Tifa Chocolate & Gelato in Houston, TX

Tifa Chocolate & Gelato is a new dessert shop located at 1085 Gessner Rd. Ste 203 in Houston, Texas. The project involves a tenant build-out of a 1,123 sq ft suite within the Greenside shopping center. This first-generation tenant improvement is part of a broader redevelopment of the site, transforming former industrial structures into a mixed-use destination. The estimated cost for this specific build-out is $370,000.

The work is classified as new construction for a private commercial tenant. Lipex Properties, L.P. is the owner and developer of record for the project. Architangent serves as the design firm, and William T Winning is the registered accessibility specialist. The project is privately funded and located on private land. TDLR records indicate the project was registered in February 2026, with plan review completed in the same month.

Construction Timeline and Status

Construction was scheduled to begin in April 2026, with a planned completion date of June 2026. Despite the scheduled end date having passed, TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection. This means the public record does not confirm the current physical state of the site or the completion of all required work. The project status is listed as Review Complete, but final verification remains pending in the regulatory database.

In the context of Harris County, this project’s estimated cost of $370,000 is below the median estimated cost of $750,000 for similar new construction filings. The scheduled build window of 89 days is shorter than the county median of 219 days. However, the cost per square foot of $329 is above the county median of $88. These figures place the project within the lower range of total investment but at a higher intensity of cost per unit of space compared to the broader market.

City of Houston permit records show three permits on file at this street address, issued between June 2026 and August 2026. These include permits for a restaurant build-out and a Pilates studio build-out in addition to the dessert shop. The presence of multiple permits suggests a coordinated development effort across several suites within the Greenside complex.

Local coverage from Houston CultureMap has described Greenside as a transformation of industrial buildings into a mix of restaurant, retail, and family-friendly businesses. An Instagram post by the project’s social media account mentioned that Original Chop Shop is officially open. However, the TDLR record for Tifa Chocolate & Gelato does not confirm its opening status, only the construction and inspection timeline.