LookingToMove

Never heard of it.

FM 359? OK, looked this up. Shouldn't this be in the Sugar Land forum?

Finally found site plans and renderings on the web. Seemed like it was too big to upload, so here's the link:

http://www.gayledani...%2012.15.06.pdf

Thank you so much for this rendering of the site plan. I can't find it on the Aliana website! They really should include it.

With all the choices of places to live in Houston, why would anyone plunk down a large sum of money to live near a prison? I think its funny, The Upscale Living-Prison Included package. When signs in the area say, "Don't pick up Hitchikers," that ought to tell you something.

With all the choices to live in Houston, why would someone pay inflated prices for a 70's house with low ceilings, non-open floor plan, needing new windows and a huge amount of other work to live in a suburb that thinks it's not a suburb .... western-memorial? And no amenitities or sidewalks to boot. And no zoning so the main arteries all look like a mess. And people with attitudes who always have some comment about the other suburbs.

So, different strokes for different folks is your answer.

LOL. I can't believe people are worried about living next to the prison. Your probably still safer then you would be ANYWHERE in Houston.

It's always the same few western-memorial people complaining about the prison. Actually I think they're related. Nice family, huh.

Aliana isn't even "next" to the prison. I don't know if you'd even be able to see it from there. And the "no hitchhikers" signs are outside of New Territory. Doesn't seem to have hurt demand in there in the least, and that's an understatement.

Any one know what is going on with Aliana lately? It appears that work on the 1/2 finished Recreation Center has stopped. The scaffolding for the brick work has been up for months but I never see anyone there working and unless they are laying 1 brick per day it should be done by now.

I would understand slow down due to economy but this is one of the centerpieces to the development. Just curious....

The Aliana website said the Recreation center is opening in November. It's going to be sweeeet!

Whoa. Glad I found this thread as I've been researching Pearland some.

If you go to their website http://www.waterlightsdistrict.com/polling/ they are still taking votes for which restaurants to put in. That tells me they aren't even close. Or they suck at updating their website.

Now over a year later, they are still taking votes.

not sure of pearland's zoning but mock my words, those type of developments will be out there to make a quick buck...there's a reason why the tax credit apartments pop up on all sides of town

Watch out for these. Two high profile ones right now in other areas. The developers of these low income places basically get huge tax breaks for building crap places that kill the neighborhood. It's completely illogical.

Anything new on WaterLights Disctict? Btw, Nano World Headquarters is dead.

Hey where did you hear Nano World is dead? Do you have a link or something?

Drove by it today at around 7:30pm. People are literally worshipping it... people had mats and were bowing down before it... please tell me that was a joke.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least actually.

Anyone have any updates on Aliana? Been looking here for a while and my main concern was if their whole plan will pan out. Seems to be going really slow and not a lot of homes are being built. I recently heard that Conventry and Perry homes were pulling out as well.

Aliana is one of several communities we have been looking at as well. I love the design plan. The rec center is amazing! The main thing holding us back is that there is not yet a school built in the community (not sure when this will happen, it's up to FBISD) and so it's zoned all over the place depending on your street.

About two months ago, I asked a real estate agent friend what's going on up there. I was told it is NOT TRUE that any builders were pulling out. That it was just a rumor. Now this was a few months ago. If you think something has changed, I suggest you find hard evidence because these days there are rumors everywhere with the economy. Also, all of the new developments EVERYWHERE are moving slower than planned, again, because of the economy. None are immune.

If you're really worried, you'll either have to wait or you'll have to go somewhere more established. I like New Territory a few miles south, but we went in several of the homes and the a/c was just constantly blowing and I could tell they are not energy efficient homes at all compared to new construction by the good builders. You mention Perry, who builds good homes... you could always look a few miles south on FM1464 in Old Orchard, which I think is much more finished but still has some lots left. I really like the communities all along FM1464, but I'm in a wait-and-see because I hate to just plunge in when we're not rushed.

If anyone gets any concrete info as far as updates on Aliana, please post.

Sugar Mill Elementary-Sugar Mill Middle-Kempner HS.

Kempner is not as highly rated as Clements but both my kids graduated from there and than went to Rice, so not to shabby. It's a little more "international" than Clements. But thats a good thing when preparing for college.

I'd actually prefer to NOT have my kids at the best high school, because I think it will make it harder for them to get into public college that way. But, I'd like a better than average school. The reason I liked the Clements zone is because I just like the subdivisions and area around there, rather than the school itself.

But my kids are very young. Right now, I mostly care about the elementary and middle school. Those don't need to be the best either, just above average. We are finding Sugar Land a frustrating market if you have a larger than average family, don't want to do tons of remodels, or don't have 400k+ to spend on a newer home in a zoned and "safe" neighborhood (and what I mean by that is safe from out-of-sort developments or tons of apartments getting built nearby)

I've been a First Colony resident since '79. We do have mature oak trees and excellent schools with established instructors. Teachers aspire to teach in First Colony Schools; it's a plumb job. Clemens HS is top-notch...check the stats. I see kids walking home from school, often without adult supervision, under huge shady trees looking very happy. Colony Bend Elementary is excellent. There is a lack of after-school programs...however there isn't much interest as there are a lot of stay-at-home or home business moms here. Many kids go to hang out or work in the family business after school. We have three restaurant owners on my street alone!

There are about 50% families and 50% empty nesters/or with older kids (like me)...so there is always someone outside gardening or working in their garage during the day. Most neighbors say "hi" and look out for each other; it's very safe. My only complaint is that neighborhoods built in the late 70s-early 80s were often built hurriedly due to the huge jump in population (mostly Rust Belt & Calif. refugees). Sometimes very cheap materials and/or workmanship was involved. Thank goodness, my dad was in construction and knew what he was looking at.

Move here...pick a good house that was well maintained, have it inspected and you've got it made. When I moved here there was NOTHING except the town, the prison, Aztec Rental and the sugar mill.....now it's all real purrrdy!

Like I had said, we tried, but no luck. I think there's even less inventory today as compared to when we started looking last spring.

Maybe when some of these empty-nesters start moving out, there will be more inventory of the larger homes and prices will correct a bit.

Colony Meadows/Commonwealth Elementary -- > Fort Settlement Middle -- > Clements High

When we looked for homes that happened to be in the Clements zone, there was hardly anything available? At least for our family, which is larger than average. And the few homes available, when I saw how they looked and work that needed to be done, those areas just seemed way overpriced for what you get. I was not too impressed.

Then there were several subdivisions full of 1970's era one-stories. Way small, and frankly, I thought better off gutting and just building new. Wondering why this hasn't happened yet.

And the Highlands - wow, what a great location. But what tiny, impractical houses!

Almost everything else that was "newer" and bigger in that area was upwards of 400k. I was greatly disappointed.

... Sharpstown in 1960 was a true big city neighborhood, and a really pompous one at that, where style was everything, from clothing to hats to cars to storefront signs and marquees. The concept of civic life was still being applied. The people would have considered themselves Houstonians. Go put some of the 80-90 year old residents still living in their Sharpstown homes on a bus and take them on an intimate tour of Sugarland. They will find the comparisons laughable. Sharpstown in 1960 was bustling with life and activity.

I really did not know that.

So honestly, can someone tell me why Sharpstown & Fondren SW is the complete ghetto area it is today? What exactly happened? Is it because of Houston having no zoning, or another reason?

Could I chime in?

I have a group of friends who grew up in the subdivisions of Olde Oaks, Oak Creek, Ponderosa, Westador. They always talk about what a wonderful experience it was growing up in these areas of FM 1960. And the schools were great schools, back then.

This would have been about 20 years ago my friends were kids growing up there.

I have heard the stories (and seen the statistics on schooldigger and others) about the DRAMATIC decline of the schools these subdivisions are zoned to. However the subdivisions themselves are still nice (from what their parents who still live there say).

So was it overdevelopment of apartments nearby that caused the dramatic decline? Or something else?

And how does Spring ISD claim the schools are diverse, when it's obvious from looking at stats (like Westfield High) it is mostly one minority racial group in the majority?

Honestly after hearing these stories, it makes me completely paranoid about where to buy a home. The subdivision can look really great, even having mansions (like Olde Oaks and Northgate Forest) where you would NEVER think the schools within the subdivision (like Oak Creek/Reynolds Elem and Wells Middle) would rank so low. Generally when you see a bunch of estate-type homes that's supposed to be a good sign for the area? I'm just really confused.

Can a longtime resident of the area or a real estate expert on the area explain all this to me?

Thanks JRC for that info from TXDOT. Sounds good.

Thanks JRC, very helpful.

Lunatic, thanks but at this point we are looking for newer construction, and everything else we've seen in our price range (under $350k) in older subdivisions around Sugar Land and a few areas of west Houston we were looking has needed too much updating and TLC. Been there, done that, don't want to do that again at this point in our lives. In this area FM 1464, Riverstone, Telfair and Sienna are where it's at with new construction now. Sienna and Riverstone are too out of the way for us, Telfair has the double-whammy of being overpriced plus having high taxes, so we're looking at the places along FM 1464.

Drove by Aliana the other day.

Ambitious project that looks like it is moving along quite nicely. I saw the lights for the polo field were up, the rec center is up (but not finished) and several homes. Looks like it has a nice layout.

I think it will be a really nice place in a few years.

I don't think it's moved forward with development or advertising full force yet, probably next year after this housing slump hitting the country (hopefully) passes.

It's a good thing Aliana is getting an elementary school, since the other high-end developments along FM 1464 don't have one in the neighborhood. Anyone know when this school is to be built and opened?

Any new updates on this planned development?

What about the elementary schools? There are some really attractive subdivisions along FM 1464, lots of big nice homes around little lakes, but I notice there is really no elementary in the immediate vicinity for these places?

What about Old Orchard, which looks still in development - has it always been zoned to the elementary way up Grand Pkwy (Oakland Elem)? Will it ever get zoned to something closer? Maybe the Aliana school?

JRC where are you? I can't believe you've been rezoned 3 times in 3 years!

Can any area long-time residents or Sugar Land area experts tell me about this specific area - the southern half of FM 1464?

Subdivisions would be Orchard Lakes, Old Orchard, Chelsea Harbor, Shiloh Lake Estates, the subdivisions near Austin High and Garcia Middle, and now Aliana. These are all zoned to Austin High School (which I understand to be a good school).

Then you've got Nick's Italian Restaurant, Texas Safari Ranch, Houstonian and Shadow Hawk golf courses, and not much else from what I can see.

I've heard a developer bought the open farm land on the west side of the road across from the gas station, and was supposed to be developing a subdivision of single family homes with little lakes, similar to nearby developments. Not sure what's going on with that.

What about the prisons in the area? I know the one in Sugar Land off Hwy 90 is supposed to be relocating so that the airport can expand, but what about the one on the west side of the Grand Pkwy in Richmond?

What about New Territory and Telfair directly to the south; will the establishment of a new high school in Telfair cause a bunch of rezoning of the New Territory students out of Austin High? How do you see this impacting Austin High?

I noticed Perry Homes has some very nice, large homes in Old Orchard... in Telfair the same exact home models are going for nearly $100k more! Seems extreme to me, as these areas are only a few minutes from each other.

One concern I have is these subdivisions on FM 1464 are not in Sugar Land or Richmond city limits; in fact, though they have Sugar Land / Richmond postal addresses (depending on what side of the road they're on) they are all technically in Houston ETJ when looking at a map. How might this affect things - is it anything to be really concerned about? I would imagine Sugar Land or Richmond would want someplace like Aliana in their city limits to get the taxes, but as of now only Houston would be able to annex it unless there was an ETJ swap like what happened with Katy Mills Mall.

How do you see this area 10-15 years from now?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I'm not looking for the "creme of the creme" area so to say; just something family-friendly, with good schools, relatively affluent, convenient, and easy on the eye (meaning not a bunch of billboards and unattractive surroundings as in parts of Houston).