boounce

Saw the video. Again, WOW!, a lot going on there. That 2k acre site that Johnson Corp is developing has me curious. Again, though, replacement of the flora removed? How will that be handled?

Me too. Black Forest Ventures must be involved somehow. 

Not sure what portion of this land is in the flood zone, but the smell of cut pine is coming. 

Here's a nice aerial for you...

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2014/03/exclusive-the-woodlands-as-you-have-never-seen-it.html

Is traffic really that bad?  Even with all the pipeline construction, it's nothing like Houston.  The Rayford corridor and Oak Ridge (both not The Woodlands) is a complete mess, and Research Forest gets backed up going N. at rush hour.  Other than that, traffic moves quite well in my experience.  My overall gripe is that road infrastructure should support TW as a city rather than as a destination to Houston.  There should be radials outward from town center to the East side and overpasses that go North on Research Forest.

Google has a tendency to serve different results to different folks.  I had to use the proposed FIMA flood maps for the most recent imagery.

http://maps.riskmap6.com/TX/Montgomery/

For those upset about the Shell campus, wait until you hear the news about Phillips 66 for this area (not Conoco Phillips).

Do tell!

Someone just bought another 15 acres between this and Jacob's reserve.

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cfm?mlnum=75558524&v=s

Heard via rumor yesterday that the previous attempt to get a Whole Foods here was quashed because TW was too restrictive. 

Whole Foods to hopefully be in Hughes Landing

"Paul Layne, executive vice president of master-planned communities for the Howard Hughes Company, said the development company is discussing a lease with Whole Foods. If constructed, it would be the first Whole Foods in The Woodlands."

http://impactnews.com/houston-metro/the-woodlands/hughes-landing-plan-includes-new-dining-retail/

Finally!

the marketing is to investors interested in owning or at least owning an interest in the featured buildings.  i wonder if they need capital to move forward on other projects or this is the natural progression of this business: build, lease, sell.

I thought HHC was developing the remaining acreage in TW themselves.  Then I read this..

"In The Woodlands, where HHC has the remaining 750 acres of the sprawling planned community, HHC shifted to an auction process and has doubled revenue per acre. Developers there are now paying $614,000 per acre for building lots. "

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2013/08/16/interest-rate-fears-drag-down-howard-hughes-corp-buying-opportunity/

Two smaller grand parkway mobile cranes up on each side of 45 also.  This is going to be a busy intersection from now on.

http://impactnews.com/houston-metro/tomball-magnolia/area-grand-parkway-construction-kicks-off-with-ground-breaki/

Thanks for the link Urban.  Knowing the height restrictions really helps you visualize how this place will look going down 45 or the GP. 

It's amazing to watch the next energy corridor being created. 

Question for anyone:  Do you think this place could become a tourist destination?

Tone2002... a member since 2008.  He makes a single post.

Slightly more recent article:

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/boy-scouts-to-begin-evaluating-possible-camp-strake-buyers/article_83b68a37-ce55-566c-9ab0-5a4b7a4ef55d.html

They have their bids, but they won't make an announcement until October.

I think the King Ranch owned the Kingwood land. I think the Woodlands wasn't part of Mitchell Energy, just another George Mitchell project.

 

Much of the Camp Strake land is in the flood plain, and not very useful. The City of Conroe will probably end up with 300+ acres to expand the sewer plant.

They got a variance to build it up (or at least part of it):

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/boy-scouts-to-begin-evaluating-possible-camp-strake-buyers/article_83b68a37-ce55-566c-9ab0-5a4b7a4ef55d.html

I'm not sure why this building is referred to as the tallest of the two. It is clear driving up 45 this afternoon that Allison Tower (Tower 1) stands taller than Hackett Tower (new Tower 2). I mean it's not even close. If it's now officially topped out, then Hackett Tower is a solid second place. Anybody else agree?

It does appear that way. I thought it was just me.

Thanks for the kind comments all. 

wxman-- When I saw your post, it gave me an excuse to get out of the house make a wine run.

I shot all those photos in about 20 minutes.  From Research Forest, I went South and took a couple shots from the car.  Next, I U-turned at Rayford and went North over the Woodlands Parkway overpass (don't try this at home kids).  Next, I took a right on Woodloch forest and got out of my car on Waterway square to get the fourth shot.  This is my favorite.  It's hard to believe this is The Woodlands.  Got back in my car, parked in the Hubble and Hudson parking garage, got out, and walked to Crush wine bar.  The last shot was from their rooftop patio.

What's not so obvious, is the energy around Waterway.  The entire area is alive with people of all ages and different cultures.  The square had an outdoor band.  It feels like a mix of San Francisco and Barcelona.  I love The Woodlands.

I care.

Interesting.  This was more than a remodel job, this was a tear-out-a-piece-of-the-mall-and-start-over job.

Turns out this one is on the East side of Benders Landing.

So the Montgomery County is in the hole from the first developer. A second, more experienced developer is using their own money and will pay back $8 million if they successfully get financing. Why not support them in every way possible? Why the continued spread of FUD?

It might have to do with the counties too. The Woodlands in Harris county have the same green signs and unpainted poles.

Hmmm. Interesting. I haven't noticed this. It might just be change in The Woodlands Development Company's ownership.

I'm not a huge fan of the newer developments in Harris county.

692 acres. Wow.. that's big. I assume that's the land just north of Riley Fuzzel, across from Spring Trails, and adjacent to Spring Creek Greenway. This could be nice. Heard some unsubstantiated rumors about this land though.

The traffic signals, while they are not on wires, don't follow The Woodlands standard. All poles in TW are painted brown to resemble trees. Commercial signs can only be so high. I hope it's not an indication of the rest of the development. The trees are an aesthetic resource of this area. I hope they at least keep a line of them between retail.

Soapbox-- If Contour raises private funds, are you going to have a problem with it?

Without knowing the specifics of know where the money was spent, the amount doesn't really seem like a lot for such a huge project. The deal guys are always a little shady, but they make great things happen. What kills deals like this are lack of momentum and confidence. Too much FUD and they can't get the next round of funding. The bottom line-- If they had gotten the money they needed, it would have been built and it would have created something relevant in an area that has very little to offer. Now it will be a shooting range and more urban sprawl. Congratz soapboxmom! You broke it alright.

It's an interesting roof indeed. I think I see trees on the top story with little sky cut outs in the roof. I like it. The concerns with scale are valid, but I think with the two Anadarcos and the completion of East block, it will be fine. The entire area is already enjoyable to walk through. I went out with a mid-town friend last weekend and he was pretty amazed. I feel like I stepped into the back-to-the-future-hover-board-chase-scene... but in a nice way.