Wooded Wonderland

A master-planned community that stands out for its high quality of life,
The Woodlands is a great place to live, work, learn, and play

Located just 27 miles north of downtown Houston, The Woodlands has transformed from a residential suburb into a cultural enclave that offers everything you could ask for. Five million square feet of shopping and dining, world-class health care facilities, designer homes, parks, and championship golf courses blend seamlessly with thousands of trees. It's a perfect combination of nature and all of today's modern conveniences.

George Mitchell, The Woodlands' founder, believed development should conform to the natural world around it, not compete with it, and the evolution of The Woodlands has stayed on this course. When Mitchell's vision opened in 1974, the homes, pathways, and parks came first. Purposeful, planned development of commercial and retail properties followed, and the population grew to approximately 90,000.

For nearly two decades, more homes have been sold in The Woodlands than in any other master-planned community in Texas, and it consistently ranks in the top five best-selling master-planned communities in the United States. There is something for everyone: beautiful homes by top designers, residential lofts, apartments, and senior housing are all connected to places to work, learn, shop, and play by 155 miles of hiking and biking paths.

The Woodlands' setting resembles an East Texas Piney Woods forest. When you drive down the curvy roads, you won't see any billboards or neon signs, and it's hard to get a sense of the development's size or how many amenities it offers. "You almost have to live here for a while before you can discover all the homes, restaurants, shops, parks, and schools behind the trees," says Tim Welbes, co-president of The Woodlands Development Company.

Life Among the Trees

Thirty-five years ago, the first residents were personally welcomed by a member of Interfaith of The Woodlands, the social services heart-beat of the community. Interfaith still welcomes new residents today. "The Woodlands is different from other new towns because of how our development scheme has been executed and because of the unique sense of community spirit," says Welbes. "People love to get involved, and there are plenty of ways to do it."

Another perk of life in The Woodlands? You don't have to go far to find something you enjoy. For a night out, walk to a performance by Town Center Theatre. As part of the group's third season, Nunsense will open on July 17. Dinosaurs more your thing? Hang out with Stan, a full-size Tyrannosaurus rex who resides with his prehistoric friends at the Houston Museum of Natural Science at The Woodlands Mall.

The Woodlands has a special appeal for art lovers. Outdoor sculptures throughout the community provide a cultural counterpoint to nature. Beginning with The Family, a sculpture acquired for the grand opening in 1974, The Woodlands has remained committed to building a collection of outdoor public art. The latest addition to the collection, which totals 51 pieces, is The Woodlands Passage, a series of five limestone sculptures.

Business Magnet

Nick Wolda, president of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, visits with many of the companies considering a move to The Woodlands. One of the topics people often ask him about is the quality of health care. That's an easy subject for Wolda to address. He tells them about the world-renowned specialists in vascular surgery, obstetrics, and cosmetic dentistry. "It's not unusual for people to travel here from other countries to receive care from these leading specialists," he says. Two of the world-famous Texas Medical Center hospitals, Memorial Hermann and St. Luke's, have a large presence in The Woodlands.

"The quality of the community has attracted outstanding physicians, nurses, and other technological and professional staff, and in turn, we can provide a wide spectrum of health care services here," says Steve Sanders, CEO of Memorial Hermann The Woodlands.

Memorial Hermann, the only designated trauma center in Montgomery County, recently completed a fourth expansion in response to a growing population and increased demand for higher levels of services, including neurosurgery.

In November 2008, St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital cut the ribbon on its new patient care tower. The facility will incorporate state-of-the-art wireless advances, including telemetry capability for every bed to monitor, record, and evaluate patients' heart activity.

"This quality of care right in your backyard is an important consideration for CEOs who want the best for their employees and their families," Wolda says.

Education is important too, and The Woodlands offers a lifetime's worth — from top-ranked public and private schools through graduate-level studies. Lone Star College-University Center, a partnership of the universities and colleges of the Lone Star College system, is home to Texas A&M's Mays Executive MBA program, which the Wall Street Journal recently ranked as the No. 1 EMBA program in the United States for return on investment.

More than 1,500 firms have set up shop in The Woodlands, including industry leaders like Anadarko Petroleum, Chevron Phillips, Huntsman Corporation, CB&I, Lexicon Genetics, Fox Sports Networks, and Hughes Christensen. Job creation over the past 15 years has been brisk, and employees who live in The Woodlands love their commute — typically less than five minutes.

Leading pharmaceutical, biomedical, and tech companies have facilities in the Research Forest, a campus-style setting surrounded by the natural features of The Woodlands. "One of the most recent corporate relocations is US Oncology," says Wolda. "They're bringing people here from all over the country, and that just adds to the diversity of our community. We have 92 countries represented in The Woodlands' households."

A number of companies are moving into Town Center, one of the hottest commercial building markets in the region. With over 20 million visitors a year, Town Center is a hub of commerce and activity. New buildings like the 13-story 24 Waterway Avenue are filling up with restaurants, retail space, and offices. "We've developed Town Center with a true and distinctive sense of place," says Susan Vreeland-Wendt, director of marketing for The Woodlands Development Company. "There's an excitement and energy in Town Center, and everything is accessible to people who work, live, and visit here. On top of that, we have one of the best safety records in the country."

Downtown in the Forest

The natural environment has been preserved in Town Center, where tall trees harmonize perfectly with the urban vibe and amenities. Waterway Square, the heart and soul of Town Center, is the backdrop for over 100 annual festivals and events. Food & Wine Week, which takes place in the early summer, is a big draw. So is the Red, Hot & Blue Festival - The Woodlands goes all out for its huge July 4th celebration, which culminates in a massive fireworks display.

Every night the Fountains at Waterway Square attract a big crowd as cascades of water spanning 120 feet perform a colorful, choreographed dance.

It's easy to experience everything Town Center has to offer. Hop on a trolley, or board a water taxi on The Woodlands Waterway. Each Waterway taxi is named for a Texas river, and the friendly captains are knowledgeable about the scenic flora and fauna. They can also tell you where to get the best margarita.

"The Woodlands Waterway is a story in itself," says Vreeland-Wendt. "It started out as a drainage ditch, but our founders had the foresight to see it as something else. Now it's a fun and green transportation corridor and a linear park."

At the eastern edge of the route is The Woodlands Mall, a great place for retail therapy and one of the reasons Southern Living magazine named the area one of the top 10 shopping destinations in the country. Departing from the mall, taxis stop at restaurants, pubs, office buildings, hotels, the convention center, and residential lofts and brownstones located along the Waterway. At the western end is Market Street, a 1950s Main Street-style destination with four-star restaurants, upscale shopping, and its own Central Park. You'll also find the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, one of the leading outdoor performance venues in the country, close by.

35 Years of Being Green

Close to 8,000 acres (almost 28 percent of the land in The Woodlands) is dedicated to protected green space, a far higher percentage than in most major U.S. cities. So it's not surprising that when new residents are asked to name their No. 1 reason for choosing The Woodlands, the most popular answer by far is the natural environment. People like watching deer out their kitchen window before riding to work on a tree-dotted bike path. The pathways, along with public transit alternatives, are just part of The Woodlands' green lifestyle and commitment to environmental stewardship.

Among the many accolades The Woodlands has earned for environmental preservation and master planning are the Award of Excellence from the Urban Land Institute and a gold award from the international organization Nations in Bloom.

Play Outside

With its year-round temperate weather, The Woodlands is a golfer's paradise. The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center is distinguished by two championship courses on its property. In addition, The Woodlands is home to top-ranked courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Tom Fazio.

There's plenty of green space off the links as well, with 110 parks in all shapes and sizes. The four-acre Town Green Park includes a kid-sized literary labyrinth with giant books depicting modern versions of Aesop's fables. Windvale Park features a butterfly garden, and Terramont Park has a Frisbee golf course. In addition to the larger parks, there are numerous neighborhood parks and tot lots within the residential villages.

The newest addition to the park collection at The Woodlands is the 1,700-acre George Mitchell Nature Preserve, named for the community's founder. When completed, the preserve will offer a more rugged outdoor experience than is typically found in the region. Enthusiasts who prefer their sports a little more extreme will find a scenic and challenging setting for hiking, camping, horseback riding, mountain biking, and kayaking. Those who prefer a calmer but just as beautiful outdoor experience can rent cruising kayaks at the brand-new Riva Row Park and Boat House on The Woodlands Waterway. The Boat House is just a quick walk from Market Street or a trolley ride from the mall.

Destination: The Woodlands

Neighbors in southeast Texas quickly discovered The Woodlands as a weekend getaway paradise. But as The Woodlands developed, so did its reputation as a vacation destination. Over the past few years, The Woodlands has become increasingly popular with international travelers, especially visitors from Mexico, Central America, and South America.

"The Woodlands is easy to get to from Houston's Intercontinental Airport," says Wolda. "Twenty minutes and not a single stoplight. You can leave Mexico City and be in The Woodlands in three hours."

But whether people drive to The Woodlands in an hour or fly there in three, Wolda says their reaction is the same. "They say it's like a different world here. What I hear a lot from visitors is that they planned a weekend trip to The Woodlands and found that two nights is not enough."

Tim Welbes says when he's traveling, he's often asked to describe what it's like in The Woodlands. "There's only one way to really understand," he says. "Come see it for yourself. It's something you have to experience."

— Ann S. Boor

 

Showtime at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

When Hurricane Ike battered the Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008, it dealt a huge blow to the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The venue suffered major damage, and the 10 remaining shows in the 2008 season had to be canceled.

But it would take more than 100 mph winds to keep the Pavilion down for long. Repairs were completed in record time, and the Pavilion opened its 20th season on May 1 with an exciting show from the Dave Matthews Band.

The $9.5 million renovation and expansion project has made the Pavilion bigger and better than ever. The number of reserved, covered seats has increased to 6,500, and hillside seating accommodates another 10,000 guests.

Host to major touring shows from pop to opera, and the summer home of the Houston Symphony, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion regularly ranks among the top five amphitheaters in the world for ticket sales. Shows in June include REO Speedwagon and Styx, Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Rascal Flatts. On July 3, the Houston Symphony will present a Star Spangled Banner Salute. For a complete list of coming events, visit woodlandscenter.org. — A.B.

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Photographs: Courtesy of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau (2); courtesy of The Woodlands Development Company; Ted Washington (Aerial)