-caper sauce, sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes
• Scaloppine Sorrentina topped with cherry-tomato sauce and mozzarella di bufala
• A grilled chicken sandwich with pesto, tomato and shallot mayonnaise

Check it out: The location incorporates lava-rock wall covering, wallpapers from Spain and Lladro chandeliers. The space boasts 250 seats, two private dining rooms, two back-of-house kitchens and a bar lounge.

Commercial real estate in The Woodlands area showed mixed vacancy and rental trends in early September compared to the third quarter of 2025. Vacancy rates grew slightly in retail and industrial real estate, with industrial vacancy rising by 1.7% according to data from Caldwell Cos., while office vacancy shrank slightly.

Measuring the impact: Rental rates increased across all three sectors. Retail units experienced the largest growth, with rates rising by $3.28. Office unit monthly leasing rates grew by $1.26 per square foot, and industrial rental rates increased by $0.84 since last year, continuing a steady growth trend that dates back to the third quarter of 2023.

In terms of development, new industrial construction decreased by six buildings compared to the third quarter of 2025. Retail development saw a decrease of one building but experienced an increase in overall square footage. Additionally, early September saw one new office development, breaking a trend of no new office construction that had persisted since April.

The Woodlands area will host four arts events this fall:

• The Fine Craft, Art & Design Show on Sept. 26-27 at the Town Center North Exhibit Hall, featuring 60 juried artists and designers.

• The juried exhibition The Art of Belonging from Oct. 20-Jan. 14 at 9450 Grogans Mill Road.

• The Fall Fine Arts Show on Oct. 17 at Market Street, showcasing more than 30 local artists. The free event will move to Oct. 24 in case of inclement weather.

• The Woodlands Photography Club's 2026 Award Ceremony and Exhibition on Nov. 7 at 25814 Budde Road. The free event features work by top area photographers.