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Shadow Creek Ranch


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I passed by Shadow Creek Ranch today because my friend bought a new house out there. Along McHard there are several signs that say new retail coming soon, new townhomes coming soon and etc. We are talking about really mixed in with the rest of the neighborhood. So tell me something. Does anybody know if this will be just regular strip malls and townhomes that you see around 518, or will it develop like the Woodlands and Sugar Land with new urbanism projects? I'm telling you, suburbs are getting more attractive these days such as the Woodlands and Sugar Land. I hate to be one of the people that takes away from the inner city population by moving to the suburbs, but it is getting really tempting.

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I passed by Shadow Creek Ranch today because my friend bought a new house out there.  Along McHard there are several signs that say new retail coming soon, new townhomes coming soon and etc.  We are talking about really mixed in with the rest of the neighborhood.  So tell me something.  Does anybody know if this will be just regular strip malls and townhomes that you see around 518, or will  it develop like the Woodlands and Sugar Land with new urbanism projects?  I'm telling you, suburbs are getting more attractive these days such as the Woodlands and Sugar Land.  I hate to be one of the people that takes away from the inner city population by moving to the suburbs, but it is getting really tempting.

Those along McHard will most likely be nice strip centers and apartment complexes. The "lifestyle centers" with high-end retail and work-live spaces, townhouses, waterways, etc. are planned for the BW8 and 288 intersection and another one at BW8 at Pearland Parkway. The one at Pearland Parkway is being driven by a longtime resident looking to make a big splash on his old hometown. The drawings I've seen show a waterway, midrise townhouses with ground-level retail and indications that retailers such as Virgin Megastore, Williams Sonoma and other such "destination retailers" may be in the works, though I have not seen any verification of this.

The one at BW8 and 288 is being planned by an established developer of these types of centers. I don't have any information on it, as it has only recently been announced.

My money's on the Pearland Parkway one being the first to make. I've even seen what looks like some grading going on on the site. Not to mention that McHard will soon open up between Pearland Parkway and 518....and eventually all the way to 288. This area is, indeed, starting to look very promising.

I think the end result will be an area that eclipses Sugar Land Town Square(great idea not very well executed, imo) and more on-par with The Woodlands, when it's all taken as a whole. The trump card is that Pearland is its own small town and it's only 15-20 minutes out of the city. Nice.

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Thanks for the info, I will elaborate more in my post maybe tomorrow, but right now I am kind of tired.

Virgin Megastore and Williams Sonoma? Oh my goodness. What is wrong with Houston. Stores that we are struggling to get in downtown, Virgin Megastore atleast, are possibly headed to the suburbs. Please don't make this onto another Dallas, where the suburbs are where it's at.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi everyone,

I was curious if anyone on these boards is living currently in the Shadow Creek Ranch (SCR). I currently live in Clear Lake but my fiancee will be moving to Houston in about a year. She will be working in downtown Houston and since I work in Clear Lake, we need to find some kind of happy medium. From looking at the maps, Pearland and Shadow Creek Ranch really seems to fit that to a tee. I would guess that we would each have about 30 minute commutes.

From there, we'll get the house and enjoy the DINK lifestyle. For the record, I'm not opposed to living closer to downtown, ITL even, but the affordability just isn't there. I wish there were more houses between 8 and 610 on the south/southeast side but there just isn't much there. I have read on here about Idyllwood and drove through there the other day. I would imagine that if just the right deal came along it would ok but for the most part, the houses there were looking run-down and small.

Thanks!

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There is a new subdivision that is going up between Beltway 8 and I-610 along SH288. Right now that area appears to be a waste land, but with the popularity of the Pearland areas and the strengthening in the job market, that area will become hot also. Lots of empty tracts of land in there prime for development.

I wish I remember the name of that subdivision to tell you, the pictures looked good and the options for those homes were tremendous. They had lots of different upgrades available. Maybe you can drive in the area and check it out.

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I have read on here about Idyllwood and drove through there the other day.  I would imagine that if just the right deal came along it would ok but for the most part, the houses there were looking run-down and small.

LOL. If you think the houses in Idylwood are run down and small, then don't even bother with ITL.....go directly to a McMansion in suburbia.

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LOL.  If you think the houses in Idylwood are run down and small, then don't even bother with ITL.....go directly to a McMansion in suburbia.

But here's the thing... small can't be fixed typically. Run-down can. I drove up and down every street there the other day and there were too many houses that just didn't look taken care of. Some were beautiful and those people should be commended. And the nice tree-lined streets reminded me of growing up. I don't know if you live in Idylwood or not but you can't honestly tell me that everyone is taking care of their houses like they should. I realize they are older houses but that just means it takes a little extra effort than a pristine new house would take. Note that I would prefer an older house in an older neighborhood and if the right thing came along with the neighborhoods ITL, I would definitely go in that direction. But for me, it isn't just about the one house; it's about the neighborhood as a whole. And I'm sorry, but I was a little disappointed with Idylwood after hearing about it on these boards.

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Guest danax
  I don't know if you live in Idylwood or not but you can't honestly tell me that everyone is taking care of their houses like they should.  I realize they are older houses but that just means it takes a little extra effort than a pristine new house would take.  Note that I would prefer an older house in an older neighborhood and if the right thing came along with the neighborhoods ITL, I would definitely go in that direction.  But for me, it isn't just about the one house; it's about the neighborhood as a whole.  And I'm sorry, but I was a little disappointed with Idylwood after hearing about it on these boards.

Are you sure you were in Idlywood? I don't remember seeing any real run-down looking houses in there.

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I'm starting to face the same thing. I greatly prefer living inside the Loop, but I am starting to think that that day may be a little further out than I would like (due to costs). The next best thing would be to pick a good area with access to the HOV lanes so I can use QuickRide. Hopefully I can get in there soon.

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Positive.

I've been through a dozen of neighborhoods and it just seems like Idylwood could be doing more.  No big deal.

I think that you might have been disappointed because you were expecting some sort of inner loop nirvana.

Believe me, Idylwood as a whole is, like most older communities inside the loop, continually improving. Gut/redos are more and more common, but of course there are going to be homes that are run-down either due to lack of funds or lack of desire (i.e., absentee landlords). If there wasn't, I guarantee that one of the positive aspects of the neighborhood (it's affordability relative to other inner loop neigborhoods) would quickly disappear.

Repeat after me: "There are few to no bargains in desirable neighborhoods inside the loop." If you can find one, you better jump on it, because goodness knows everyone else will too!

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Guest danax
I think that you might have been disappointed because you were expecting some sort of inner loop nirvana.

Believe me, Idylwood as a whole is, like most older communities inside the loop, continually improving.

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I think that you might have been disappointed because you were expecting some sort of inner loop nirvana.

Maybe I was... but that was only because of these very boards on this very site talking it up. Unrealistic expectations? Maybe.

The fact is, Houston homeowners and landlords need to take care of these great old houses before people move in, tear down, and build McMansions (or whatever the term of the moment is.) When that happens, the land will have become more useful than the house and the houses will be lost forever.

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  • 2 months later...

I moved into SCR in November. No complaints, but the suburbanization around us (all the malls, hospitals etc) is going to be a pain. Commute west on the Beltway isn't bad at all but they need to punch through Kirby to 8 as just that 2 miles on 288 is getting worse every day.

Wife drives into downtown. She goes in early and comes home early and says it isn't bad. Moves constantly and take her 30 min to get to the office (westside of downtown off 45). If she leaves the house after 7:15 or so though it's brutal 45-1hr. I thought the Ft Bend toll road would help as it seems like a lot of the traffic was people from the HW 6 communities (Sienna, etc) coming to 288 to get downtown instead of dealing with 59, but it hasn't helped at all.

With all the people moving in over here it's just going to get worse. They have a plan to widen 288 but it's not on the plans until at least 2009.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...

Traffic on SH 288 is indeed getting worse, particularly at the FM 518 intersection. However, SCR is still selling homes at a brisk pace and construction is just heating up. Land has been cleared south of FM 518 and new homes will be going up there soon. Also, a regional mall/"power" center is slated to begin construction later this year on the NW corner of the SH 288/FM 518 intersection.

I can't speak to the quality of home construction but they do have some pretty intriguing ammenities as far as suburban subdivision are concerned, including numerous parks, lakes, bike and jogging trails and picnic areas.

The area is in desperate need of expanded vegetation, though. Looks very barren.

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The intriguing amenties is one of the things that has me interested about the development. Right now, I live near Memorial Park/Buffalo Bayou/etc, and it is so nice to have the parks so close by....but, from a quick overview of SCR, it looks like you could have a decent house (and at a decent price) without giving up nearby parks and walking trails.

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The intriguing amenties is one of the things that has me interested about the development. Right now, I live near Memorial Park/Buffalo Bayou/etc, and it is so nice to have the parks so close by....but, from a quick overview of SCR, it looks like you could have a decent house (and at a decent price) without giving up nearby parks and walking trails.

My fiancee and I are moving into SCR in early May and we're really excited about it. Yes, traffic is only going to get worse in this area of town. However, it is really only going to get worse all over town in time. So compared to other parts of the city, 288 isn't in too bad of shape in terms of freeway congestion. My financee will be working downtown and we're estimating about a 30 minute drive for her each way. But she'll be going in early and staying a little late. I'll be working near Ellington Field so I expect about a 30 minute commute, too. Based on our two working locations, SCR just made sense. We're a young couple who were able to build our first house. I think that's pretty great.

The big traffic problem in this area, detailed in this thread, http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=4523

is the lack of direct connections (or flyovers) between Beltway 8 and 288. Just plain foolish. It will also really help if they have B8 mainlain exits to Kirby and/or Kingsley. Forcing everything to go through the stoplights under the interchange is a traffic catastrophe waiting to happen.

But, last night I had to drop something off at my builder and then I drove to Rice Village for dinner. From deep within SCR to parking in Rice Village in 18 minutes at 6:30. That's pretty nice.

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What's funny is that SCR is zoned to Alvin ISD instead of Pearland ISD.

SCR kids are zoned to Mary Burkes Marek ES in Pearland (Don Jeter ES in Rosharon prior to 2004), Manvel JHS in Manvel, and Alvin High School in Alvin. Manvel High School, which is being built in Manvel, will serve SCR kids starting next year.

Personally I think the Pearland and Alvin districts should be consolidated and a fourth high school (with the other three being Pearland, Alvin, and Manvel) should be built in Pearland.

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  • 4 months later...

My husband I have lived in Shadow Creek Ranch for a about 8 months ... we really like it. And we are excited the new developments! Our property taxes went WAY up!!!! We are fighting it ...

My husband works downtown and it usually takes him about 30 minutes to get to his office in his desk. He has to park in garage in couple of blocks away ...

I love it out there ...

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My husband I have lived in Shadow Creek Ranch for a about 8 months ... we really like it. And we are excited the new developments! Our property taxes went WAY up!!!! We are fighting it ...

My husband works downtown and it usually takes him about 30 minutes to get to his office in his desk. He has to park in garage in couple of blocks away ...

I love it out there ...

Shadow creek is a really nice area. I decided not to move there because of the 4.2% tax rate. That is just tooooo high.. Nice area though.

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I know the whole Alvin ISD has kept a lot of Pearland residents away as well as the taxes.

Also FYI....the new sections of SCR West of Kingsley will be going to FORT BEND ISD. :blink:

So you're telling me SCR will be split into three school districts?? Wow. Who are the ad wizards who came up with THAT one?

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So you're telling me SCR will be split into three school districts?? Wow. Who are the ad wizards who came up with THAT one?

I think all of SCR is in Alvin ISD. I live west of Kingsley and it's definitly Alvin ISD in my section and the current elementary on Kirby is Alvin ISD.

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I think all of SCR is in Alvin ISD. I live west of Kingsley and it's definitly Alvin ISD in my section and the current elementary on Kirby is Alvin ISD.

Yeah, you're right. I'm west of Kingsley, too. No kids in my immediate future so sometimes these things slip my mind. I guess I was counting as third what it SHOULD be... Pearland ISD. Doh.

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Sorry I was was not exact in where the new section is to be built.

The next phases that are closest to FM 521 will be FBISD. We were told by developers they are trying to zone to Hightower HS, but will most likely go to Willowridge HS.

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