IHOP construction starts at Southfork; strip centers to follow

UPDATED – At long last there are concrete signs – no pun intended – that something is happening at Southfork.

A concrete slab has been poured for an IHOP that will be opening at the development at the southwest corner of 47th Street South and I-135.

“Hey, after six years, a little activity is starting,” says developer Jay Maxwell. “I’m done with all the processing through the government. Now it’s time to make deals.”

He says construction on a new Arby’s likely will start by late next month, and two new strip centers will follow within 60 days.

One center will be 9,800 square feet, and the other will be 10,000 square feet.

“We have a whole smorgasbord of tenants,” Maxwell says.

The deals aren’t done for most of those yet, but there are letters of intent, he says.

The centers will have three drive-through availabilities.

“We’re talking to a lot of restaurants to fill those up,” Maxwell says.

He also still plans a hotel and convenience store in this first phase of development.

The second and third phases of Southfork may go another direction, though, such as an industrial or warehouse use.

“It’s just phase two and phase three that are up in the air,” Maxwell says. “I’m just worried about phase two and phase three being retail without an anchor tenant.”

He says that would change if one comes along.

“If I’ve got a user, I’d do it quick.”

The IHOP will be open by around November.

This will make the fourth IHOP for Issa Group, which includes restaurateurs and brothersTy, Ali and Mike Issa.

The Issas also own Larkspur Bistro & Bar, Ya Ya’s EuroBistro, Hereford House, Scotch & Sirloin and Heat Cigar & Hookah Lounge.

South-side residents regularly request more restaurants for their area, but Ali Issa says the IHOP is all he and his brothers can handle there for now.

Maxwell says he’ll have Southfork’s main sign up in the next 30 to 45 days.

“It’ll be digital since we have a digital company,” he says of his Pixius Communications.

“We’re making progress, slow but sure.”