For everyone who is wondering what's happening with all of that construction at the corner of
Westheimer and Kirby in Houston, I have the scoop for you, my precious little pumpkins.

This is a big announcement.
 
Four new restaurants and one new bar are confirmed for that corner, all opening at the same
time: Summer 2009. And this is just the beginning. There will be many more announced in coming months.

. Cru - a wine bar with food
. Pie Bar - a gourmet pizza place
. The Social House - a gastropub
. Swig - a martini bar
. Wildfish - an upscale seafood & steak restaurant  

I wanted to get this news to you ASAP, so below is info provided by WEST AVE'S publicist.

Cru
Established January 2002 in Dallas’s West Village, Cru was conceived as an exciting urban destination to experience and explore the fascinating world of wine.  Cru offers 300 selections, some 50 wines by the glass, as well as 14 wine flights daily.  Wine selections are well chosen and moderately priced, incorporating revered, old World producers, rising stars and exciting New World wineries.  With the ambience of a European café, indoor and alfresco options will be available with dining areas separated by a wall of French doors.  The décor will incorporate custom built wine racks and hand painted fresco wine labels on canvas.  The menu will offer a contemporary collection of French-Continental, Asian Fusion and Wine Country separated into the categories of sharing plates such as cheese fondue, steamed mussels and wood stone oven pizzas; dinner entrées of diver sea scallops, roasted chicken breast and pan seared beef tenderloin; and cheese flights of artisan cheeses with rustic bread and complementary accompaniments.
Cru also has a location in The Woodlands, Texas.

Pie Bar
A new concept from the Syn Group (see The Social House), this intimate 1,500 square foot second-floor space will match gourmet pizza in a sleek bar setting with a wide selection of premium liquors.  Open until 2 am!

The Social House at WEST AVE
Syn Group, the creators of Clear Ultra Lounge and The Social House at West Village in Dallas (just opened) will be debuting their premier gastropub concept in Houston.  This will be the city’s first gastropub and one of only a handful in the country.  So, what exactly is a gastropub?  It’s the latest American manifestation of a British phenomenon that recently hit the United States.  Gastropubs first emerged in the early 1900s in London, spawning a whole new culture of dining and drinking.  Gastropubs combine a relaxed and cozy ambiance plus a diverse and innovative menu prepared to the standards of a fine restaurant.  With twenty beers on tap and a selection of drinks from around the world, you might just get addicted!  Managing Partners, Shawn Rao and Jonathan Serrano are Houston natives. 

Swig
Born in San Antonio, Swig will feature a "daunting" list of martinis and has received national kudos from media including the New York Times which said:  "Craving a chocolate martini?  Belly up to the bar at the River Walk's nod to retro chic.  Single-barrel bourbon, single-malt scotch, and a wide selection of beer and wines fill out the drink menu, but James Bond's preferred poison is always the top seller.  Nightly live jazz adds to the pizzazz.  The big cigars are the catch (or draw) here."

Wildfish
From the creator of Eddie V’s and Roaring Fork (Gourmet mag's Best New Restaurant), this Newport Beach, CA-born critic’s pick and Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner serves only the very best prime seafood and steaks.  Seafood comes from the "top of the catch" right off the docks featuring oysters shucked to order from their oyster bar and seafood prepared to your liking.  USDA Prime center-cut steaks are broiled to perfection.  Wildfish is a restaurant where the atmosphere is exciting, the food is center stage, and the staff is dedicated to every detail.

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About the development to be known as WEST AVE: (bolding is mine)

URBAN PARTNERS AND GABLES RESIDENTIAL NEAR TOP OUT OF WEST AVE: 
A FIRST-TO-MARKET SHOPPING DISTRICT/RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN HOUSTON’S CENTRAL CORE

HOUSTON, TX –In a city known for sprawl, strip centers and pioneering malls, the development team of Urban Partners and Gables Residential is anticipating a resounding success with Houston’s WEST AVE.

The team brings a history of high quality urban development to the project, which is a major departure from current Houston intown retail and residential offerings and is fast approaching a spring 2008 top out.

As a first-of-its-kind, mixed-use development for the city, WEST AVE balances urban density and evolving consumer tastes seeking pedestrian-friendly outdoor gathering places with Houston’s long-standing dependence on cars.  WEST AVE will be first to market among a handful of mixed-use developments in the planning stages or under construction in central Houston.  Delivery of a portion of its 390 luxury apartment residences is projected as early as August 2008, while two floors and 180,000 square feet of prime retail are slated to debut in August 2009.

WEST AVE occupies what many consider to be one of the Southwest’s premier retail sites:  the corner of Kirby Drive and Westheimer Road, a primary artery that links the Uptown/Galleria area with Midtown and downtown.

This highly sought after location serves as the gateway to the Upper Kirby retail and business district as well as River Oaks, arguably Houston’s most affluent residential neighborhood.  Designed by Memphis-based Looney Ricks Kiss and encompassing five acres, the first phase of WEST AVE will fuse classic Art Deco styling and southern Mediterranean accents in a seven-story façade of brick, stucco and cast stone. 

The design is reflective of some of Houston’s most significant early commercial buildings and in context with original homes in the area, which were built primarily in the 1920s and 1930s.  Architectural elements will include varying roof elevations, distinctive roofline flourishes, customized storefronts and a dramatic rooftop pool and health facility.

The newly platted West Ave. street will run north to south through the middle of the development, creating the heart of WEST AVE with wide sidewalks, covered walkways, four sky bridges spanning approximately 85 feet each, ceremonial staircases and outdoor escalators to provide convenient but secure access in and around homes and storefronts for residents and visitors.  WEST AVE has been envisioned as an authentic urban experience with a setting reflective of this dynamic and diverse area.

Urban Partners, whose similar West Village (central Dallas) and 2nd Street District (downtown Austin) retail endeavors have since spurred on widespread and complementary adjacent development, WEST AVE will eschew big box and the expected in lieu of an engaging mix of homegrown, new-to-market, reputation, emerging and “fast fashion” retail and dining partners.

Upon completion, it is anticipated that WEST AVE will be the home of between 50 to 60 retail tenants. 
Roughly 45,000 square feet has been allocated to food and beverage, including a small grocery/market concept.  

Additional components will include an independent bookseller and revolutionary theater concept.  Retail will be supported by both street level parking on West Ave. and abundant dedicated underground garage parking.  Residences will be provided separate structured parking, which will be accessible at each residential level.  Centralized valet parking will be provided on complimentary basis.

With few obstructions in any direction, even from lower floors, residents will enjoy some of the city’s most unprecedented views of lush River Oaks plus the skylines of Greenway Plaza, the Texas Medical Center, downtown and Uptown. 

Units, including one-and two-bedroom floorplans will offer an average size of 1,070 square feet and feature premium finishes such as cabinets with glass inserts, two-tone granite countertops in kitchens, under-mount sinks, stainless steel appliances, wood floors, upgraded lighting, semi-frameless glass showers, three-tone paint and full-size washers and dryers.  Additionally, most units will offer balconies, and residents will have access to a rooftop pool, fitness center and lounge areas.