Westwood Village Developments

[KatieDidIt]

I have heard a rumor going around that now they are going to build a Super Target across from the New Walmart on FM 2978. Has anyone heard of this or has knowledge of it? I would have been fine with only a Super Target, but doing a Walmart and a Target this close to our house has us very concerned. If its true, I truly think we will sell. I am very sad about what has happened to what we thought the Woodlands would be.

[Parrothead]

Katie, is there anything that you like about the Woodlands? I'm not sure if there's a post I've read from you yet that isn't talking about putting a for sale sign in your yard for one reason or another. I hope I don't offend, I am truly just curious because if it so awful, I don't really want to move there. On the other hand, I don't know a part of Houston that isn't being mowed down in the name of Big Box. I guess moving anywhere in this city is a risk for overgrowth at best.

[Jeebus]

I am truly just curious because if it so awful, I don't really want to move there..

I thought you were big into the mod scene?

[KatieDidIt]

Katie, is there anything that you like about the Woodlands? I'm not sure if there's a post I've read from you yet that isn't talking about putting a for sale sign in your yard for one reason or another. I hope I don't offend, I am truly just curious because if it so awful, I don't really want to move there. On the other hand, I don't know a part of Houston that isn't being mowed down in the name of Big Box. I guess moving anywhere in this city is a risk for overgrowth at best.

Parrot, sadly other than the kids liking their school better here, the answer is no. We had big hopes that this area was the answer for our schooling issues, and that we could enjoy it as well. We couldn't afford the 1 million dollar plus homes in Eastern Memorial Villages, so the second choice was here. Also, the top non-secular school is almost beyond impossible to get into at this point. If we didn't have kids we would have gladly stayed in our Tanglewood ranch house that we bought in 1992.

Its just hard situation. And I really don't mean to be so down on it all the time, but I am highly confused about the situation we landed in after all the promises this area gives you when you move in. We should have rented first. I have never lived in an area that I have never liked. I have also NEVER lived somewhere were I had to work so hard to attempt to make a community live up to its promises.

My husband has a long commute (Kirkwood and I-10) and is frustrated by the all the "big boxes" popping up after our investment. We may just have to go for a little lesser education and move to the Wilchester area. I really like it over there, but I am a little wary of Stratford High.

As to The Woodlands; No I wouldn't recommend it unless you really enjoy the very quite life, a non-responsive associaiton in an area were no one seems to be or wants to be in charge, and find Bunco to be the ultimate in adult entertainment.

[Jeebus]

My husband has a long commute (Kirkwood and I-10) and is frustrated by the all the "big boxes" popping up after our investment. We may just have to go for a little lesser education and move to the Wilchester area. I really like it over there, but I am a little wary of Stratford High.

Heaven forbid you subject your children to the hell known as public school. Even worse, that you would consider a slum like Stratford!

[KatieDidIt]

Heaven forbid you subject your children to the hell known as public school. Even worse, that you would consider a slum like Stratford!

Jeebus, my kids have ALWAYS been in public school. But HISD was not only broke, and a poor education with no PE or extras, but unsafe in our area after elementary school. My husband went to Westchester way back when and loved it. I just have heard of various social problems from kids of our friends that go to Stratford.

[Jeebus]

Jeebus, my kids have ALWAYS been in public school. But HISD was not only broke, and a poor education with no PE or extras, but unsafe in our area after elementary school. My husband went to Westchester way back when and loved it. I just have heard of various social problems from kids of our friends that go to Stratford.

Well, Stratford is in Spring Branch ISD, so that could be the first part of a possible solution. What "social problems" are kids reporting from there? Also, what programs are you worried would not be at a school like Stratford that they're currently involved in now?

[KatieDidIt]

Well, Stratford is in Spring Branch ISD, so that could be the first part of a possible solution. What "social problems" are kids reporting from there? Also, what programs are you worried would not be at a school like Stratford that they're currently involved in now?

Gangs and problems among other female students in the bathrooms. Don't want to get into it.

Yes Spring Branch ISD is wonderful. One of the other reason we moved to The Woodlands is because we couldn't afford a new home in the Memorial area. I think Gaywood is up to 1.3 million now. My husband gained some health problems in our 1960's town ranch., We had to totally gut and remodel. Anything in the Stratford area we would have to do the same too. And once you have gone through all that, its hard to think about doing it again.

We would both love to see SBISD open Westchester as a real high school again. Apparently all the Stratford kids LOVED it during the remodel of their school because it actually had windows!

[Parrothead]

Katie, I know firsthand your fears of Stratford and they are justified. My brother had a MAJOR problem with drugs while he was at Stratford, and was finally shipped off to the Marine Military Academy by my father (where he straightened up beautifully, btw LOL). There are great kids there, no doubt but that school definitely has its share of issues (I guess all of them do). I'd love to be able to afford a private school for Phoebe. I liked what I read recently about the John Cooper School in the Woodlands and was one of the reasons we were kinda looking there.

I grew up in Kingwood so I have to admit that I miss the quiet life. I've been over here in the Galleria/Memorial area for the past 15 years and I'm ready to get back to trees and a bit of solitude. Of course I say that now...who knows!?

[KatieDidIt]

Katie, I know firsthand your fears of Stratford and they are justified. My brother had a MAJOR problem with drugs while he was at Stratford, and was finally shipped off to the Marine Military Academy by my father (where he straightened up beautifully, btw LOL). There are great kids there, no doubt but that school definitely has its share of issues (I guess all of them do). I'd love to be able to afford a private school for Phoebe. I liked what I read recently about the John Cooper School in the Woodlands and was one of the reasons we were kinda looking there.

I grew up in Kingwood so I have to admit that I miss the quiet life. I've been over here in the Galleria/Memorial area for the past 15 years and I'm ready to get back to trees and a bit of solitude. Of course I say that now...who knows!?

Yes, John Cooper is very good. It was founded by the x-principal of Kinkaid. Of course we are paying a private school tuition in property and and association fees alone, so it makes no sense for us to go there. It would be cheaper to go back to town and try to shoot for one of those coveted opening in Kinkaid.

[VicMan]

Lemme tell you, there are even very good Houston ISD schools out there. Many families coming in to the loop buy houses zoned to Lamar High School and Bellaire High School.

Also, I want to convince SBISD to join Houston ISD.

But HISD was not only broke, and a poor education with no PE or extras, but unsafe in our area after elementary school.

This depends on the specific HISD school. Some schools, such as River Oaks Elementary and West University Elementary are well-renowned. Other schools are mediocre. Some are just plain bad. It depends on which schools you are zoned to.

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

Katie, maybe you should could consider moving out to Katy, if you are moving. I have heard Seven Lakes High School is good, and if your husband works IH-10 @ Kirkwood, it shouldd not be a long commute.

I have also heard that Stratford has become better in the past few years, and is becoming like a private high school (not really, but close enough).

[pineda]

Katie-

Have you been here yet?

Charming Charlie's open at I-45 & 242

[sevfiv]

Lemme tell you, there are even very good Houston ISD schools out there. Many families coming in to the loop buy houses zoned to Lamar High School and Bellaire High School.

Also, I want to convince SBISD to join Houston ISD.

This depends on the specific HISD school. Some schools, such as River Oaks Elementary and West University Elementary are well-renowned. Other schools are mediocre. Some are just plain bad. It depends on which schools you are zoned to.

true true, and it depends on the kid (and their parents) and the teachers. i went to Bellaire, and there were just as many crackheads as straight a students...and you'll find that anywhere

[KatieDidIt]

true true, and it depends on the kid (and their parents) and the teachers. i went to Bellaire, and there were just as many crackheads as straight a students...and you'll find that anywhere

We were at Briargrove Elem, which was an excellent school. But they are going to knock it down and put the kids temporarily at a new school behind the Galleria. The school had no security budget, which concerned us for the move. Also, with active boys, PE every 7 school days was hard on them. Art and Music were also on that 7 school day rotation. There were 25 kids to a class, no assistants and the teachers were waaaaay too over worked and serious. The "extras" were not available in the school, but the three R's were solid. The major problem was that Jr. High was Grady Middle School. That place is horrible. High School was either Lamar ( yes LAMAR is very dangerous) or a long commute to Westside. Until two years ago, we were zoned for Lee. Now that probably was one of the most gang congested school in Houston.

I think we will just tough it out through Jr. High, at that point we may be able to afford a home in the Memorial High neighborhood. The kids are very talented athletes, so private school really isn't an option when you are headed for 5A ball.

NO Pin, I haven't been over there. If I'm gonna drive more than 2 miles to shop, its gonna be to the Galleria.

[VicMan]

Lamar? Dangerous?

I wouldn't say so, at least not relative to suburban schools.

Sorry, but my sister went there (and graduated with the IB Diploma) and she never felt unsafe there. She attended IB classes at Lamar and got into a good university.

I don't see how Lamar is any more dangerous than a comparable large suburban high school.

Maybe you are confusing Lamar with Lee High School (6529 Beverly Hill Lane

Houston, TX 77057-6499), which has a worse reputation than Lamar.

Grady only has 600 kids, so I don't see how they can't get controlled.

[KatieDidIt]

Lamar? Dangerous?

I wouldn't say so, at least not relative to suburban schools.

Sorry, but my sister went there (and graduated with the IB Diploma) and she never felt unsafe there. She attended IB classes at Lamar and got into a good university.

I don't see how Lamar is any more dangerous than a comparable large suburban high school.

Maybe you are confusing Lamar with Lee High School (6529 Beverly Hill Lane

Houston, TX 77057-6499), which has a worse reputation than Lamar.

Grady only has 600 kids, so I don't see how they can't get controlled.

I am glad you sister had a good experience. But the school just wasn't for us.

[VicMan]

I do not go to Lamar because I prefer a smaller learning environment. I know that Lamar is considered to be a good school; the Chronicle said that Lamar, Bellaire, and Westside get a lot of transfers, leaving enrollment issues for other neighborhood schools. Also some River Oaks families send their kids to Lamar. Lamar, Bellaire, and Westside aren't for people who want smaller schools or more personalized learning environments.

Speaking about the Uptown area, I wonder what St. George Place Elementary is going to be like. According to the SGP forums, St. George Place, Larchmont, and Afton Oaks will be zoned to SGP.

Also Briargrove will get its new campus once it is done.

As for Grady, HISD should add options: Maybe the zoned people can have Lanier, Pershing, and Pin Oak as options.

Better yet.. if Spring Branch joins.. this is how SGP west of 610 and Briargrove should be rezoned:

ES: Briargrove

MS: Spring Branch

HS: Lamar

and

ES: St. George Place

MS: Spring Branch

HS: Lamar

While SGP east of 610 would be:

ES: St. George Place

MS: Lanier

HS: Lamar

And Grady would become a magnet school...

Does that sound good?

[TRP]

I have heard a rumor going around that now they are going to build a Super Target across from the New Walmart on FM 2978. Has anyone heard of this or has knowledge of it? I would have been fine with only a Super Target, but doing a Walmart and a Target this close to our house has us very concerned. If its true, I truly think we will sell. I am very sad about what has happened to what we thought the Woodlands would be.

According to the Magnolia Parkway Chamber of Commerce in their last newsletter last month the new Target will be at the corner of FM 2978 and FM 1488. Reportedly, Target, HEB, and Circuit City among others will occupy approx. 80 acres on that corner. It would be the property directly accross from Kroger on FM 1488.

[KatieDidIt]

According to the Magnolia Parkway Chamber of Commerce in their last newsletter last month the new Target will be at the corner of FM 2978 and FM 1488. Reportedly, Target, HEB, and Circuit City among others will occupy approx. 80 acres on that corner. It would be the property directly accross from Kroger on FM 1488.

Thanks!! And that's a HUGE relief. I wish Walmart had chosen that area too.

[ConstructionManagerMAS]

Has anyone heard what is happening with the commercial development by Regency at the SE corner of 1488 & 2978? I've heard they've actually purchased about 80 acres total now and I've seen a preliminary site plan by the civil engineer. I'd hoped that because of the proximity to The Woodlands they would try to do something fairly "nice". From the site plan, I don't know if that's going to happen. Looks like just a fairly typical large commercial development at this point (trees just screw up the site work and drive up the cost and all that).

I'm sure there is plenty of talk between Regency and The Woodlands Development Corporation to extend Research Forest to the west since it would go directly through the Regency development. In fact, the site plan shows a Research Forest right-of-way along the current southern edge.

[bachanon]

i think that is the super target, best buy and/or circuit city location.

[woody_hawkeye]

I wish we had a county wide means of controlling the tree destruction.

[bachanon]

me too.

[PureAuteur]

It's all about the money. (to developers)

Look what NewQuest did to 2920. The best way to voice disapproval of the tree destruction is to boycott all the businesses on the property. If the tenants do not make any money, then NewQuest does not make any money or return on investment. In my opinion, they don't deserve a single cent in profit for what they do.

That will teach them to stop making cheap development and leveling the trees. I can't tell which is worse, the intersection of Kuykendahl and 2920 or the new Best Buy retail strip off I-45 and Spring Cypress.

They should have let Weingarten do 2920.

[pineda]

I don't know what you're talking about, regarding 2920 & Kuykendahl. There weren't a lot of trees out there to begin with. It was a pasture that was pretty swampy in areas. I've lived out here for awhile now, and I know a lot of people out here were pretty happy to have a Kroger's go in that area, and a Wal-Mart go right across the way. It was a long haul to get to either one of them for a long time. I think New Quest has done a pretty good job out here, and I was really happy to see that they allowed Bubbleheads Scuba to put in an inground pool for their dive school. Good luck with your plans for a boycott.

[ConstructionManagerMAS]

Well, tree destruction at the site is almost complete (only took them about two weeks to accomplish that). We'll see how they do on the rest of the project. Plenty of sitework is going on.

The project is now listed on the regencycenters.com website as "Woodlands West Village", giving a Montgomery address and zip code (somebody needs to do a little homework; its in Magnolia).

The only two tenants currently listed are: Target and Starbucks.

I'd be very surprised if Research Forest is not extended to the west very shortly. The development has to be counting on those Woodlands demographics.

[KatieDidIt]

I heard Bed Bath and Beyond was moving in there also.

I wish someone would build a sport supply store in that area, its really needed.

[PureAuteur]

Well, if it's in Magnolia, there are no restrictions on tree cutting. It's fair game for them.

[Bubba]

Well, it seems that Regency has been listening to the folks of Magnolia. Not about the trees though, as they are already gone, but the center will not have Woodlands in the name. Originally called Woodlands West Village, the project is now known as West Village. Seems they lost Starbucks, (no biggie to me) and gained Petsmart and a nail salon so far. The Woodlands name was a real thorn in the side for a prominent Magnolia dentist that had written an editorial to a local Magnolia paper expressing his displeasure in the name and urging all residents of Magnolia to contact Regency concerning the name. Looks like it paid off.