MetroNational, developer of Memorial City Mall, has introduced a free shuttle service to ease transportation through the busy Memorial City area.

The Memorial City Shuttle is designed to simplify travel for tenants of the surrounding office buildings, patients and visitors at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital to Memorial City Mall and other local businesses and restaurants. It consists of three 15-passenger buses, each of which will travel a unique route - East, West and Healthcare Campus.

The buses are wrapped in bright, colorful artwork promoting MetroNational's $500 million redevelopment of Memorial City with messages like "Watch the City Grow," "A City to See" and "Watch the Excitement Building."

They also promote a new Web site - MemorialCity.com - that will provide continuous updates about construction plans and progress.

The Memorial City redevelopment includes construction of a luxury hotel and mid-rise apartments, creation of a lifestyle district featuring an amphitheater and movie theater as well as additional retail and commercial space.

Ground-breaking on a new medical imaging center is slated for later this month. The company will also use the Web site to host quarterly, online town hall meetings, giving local residents an opportunity to register feedback and ask questions about the project.