Texas City to get outlet center

TEXAS CITY, TX

Developers say Interstate 45 in Texas City was a hot spot for the new outlet center, especially since they say since tens of thousands of people travel through that area daily.

Louise Lawson and Mary Dreyfus are self-described shopaholics.

"Doesn't every female like to shop?" Lawson said.

But these longtime friends say their bargain shopping's been limited to the La Marque area lately because of a lack of options.

"We normally stay in the local area, so we keep the businesses going," Dreyfus said.

That'll all soon change now that Tanger Outlet Center and Simon Properties are taking over a 55-acre space off I-45 and Holland Road in Texas City to build a huge outlet center.

"More variety to choose from, as long as the sizes are right, they fit and make us look good," Lawson said.

Tanger Outlets and Simon Properties are the two largest developers of outlet malls. They've joined forces for the first time, and in the first phase they plan to bring over 90 brand name and designer outlet stores to this area between Houston and Galveston.

The Tanger Outlets spokeswoman said the developers call this area a sweet spot for the outlet mall because studies show 100,000 vehicles travel through the area every day.

"That would be a great opportunity. That would also be more people to get jobs," Dreyfus said.

The developers say the new outlet shopping center will bring more than 400 construction jobs to Texas City and about 900 full- and part-time jobs one the shopping center is completed.

Shoppers like Lawson and Dreyfus say they look forward to digging for deals at new stores closer to home.

"I think that's very exciting. That gives us another place to shop," Lawson said.

Developers say they expect to break ground on the new center this month.