Downtown Pavilions project about to open

It is being billed as the first center of its kind to be built downtown in 20 years.

The new Houston Pavilions is bordered by Dallas, Polk, Main and Caroline. It's an open air center and will be home to 360,000 square feet of retail and 200,000 square feet of office space.

Anchors tenants include the House of Blues, Books-A-Million, Forever 21 and Lucky Strike Lanes. There will be nine restaurants including McCormick and Schmick's.

The facility is steps off the light rail, a walk from hotels, Minute Maid Park, the GRB and the new Discovery Green.

All of this is a bright spot for those who try to lure conventions and business downtown, but hopes the project attracts customers way beyond the 77002 zip code.

"Houston Pavilions has been mischaracterized as a downtown project when as a practical matter it's an inner loop project," said Geoffrey Jones with the project. "The scope of the people that will shop here extends beyond downtown."

The project has been in the works for the last six years. Developers are glad they secured funding for it years ago because a project like this wouldn't be possible today during the current credit crunch.

The Houston Pavilions opens officially October 16th with more retailers launching over the next six months.