The last time we reported on Puma Development’s proposal to build a 40-acre mixed-use project in Sugar Land, it was just a back-of-an-envelope concept floating around the city’s offices. But now, the town has approved the project and Puma received a $5 million reimbursement agreement from the town.

The focal point of the project is the renovation of the nearly 100-year-old vacant Imperial Sugar char house near US 90. The repurposing of the 150-ft-tall tower would add a mix of retailers and restaurants to the first floor of the char house with office space and coworking space above.

The Puma development will include 660 apartments and homes, 150,000 square feet of retail, and 300,000 square feet of office at buildout.

The project will eventually encompass $1 billion in investments over the next seven to ten years.

At one time, Sugar Land was home to a large sugar plantation and the Imperial Sugar Company building, the Char House, was emblematic of that era.