cfresident

A Don Hand pipe dream. No way it will happen. Raveneaux, on the other hand, will begin redevelopment soon. They are starting with Woodland's waterway style townhomes that will line a portion of Cypresswood and will move towards a new clubhouse, etc... The club was purchased by an investment company and has terminated past management. The plan looks very nice... a 'Barton Creek' (i hope that's correct, that's what i hear) style area with a day spa, hotel, etc... I'm hoping that is the case. Of course the plan will deviate based on the success of the stages. Don Hand is fighting the Raveneaux development all the way. It will devestate his plans for Chateaux Raveneaux. On the other hand, I don't understand him. If you want to build a very high end, luxury high rise, why would you build cheap apartments on Cypresswood behind Lowes? That apartment complex will bring down the value of Prestonwood and in the long term affect the whole area. Pretty soon it will be like attempting to build a high end, luxury high rise in Greenspoint.

The clearing by the creek is a detention basin for the waterflow from the apartments. That's what i was told by some one who works for the flood control.

I've used Trendsetter Landscaping and they did an incredible job in my backyard. I would use them again in a heartbeat. I also love the work that Mirror Lake does.

Do you think maybe they killed themselves by surrounding their luxury homes with apartments that hover directly over their lots and cheap townhomes? (The sign is up for the development by Portrait Homes.) They should have used that land for homes in the 250-450K range.

I agree. It is a very nice neighborhood. One thing that i absolutely love about MNW is how proactive they are. A large group of residents work diligently to maintain that neighborhood. They recently upgraded their entrances, they purchased their clubhouse which was once a private club and have created a plan to update it, they added sidewalks/bike paths along the major corridors, they have lots of organized community activities, they maintain an excellent web site, etc... IMO that speaks volumes for a neighborhood. In the older communities it is difficult to get that amount of involvement.

West of 249 and West of 290, until around Bridgeland (which i consider Cypress - at least the first part).

North of 1960, South of 2920.

i was really hoping they would attract more of the Market Street venues. i'm guessing that the bit of 'redevelopment' at Willowbrook Mall may have something to do with the unimpressive tenant list. I heard Maggiano's is moving in there as well as others more like Brio and such. I would venture to guess that GGP has more of a pull, and more to offer, than Interfin.

Not real impressive...

http://www.vintageparkhouston.com/vintage_park_site.pdf

You see another Greenspoint because this area has absolutely no restrictions. You can't build as many or as easily in Sugarland, The Woodlands, Katy, Tomball or any other incorporated area. Cypress will be headed in the same direction once the large tracts of land are all sold to home developers. What's left will become apartments or strip malls. It just kills me to see that happen.

So, the question becomes...do you run? Do you sell your home in an effort to get out before the area tanks?

Another new apartment complex is being built at 249 and Shroeder giving the homes in Prestonwood a lovely view out their back windows. The property was purchased, or is owned by Don Hand. It is adjacent to the property that was clear cut for the office complex.

Are you sure about that? I thought the brownstone developer was City Homes. There is a platt of land on the map already designated for City Homes. If you are correct, exactly how many 'brownstones' can that area support?

One more thing...I noticed on the Vintage website on the aerial map, there is land pegged for "Patriot Homes". Is that manufactured housing? Are you kidding me? Right next to that shopping center and the million dollar Vintage Lakes homes??? Does anyone know a Patriot Homes other than the manufactured housing company?

I saw that too. I wonder if they plan to remove those medians and create three lanes each way. That shopping center is enormous. It sickens me to see those trees come down. I really wish instead of that

mediterrean look, they would have worked with the existing landscape and retained a wooded landscape. That plaza looks like it belongs in Sugarland. Not that it's not nice, it just doesn't fit the area.

I did that. However, i'm not concerned with what is immediately around me, but my neighborhood as a whole. The area they are referring to about 3-5 miles from my home, but it still affects me and my neighborhood.

By the way, my subdivision does get involved. There were several people in my neighborhood who were responsible for literally forcing Kickerillo to sell a portion of their Vintage Park land to Harris country for parks and recreation. It's a shame that we need to spend so much valuable time chasing down irresponsible developers.

I just HATE hearing that stuff. For every new stripmall they build in that area, another one becomes vacant, falls apart and destroys the surrounding neighborhoods. I would think with all the retail availability the lease rates have become so low in the area that it doesn't support the build out.

Are there absolutely no controls to stop this over development? Are there really zero building codes in this area? What about Pricinct 4? How about the Northwest Chamber of Commerce?

The prices of these townhomes seem more appropriate for the area. The townhomes (aka "brownstones") that are proposed for Ravenneaux range from $400K-$700K.

I'd seriously look there for my next home but I just don't understand how people are going to be able to get around in that area. The shopping centers, roads and schools are literally on top of each other. I went to the Home Depot on 290 one Saturday and people were driving all over the place in random patterns. I'm sure once you get in subdivision it's beautiful.

For people that need to commute downtown or to the Galleria, would it be better to take Fry to I-10 as an alternative to 290? When is the Grand Parkway going to be completed?

What is the new magnet school in Klein?

So, do these townhomes compete or compliment the townhomes that will be on Cypresswood as part of the Ravenneaux re-development? That's a lot of townhomes for the area.

I'm begining to question the succcess of The Vintage. I surely hope it does well as I live in the area, but that area is just turning into an unplanned mish-mash of stuff now. Those apartments look terrible and they are building cheaper ones along the railroad tracks. Will the Cypress population frequent The Vintage or is it too far away?

Also, I heard Willowbrook mall has a contract with Maggiano's Little Italy. Funny, I would have expected that type of establishment to move up to Vintage.

Funny you should bring that up. We were at the Red Robin in the Woodlands and were wondering when they would open one down in Spring.

Yes. I've been there several times. I think they use less and cheaper ingredients now. Plus, they tend to overcook the burgers with the e-coli scares. It's a good family spot though...very kid friendly. In my opinion, nothing beats Fuddruckers when it comes to a good burger. But, I'm glad to see them move into the area.

There was no way I could let them move on to Wells. The gangs, the drugs, the safety issues. My neighbor tried it out for a year and her son was terrorized.

Spring ISD levels/groups their kids by ability and subject matter. I LOVED that. It works well for both my kids. One is a fast learner and the other is quite slower. It keeps them interested and focused and less intimidated. I wouldn't say Klein is 'inferior'...maybe 'superior' was too strong a word.

I lived in a community that is attached to Northgate (Waterford Park). There are no kids in Northgate. At least I couldn't find them. It's all about property values. Once we found out the mess we were in and that our kids could not attend Spring ISD schools (one did for Kindergarten and ironically, we LOVED it) for any length of time, we left. It's not as easy as you think to just 'move' from that area. I lost a fortune on that house and it took me three years to sell it. That's what happens when you buy a house in a weekend with a bad realtor. Funny thing is, my child repeated everything he learned in Kindergarten at Oak Creek (Spring ISD) in Klein's first grade. Educationally, Spring ISD was far superior.

Are you sure that center is being built by Hand?

I thought his only project was the clear-cutting of all the trees on 249 next to Lowes.

The Ravenneaux developers gave the Cypress Forest PUD ample opportunities. I was appalled and embarrassed at how the developers were treated at those inital meetings with the PUD and Ravenneaux members. The developers purchased the land, it is theirs, and they are ready to start making some money on it. They presented a plan that I agree had holes (how they are going sell $400K-$700K + townhomes in that area is beyond me) but it was a whole lot better than other alternatives - like a strip mall. It's actually very attractive. The CF PUD blew it by trying to table the discussion until spring and asking for too much information. I don't blame them for going to Kleinwood at all.

I'm not sure why everyone is so against this project. When you bought into that neighborhood you knew there was private property across the street. That is an unzoned, unincorporated part of Houston. Anything could happen. This is the best alternative. Private golf clubs don't work anymore. They are closing all over the country. It beats looking over at an old, crumbling building with wood over the windows.

It's all about building codes. If there were building codes they would enforce the number of trees per project and would force developers to use unified materials in a given area. Not a stone building next to a brick bulding next to a stucco building next to an aluminum building.

One thing that drives me insane is the little tract of land that developers are now leaving in front of subdivisions for retail use. Instead of utilizing the land all the way to the street, they leave that little strip. It looks horrible. And I'm amazed at the people who think nothing of that. If I were a home owner I'd much rather back to a street than to a retail center. Actaully, I'd much rather back to nicely landscaped greenbelt area that runs up to the street. In every other city I've lived in, that has been one of the building codes.