Bridgeland Will Bring 65,000 Residents To Northwest Area

[TheNiche]

Informative post from H20Buff.

I think Bridgeland is going to be very nice for a tree-challenged community. I'm curious as to whether the developers have considered a tax-increment investment zone? Considering that the current mayor of Houston is amenable to making deals with far-flung suburbs in Houston's ETA, has the possibility of incorporation been discussed with regards to this community (granted there are only 100 or so residents thus far)...but it will eventually grow to 65,000.

TIRZs cannot exist in the ETJ because they do not pay City of Houston taxes. Mayor White is also in most cases not a proponent of TIRZs. He's looking into disbanding quite a few of them. Lastly, the City is not at all interested in annexing MUDs that have very high amounts of outstanding principal but that do not yet have a large tax base. It is a money-losing proposition.

[h2obuff]

That's fine. To each his own. I realize that people in Houston (and Texas for that matter) are used to having a yard and driving to get anywhere. Moreover, I realize that not everyone works in DT Houston (I don't either). And if one indeed works near one of these sprawled developments then I can understand the preference to live close to work. But, you can't deny that sprawl does have a negative impact on the environment (clear cutting; creation of more ground level ozone; flooding; heat islands). And the biggest issue that I have with sprawl: it creates an incentive for more and more sprawl!

My first child is due in May. He will attend private school.

It nice that your kid will get to go to a private school, but not every inner-looper has that luxury. And just so you know, my kids will go to a public school and receive just as good of an education with just as many, if not more opportunities than the sheltered private school kids.

[TJones]

I believe these are the same developers that did StoneGate. They are a huge group that doesn't let shoddy builders in, but from time to time it still seems to happen, nobody is perfect.

[mrfootball]

Did General Growth Properties do Stone Gate?

[TJones]

Did General Growth Properties do Stone Gate?

If the company doing bridgeland is General Growth, then NO, I don't think so. Maybe Bridgeland was sold to GG ? I built a few homes in Stone Gate a few years ago, and was told that the same company was starting the Bridgeland project. I will look around and see if I can find who sold us the land to build back then.

[TheNiche]

Did General Growth Properties do Stone Gate?

No, but it might've been the Rouse Companies, which General Growth acquired a couple years back.

[h2obuff]

No, but it might've been the Rouse Companies, which General Growth acquired a couple years back.

No, the Stone Gate developments are in no way connect with Bridgeland. Land Tejas is the developer for the Stone Gate's, canyon Gates, etc. The first Rouse/GGP residential project in town is Bridgeland, outside of its mall developments and purchase of the Woodlands a couple of years ago.

[Guest danax]

My guess is that this place will be a beautiful and desirable spot once the trees mature in 50 years or so, and an allright spot until then. In 50 years, their idea to reserve greenspace will be even more precious, as all available land nearby will have likely been developed. It will not likely turn "ghetto" because they've got an HOA and are likely to hang on to it. HOAs are hated by some but I say live in an area with people who don't take pride in their surroundings and you'll be wishing you had one, and that scenario is one that Houston will see more of in the future, whereas suburban HOAs can prevent some of that.

Traffic will be nightmarish and what requires leaving at 6:00 today will be 5:00 am next year as the "round the clock rush hour", a la L.A., takes shape, with the 290 corridor being Houston's commute culture version of a petrie dish. People either adapt or move.

Those taxes are just a tad higher than parts of Katy but apparently aren't prohibitive.

[SpringTX]

It will not likely turn "ghetto" because they've got an HOA and are likely to hang on to it. HOAs are hated by some but I say live in an area with people who don't take pride in their surroundings and you'll be wishing you had one, and that scenario is one that Houston will see more of in the future, whereas suburban HOAs can prevent some of that.

This is a planned community. It will definitely be hard to turn ghetto. Especially with the upscale homes they'll build.

Edited December 29, 2006 by SpringTX

[Trae]

I heard Alief was upscale to about 25 years ago.

[mrfootball]

Alief was never upscale. It may have been middle class once, but never in the upper middle, mostly lower middle.

Edited December 29, 2006 by mrfootball

[Trae]

Yeah it was. It looked just like Cinco Ranch. A lot of areas were middle and upper middle, then turned to ghetto, then people start moving farther out.

[Trae]

Informative post from H20Buff.

I think Bridgeland is going to be very nice for a tree-challenged community. I'm curious as to whether the developers have considered a tax-increment investment zone? Considering that the current mayor of Houston is amenable to making deals with far-flung suburbs in Houston's ETA, has the possibility of incorporation been discussed with regards to this community (granted there are only 100 or so residents thus far)...but it will eventually grow to 65,000.

I saw the Bridgelands earlier today, and was wondering the same thing. I wonder if Houston would release its ETJ around the Bridgelands, and let it become "Bridgeland, Texas". They could annex, out to the west, too. Just a thought.

[houstonmacbro]

I understand the reasons why people like communities like that, but I just couldn't do the 2 hour commute to get inside the loop each morning from out there. Heaven forbid it rains one morning!

I don't live that much close to the city, but I also work in the energy corridor. My 35 minutes to get 11 miles at 6:30am is as much as I want to put up with anymore.

Wouldn't it make more sense to attract businesses there first and THEN have the communities to supply the workforce?

[roo23]

I found this in the Bridgeland community newsletter. Can you guys help me find out what's being planned? Specific stores, etc. I couldn't find anything on the GGP website. Any ideas? Is it too soon to tell? I wander if it's going to be anything like La Centerra in Cinco Ranch? At least it claims to not be a typical strip center.

"With over 200 malls in its portfolio, General Growth Properties is planning to make shopping an experience to remember in all future retail centers in Bridgeland, including the future Town Center. The charm of simpler times will blend seamlessly with contemporary conveniences in the retail areas being planned in the Bridgeland community. The first of these centers will front Fry Road and will be adjacent to the Lakeland Activity Center. The retail center will be a stroll away for residents living in Lakeland Village. Additionally, the community trail system will also lead to this and other retail centers. This first center will set the tone for entire community. Not your ordinary suburban strip center, this first center will have the appearance of a friendly "Main Street" and architecture that is unique and full of character. Construction for the site will begin in 2008."

[mrfootball]

Should go in right across from the new Cypress Ranch High School.

[Trae]

So, sort of like La Centerra and Cinco Ranch High School?

[Mom22Blessings]

Are you trying to say they are copying Katy? I wouldn't live in Katy if my life depended on it.

[Trae]

I never said they were copying Katy. I agree with you though. I wouldn't live in Katy either. I just have to. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't live in any of these piece of crap, plastic suburbs. The Woodlands, Cypress, Katy, Pearland, Sugar Land, etc.

Edited March 9, 2008 by Trae

[aggie0083]

I never said they were copying Katy. I agree with you though. I wouldn't live in Katy either. I just have to. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't live in any of these piece of ____, plastic suburbs. The Woodlands, Cypress, Katy, Pearland, Sugar Land, etc.

Why does every thread have to turn into a suburb vs city bash

It really depends on who you ask. Right now, they have no identifiable funding, so maybe never.

Well, it is under design, so that's a start.

[Trae]

How are sales in Bridgeland doing?

[houstonmacbro]

Are you trying to say they are copying Katy? I wouldn't live in Katy if my life depended on it.

Why? What's so bad about it? I don't care for Katy (or Pearland for that matter), but it seems like a nice enough place.

[Trae]

Some pretty ambitious planning (nice though):

Aerial: http://bl.vismark.us/DTS/lots/maps/aerial.asp

What they have so far: http://bl.vismark.us/DTS/lots/eplats/index_base.asp

Conceptual Plan:

Edited March 10, 2008 by Trae

[KatieDidIt]

Driving around the metro area has gotten so damn aweful and these places are so far away or off the beaten path they just don't make sense for a good quality of life for the parents. Planned down to the last blade of grass keeps chaos at bay, but also creates some whacky expectations from its residents.

Unless you can find employment within 10 miles of one these planned areas, I wouldn't live in them. Katy and the Energy Corridor make sense. Bridgeland is in the middle of nowhere. I know people like that, but I don't know how they stand driving 3 hours a day.

Edited March 10, 2008 by KatieDidIt

[Trae]

Some don't. The Bridgelands is definitely far away from Downtown and Uptown, but not too far away from the Energy Corridor or the 290 Corridor. I think a lot of people who live there travel no further east then the Beltway.

And before you know it (10-20 years down the road), it will have its own business district in the middle of the community.

Edited March 10, 2008 by Trae

[KatieDidIt]

Some don't. The Bridgelands is definitely far away from Downtown and Uptown, but not too far away from the Energy Corridor or the 290 Corridor. I think a lot of people who live in the there travel no farther east then the Beltway.

And before you know it (10-20 years down the road), it will have its own business district in the middle of the community.

I guess I could see that, but that drive into the EC would be hellish until that time. 65,000 is a lot of people to employ in the EC alone, but who know with the amount of Class A being built right now. Our old neighborhood, in the EC, is really going through some changes, drastic prices increases and MCMansionization is beginning to start.

I just think commuting beyond your residental area will become impossible with the next 3 years. It basically is almost to that point now.

Edited March 10, 2008 by KatieDidIt

[Mom22Blessings]

Considering that post was written in June (8 months ago!!),

Katy is just suburban sprawl on a flat prairie. Just not my thing I guess.

[Trae]

The Woodlands is suburban sprawl in the (flat) trees.

[mrfootball]

People who aren't from NW Harris County don't seem to realize that most of the great neighborhoods aren't located right off the freeways, so it's always funny to hear their "view from the highway" opinions. The best neighborhoods in Spring, Klein, Champions and Cypress (for the most part) are located off the beaten path (if you're not familiar with the area.) Of course that hasn't hurt growth as this area has outpaced all other areas of town in growth over the past 10-15 years with no signs of stopping. They're still coming, traffic and all.

While there are a lot of people who suffer the commute to Downtown and the Galleria, these neighborhoods are filled with people who live and work in the area at places like the HP Corridor, 290 Corridor, Beltway, Greenspoint, FM 1960, The Woodlands or the Energy Corridor. Many people I know who work in the EC, simply do not want to live in Katy. Aside from the Memorial area, this is about as close as you get to the energy corridor to still have great schools, big tall trees (North of 290), newer homes and low low crime.

I'm not a big fan of treeless, sun-scorched, master-planned communities like you find South of 290, Katy, Sugar Land or Pearland, however I'd live in Bridgeland. They're creating the new template for landscape planning and have done an awesome job sculpting that landscape and accentuating the natural features like Cypress Creek.

Lastly, I think in coming years there will be an office boom on the 290 corridor, especially in the area in/around Bridgeland, Towne Lake and the planned Grand Parkway. All that frontage on 290 from Fry Rd. to Becker is becoming a whole lot more valuable. Once the 2010 census is complete you're going to see an explosion in retail and Class A office space in these areas.

So characteristic of how many of the other communities in NW Harris county have developed (off the beaten path), the path will be beaten to Bridgeland and beyond.

Edited March 10, 2008 by mrfootball

[houstonartstudent]

Some pretty ambitious planning (nice though):

Aerial: http://bl.vismark.us/DTS/lots/maps/aerial.asp

What they have so far: http://bl.vismark.us/DTS/lots/eplats/index_base.asp

Conceptual Plan:

I think the little red trails better represent all the cars that will be stuck in traffic when this place is built...haha