Demolition of mall property owned by organizations once tied to high-speed rail underway
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After sitting empty for nearly 10 years, the walls of the Northwest Mall are now coming down.
The demolition of the former mall started in April and is expected to take 12 months to complete.
The Northwest Mall opened back in 1968 and has sat empty since 2017 after closing.
"I actually used to work here for Sunglass Hut and Camelot Music and used to hang out here with my friends," Salvador Rodriguez, former Northwest Mall employee, said. "Everybody used to go there and hang out and just have a good time."
But what was once home to retail shops is now potentially the site for a rail stop.
Records showed the site is owned by organizations tied to the once-proposed Texas High Speed Rail.
According to the company behind the project, this will be designated as the Houston terminal for the proposed 240-mile rail line - connecting passengers between Houston and Dallas in under 90 minutes.
This project is drawing criticism from some, including the Waller County Judge. He previously told ABC13 the developers were misleading people on this project, claiming they didn't have certain permits needed.
ABC13 reached out to the company behind this project about that twice now and is still waiting to hear back.
Isaac Garcia planted roots for his business, Once a Tree, across the street from the abandoned mall eight years ago. He said he's unsure if this potential project will bring him more business or deter it.
"Hopefully attracts, you know, more traffic to the shop. But, you know, in the meantime, all the noise and the debris that's going to be out here, I'm a little bit concerned about that," Garcia said.
ABC13 reached out to the Federal Railroad Administration for an update on this project and for confirmation that this site is a part of that plan.
Eyewitness News captured images of the piles of rubble, and only a small part of the mall was still standing.
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