CP Group Lands Largest Restaurant Lease of Year in Houston

Houston restaurateur Mack McDonald is set to open an upscale dining concept, Mack Allen’s, in the renovated 5POP skyscraper just west of River Oaks.

The restaurant will occupy 15,860 square feet on the ground floor of the 28-story building on Post Oak Parkway, formerly known as Five Post Oak Park, making it the largest restaurant lease in the region this year, Bisnow reported.

David Littwitz of Littwitz Investments represented McDonald in lease negotiations, while Transwestern brokers represented the landlord, CP Group.

It will be the second Mack Allen’s location. Construction is underway for the first one, in The Woodlands. Both are expected to open next year. Mack Allen’s venture follows McDonald’s successful New Orleans-inspired chain, The Rouxpour.

The flight-to-quality trend has been most apparent in the office sector, as companies flock to updated, amenity-filled properties in light of the remote-work era. However, McDonald’s lease shows that new or renovated buildings can attract ground-floor retailers and restaurants as well.

CP Group and Rialto Capital have invested $12 million in capital improvements since acquiring the building in 2021. Recent renovations include lobby and common area upgrades, the addition of 5CUP Café by Blackwater Roasting, a concierge desk and the construction of spec suites as part of CP Group’s worCPlaces program, four of which have been leased in the past six months.

The ground-floor space previously housed a gym, a title company, a bank and a sandwich shop. Initially seeking 7,000 to 8,000 square feet, McDonald ended up with double the space due to the building’s location. Littwitz discovered 5POP through discussions with Transwestern, noting its proximity to River Oaks, Uptown, the Galleria and the St. Regis Houston.

The project has been in the works since last summer, with Montgomery Roth Architecture & Interior Design laying out the concept. Mack Allen’s will feature a bakery/to-go section and 4,000 square feet of private dining space, all adjacent to a landscaped private park.

Office tenants include financial firm UBS, accounting firm Weaver and law firm Thompson Coe. Littwitz emphasized the advantage for these companies to entertain clients in-house.

“It will be a huge plus for their business to be able to entertain at this level in their building with their customers,” Littwitz told the outlet. “The restaurant will work hard to attract customers from the adjacent ZIP codes, which represent some of the highest incomes in Metro Houston.”

—Quinn Donoghue