The Woodlands Walmart

[KatieDidIt]

We came back from 2 months away from home to find the Walmart construction in full gear. Along Woodlands Parkway they removed the trees so you can see the entire parking area and or building pad. The operating company swore up and down they would leave a 60 foot tree barrier around the construction site. Well they did, on 2978 only. BUt right in the neighboorhood with multi-million dollars homes they CLEAR CUT down the trees.

Residents have opposed this construction from the get go do to the crime and property depreciation this company brings,....but the Woodlands Mafia prevailed.

This from an article as late as 7/27/05

The 25-acre site will be surrounded by a 60-foot forest buffer along Woodlands Parkway and 50-foot forest buffers along FM 2978 and Branch Crossing Drive.

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:WN0qU...&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

The Woodlands has become "all about the money," not the residents, in the past two years.

Oh and one more gripe: We have had to deal with Joel Deretchin over the recent crime lately and lack of police coverage, what a politician. His long, rambling emails basically boil down too, "tough luck SUCKER."

Booooo

[RedScare]

I don't know who's been faking you out, but The Woodlands has been all about the money ever since George Mitchell sold it years ago. If the $65,000 price tag for a 55 foot lot didn't clue you in, the 3500 foot homes on 55 foot lots should have.

As to crime at a Wal Mart, if it occurs, it will be from your own neighbors. No one in Houston can even find their way out to Woodlands Pkwy and FM 2978. Even if they could, they wouldn't waste the gas going out there, given that there are dozens of Wal Marts closer in.

This sounds like the price one pays to live in a 78,000 population subdivision.

[kjb434]

And a 78,000 population subdivision out of the juridiction of many city service type of authorities. The Woodlands has there own private fire department. No real police force exists.

I guess if they get annexed they can complain to the City of Houston for police coverage.

I don't think crime will be that much of a problem. Like RedScare says, who knows how to get there.

[KatieDidIt]

And a 78,000 population subdivision out of the juridiction of many city service type of authorities.  The Woodlands has there own private fire department.  No real police force exists.

I guess if they get annexed they can complain to the City of Houston for police coverage.

I don't think crime will be that much of a problem.  Like RedScare says, who knows how to get there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well in itself that is a bad thing too. Think of all the Walmart that have folded or moved across the street, leaving an empty shell behind. Oh well.

[kjb434]

Yeah, the one in my home town was turned in to a Children's museum and the remaining space was orgainzed for meeting space. The large parking lot was adjusted in the front by the road way for out parcel space for new restraunts. Trees were added to the parking lot too. Not bad for a town of around 25,000 where supposedly Wal-Marts kill everything. Wal-Mart assisted in marketing to outparcels in the front of there own store. The city convinced Wal-Mart it would make more money selling off the two pieces in the front instead of selling the whole then to the city. Wal-Mart prepped the two outparcels (water, electricity, sewage) so new businesses could readily build and use them.

[KatieDidIt]

Yeah, the one in my home town was turned in to a Children's museum and the remaining space was orgainzed for meeting space.  The large parking lot was adjusted in the front by the road way for out parcel space for new restraunts.  Trees were added to the parking lot too.  Not bad for a town of around 25,000 where supposedly Wal-Marts kill everything.  Wal-Mart assisted in marketing to outparcels in the front of there own store.  The city convinced Wal-Mart it would make more money selling off the two pieces in the front instead of selling the whole then to the city.  Wal-Mart prepped the two outparcels (water, electricity, sewage) so new businesses could readily build and use them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is so great that your city found a way to utilize the space! Driving through the south though, you see many situations that did not turn out so possitive. Kudos to your community.

[YakuzaIce]

Just curious, do you shop at walmart?

[KatieDidIt]

Just curious, do you shop at walmart?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NO. And they aren't exactly building this one in a neighborhood of "bargain shoppers" either. Even having two grocery stores in this area is causing slow stock turnover and lower quality produce. There are just not enough residents to support another goods supplier.

There is no stigma to shopping at a Walmart in my mind. Its just 3 of them aren't needed in a 76,000 population area. And due to its location, crime and business failure are a concern.

[kjb434]

That's why I like the having few grocers in my areanear the heights. The produce always seems fresh because there is lots of turnover.

Oh, and my home town is back in Louisisana. When Wal-Mart decided to build the Supercenter next door to the old one, there was outrage because of the future vacant building. Community groups organized to do something about the building.

I'm happy to see it eveytime I make it back to Thibodaux and see it.

[bachanon]

There is no stigma to shopping at a Walmart in my mind. Its just 3 of them aren't needed in a 76,000 population area. And due to its location, crime and business failure are a concern.

although the woodlands pop. is nearing 78k, the walmart (at woodlands' parkway and 2978) will serve tomball and magnolia as well. with magnolia having to build it's second high school and the massive amount of homebuilding west of 2978, i do not believe that this walmart will survive on woodlands' residents alone.

i'm disappointed to hear about the buffer zone. i plan to drive out there and check it out. i'm hoping that, at minimum, they will stick to the requirement for certain sized plantings. they are supposed to have to plant larger trees in any landscaping plan.

[pineda]

Tomball has not only a Wal-Mart already, but a fairly new Target store as well.

[KatieDidIt]

Tomball has not only a Wal-Mart already, but a fairly new Target store as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Pin, I know you have a lot of inside contacts: No one at that WOC will tell me what they intend to build on the remaining mixed commercial use land on 2978. I am worried its going to be a slew of apartments

Walmart in Tomball

Walmart at 242 and College Park

Walmart at Rayford Sawdust.

[RedScare]

NO. And they aren't exactly building this one in a neighborhood of "bargain shoppers" either. Even having two grocery stores in this area is causing slow stock turnover and lower quality produce. There are just not enough residents to support another goods supplier.

There is no stigma to shopping at a Walmart in my mind. Its just 3 of them aren't needed in a 76,000 population area. And due to its location, crime and business failure are a concern.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know. They're building this thing on an FM road, for crying out loud. It looks to be a few miles away from your million dollar homes, as well. I hate to sound rude, but when you build out in the middle of a rural area (and FM 2978 is rural, for now), you have to expect that anything can be built nearby. A WalMart doesn't sound like the worst of things. But, if the crime is so bad out there, have you considered moving to Houston? Our crime rate has been dropping for 10 years now.

[pineda]

Add to your list:

Walmart at 249 & 2920

Walmart at 2920 & Kuykendahl

Walmart at 242 and College Park

Walmart at I-45 & Sawdust

Walmart at I-45 & Louetta

Walmart at I-45 & League Line

At 1960 & Cutten, they recently closed down the old decrepit Walmart, sold it and the new owners turned it into the Harwin Drive of the North (their name for it, not mine) and then Walmart opened a new larger behomoth directly across the street. The neighbors in the Champions area directly attribute the rise in crime in the areas adjacent to these stores to Walmart itself, the constables who attend the neighborhood HOA meetings call it the "Walmart effect", that crime seems to follow the Walmarts. Interesting...

[KatieDidIt]

I don't know.  They're building this thing on an FM road, for crying out loud.  It looks to be a few miles away from your million dollar homes, as well.  I hate to sound rude, but when you build out in the middle of a rural area (and FM 2978 is rural, for now), you have to expect that anything can be built nearby.  A WalMart doesn't sound like the worst of things.  But, if the crime is so bad out there, have you considered moving to Houston?  Our crime rate has been dropping for 10 years now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Red, I am not going to get into a class battle with you.

Its 1/2 mile away from these homes. And NO, I did not expect THE WOODLANDS to do this within their community, and I am far from the only one.

I did live in Houston for 15 years, Tanglewood/Galleria, and loved it. But HISD ran out of money and private schooling would not provide the type of well rounded experience for our kids that we wanted.

[RedScare]

Don't blame me. I hate the things (WalMarts). Don't have any in the beautiful, crime-free Heights.

[KatieDidIt]

Add to your list:

Walmart at 249 & 2920

Walmart at 2920 & Kuykendahl

Walmart at 242 and College Park

Walmart at I-45 & Sawdust

Walmart at I-45 & Louetta

Walmart at I-45 & League Line

At 1960 & Cutten, they recently closed down the old decrepit Walmart, sold it and the new owners turned it into the Harwin Drive of the North (their name for it, not mine) and then Walmart opened a new larger behomoth directly across the street. The neighbors in the Champions area directly attribute the rise in crime in the areas adjacent to these stores to Walmart itself, the constables who attend the neighborhood HOA meetings call it the "Walmart effect", that crime seems to follow the Walmarts. Interesting...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Pin for pointing out more,yikes, it strengthens my basic concern for the over Walmarting of the area.

[kjb434]

Don't dismiss Wal-Mart not in the Heights yet. They'll build one just south of I-10 like Target eventually.

[SpringTX]

The Woodlands must have one of the lowest crime rates in the whole Houston area. It's not clear to me that Wal-Mart would noticeably increase crime there. I don't particularly want another Wal-Mart in The Woodlands, but I don't think it will be the end of the world. Even among average-income and upper-income people, there is still the occasional need to buy some cheap crap every now and then.

I also can't imagine any large-scale business failures in The Woodlands. I can't remember ever seeing even one abandoned storefront in The Woodlands.

I also noticed in HEB in The Woodlands yesterday a bunch of Klein Oak and other obviously out-of-district T-shirts being worn by patrons. So the commercial establishments in The Woodlands are serving more than just The Woodlands itself, as Bachanon noted.

I was driving down Woodlands Parkway yesterday from the far western edge of The Woodlands and I passed by an unusual sight: a new shopping center with the trees clear-cut...all the way up to Woodlands Parkway. I wonder if this is the new Wal-Mart we're talking about. I used to like driving along Woodlands Parkway 10 or so miles (from one end to the other) seeing nothing but trees. I've recently seen strips of land along thoroughfares in The Woodlands where they've been planting MORE trees. So this had to be some kind of a mistake.

[KatieDidIt]

I was driving down Woodlands Parkway yesterday from the far western edge of The Woodlands and I passed by an unusual sight: a new shopping center with the trees clear-cut...all the way up to Woodlands Parkway. I wonder if this is the new Wal-Mart we're talking about. I used to like driving along Woodlands Parkway 10 or so miles (from one end to the other) seeing nothing but trees. I've recently seen strips of land along thoroughfares in The Woodlands where they've been planting MORE trees. So this had to be some kind of a mistake.

YUP! That would be the Walmart. Ain't it grand? NOT.

[SpringTX]

I was driving down Woodlands Parkway yesterday from the far western edge of The Woodlands and I passed by an unusual sight: a new shopping center with the trees clear-cut...all the way up to Woodlands Parkway. I wonder if this is the new Wal-Mart we're talking about. I used to like driving along Woodlands Parkway 10 or so miles (from one end to the other) seeing nothing but trees. I've recently seen strips of land along thoroughfares in The Woodlands where they've been planting MORE trees. So this had to be some kind of a mistake.

YUP! That would be the Walmart. Ain't it grand? NOT.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't want to get overly-emotional here, but that sight really bothered me yesterday. It was kind of like taking a Picasso painting and ripping a hole in the middle of the center of its canvas. Once you cut down trees that have been growing for hundreds of years, it's kind of hard to get them back.

[KatieDidIt]

I don't want to get overly-emotional here, but that sight really bothered me yesterday.  It was kind of like taking a Picasso painting and ripping a hole in the middle of the center of its canvas.  Once you cut down trees that have been growing for hundreds of years, it's kind of hard to get them back.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Believe me no one is happy. And here is a HUgE surprise (not) no response from the WOC mafia. I bet a whole bunch of low income apartments are next. Right next to the WCC, ain't that grand?

[SpringTX]

Believe me no one is happy. And here is a HUgE surprise (not) no response from the WOC mafia. I bet a whole bunch of low income apartments are next. Right next to the WCC, ain't that grand?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You don't mean the elderly apartments, do you?

[KatieDidIt]

You don't mean the elderly apartments, do you?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, Gary Player Course in Sterling Ridge, which is part of the WCC. Seem to me the WOC likes to put low income detractions next to high income attractions.

[kjb434]

Hey,

if they were pine trees, they are no where near one hundred years old.

Pine trees grow extremely fast and can be at a hieght of 30 ft in 15 years.

Pines tree will die of old most probably before 100 years. The fast growth of pine trees is the reason it is used for lumber and paper production.

[SpringTX]

Hey,

if they were pine trees, they are no where near one hundred years old.

Pine trees grow extremely fast and can be at a hieght of 30 ft in 15 years.

Pines tree will die of old most probably before 100 years.  The fast growth of pine trees is the reason it is used for lumber and paper production.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's semi-encouraging news. Many of the pine trees along Woodlands Parkway seem to be more like 60' or higher, but 30' in 15 years would be a decent start. I wonder if they'd consider planting where Wal-Mart cut down along Woodlands Parkway.

[UrbaNerd]

That's true. This area does not really have many "old growth" trees. Pines can grow quickly, oaks, can get old, but, can get sort of big quickly, etc. Still, tis a shame.

[houstonsemipro]

Wow, another Wal-Mart in the Woodlands? The Woodlands is really growing. Where this new Wal Mart be located?

[kjb434]

^^^

read above

[westguy]

I think the replacement trees are usually less hardy than the native species. They also have growth spurts when they are young, but slow in maturity. It takes a long time for those trees to get to 100ft. Pines are usually very long-lived trees. The oldest organisms in the world are from a pine species which live out in California.