HOUSTON, Texas — You may have noticed that the lights are off and the arches are down at the Mcdonald's at the intersection of Gray and Main streets in Midtown.
The fast-food chain said the location has been permanently shut down because it is regularly reviewing its restaurant portfolios.
People who live nearby have no problem with seeing the establishment go.
“This Mcdonald's is sketchy," Joel Lowery said. "We’re happy that it’s closing down."
Lowery works with 7More Ministries and visits the intersection five days a week. His job is to help those released from prison get back on their feet after they’re dropped off at the Greyhound bus station across the street from McDonald's.
“We’ve seen a lot of crazy things go down here," Lowery said. "Daily drug deals, we’ve seen guys getting beat up, guys getting their money stolen. It’s a really difficult place. This whole area downtown is not the place you want to be."
With the Greyhound property now up for sale, Lowery is hoping the area gets a major upgrade. The listing brokerage for the property, Cushman and Wakefield, says they’ve had a lot of strong interest and the property is listed for $11 million dollars. They said Greyhound’s lease for the property ends in October 2024 with no renewal.
“I would just love to see this area change for the better," Lowery said.
Mcdonald's said no decision has been made on what’s next for its property.
One possible proposal for the area is re-developing Pierce Elevated into a sky park.