News Archive

June 2010 In This Edition

• Caldwell Companies Joins West Houston Association

• CityCentre Best of Breed and a "Must Experience" Project

• Coming to Greater West Houston: Texas Medical Center West Campus

• Newland Communities' Cinco Ranch is Number 1 in USA

• Houston Number 2 in Population Growth in 2009; Regional & Greater West Houston Population Forecasts for 2020

• 2010 West Houston Maps Now Available

Caldwell Companies Joins West Houston Association

Caldwell Companies, a real estate services and development firm has become the latest major developer to join the West Houston Association. Caldwell Companies, headquartered in Greater West Houston, is a fully-integrated real estate company providing commercial and residential development, office, industrial, retail and land brokerage, and property management. The firm is committed to the practice of doing business with a true sense of purpose and has a well demonstrated tract record of helping to build our community.

Caldwell Companies has provided office, industrial, retail, land brokerage and property management facilities and services since its inception in 1990. The company has been included in the Houston Business Journal's "Best Places to Work". Major Greater West Houston projects include, Towne Lake a 2,400 acre mixed-use master planned community south of US 290 on Barker Cypress Road; various office properties totaling 2 million square feet; multi-family; and retail properties.

Caldwell Companies focuses on creating communities that foster a lifestyle that is active and integrated with nature and neighbors. Every Caldwell Companies community offers more than a list of amenities, they believe it's the spirit of the people in our neighborhoods that brings our communities to life. Most visibly, this concept translates into a higher degree of service, both in dealing with builder partners in the sale and construction of homes and in working to promote the development and maintenance of the neighborhood infrastructure long after closing.

CityCentre Winner of Best Mixed-Use, Best Retail, Best New Project Makes it a "Must Experience" for Houstonians and Visitors

CityCentre, the one year old $500 million mixed use district, swept top honors at the Houston Business Journal 2010 Landmark Awards.  CityCentre won as Best Mixed-Use Project with its 1.8 million square feet of retail, entertainment and Class A office space, various residential living options nearing 700 units, and the  Sorella Hotel.  CityCentre occupies 37 acres at the intersection of I-10 West and Sam Houston Parkway in the middle of Greater West Houston's Urban Core.

CityCentre also accepted the honor of SIOR Landmark of the Year, a best-in show award from numerous categories highlighting new and redevelopment properties.  CityCentre was singled out for its overall quality, impact on the community and the diversity of uses and services available to residents, visitors and people from surrounding businesses and neighborhoods. 

CityCentre's Sorella Hotel with its 244-rooms was a finalist in the hospitality project category.  The Sorella is the flagship for a new brand of hotels from Houston-based  Valencia Group.

Start your CityCentre visit at their website http://www.citycentrehouston.com/

Coming to Greater West Houston:

Texas Medical Center West Campus

With two new major hospital facilities under construction in the Energy Corridor, the Texas Medical Center announced its first ever extension of its icon brand to the rapidly growing Greater West Houston area. The Texas Medical Center West Campus, located at I-10 and Barker Cypress Road, is home to the first phase 479,000 square-foot Methodist West Houston Hospital and the 515,000 square foot Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Signage in the Texas Medical Center West Campus will be identical to the Center’s home campus.

David Wolff, quoted in the Houston Business Journal, says the addition of Medical Center institutions shows the area has grown to the point where it can support its own major health care facilities. Wolff Companies has been working with the institutions to establish the uniform signage plan for the campus. Wolff sold Texas Children’s 45 acres and donated 10 acres to help establish the new medical center, and still has 23.2 acres in the campus.

Both Methodist West Houston and Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus are members of the West Houston Association.
 

Newland Communities’ Cinco Ranch # 1 in USA

Greater West Houston’s Cinco Ranch topped the national best-selling charts in 2009. Newland Communities, developer of Cinco Ranch and Quality Growth Partner of the West Houston Association, sold more new homes in 2009 in Cinco than any other master planned community in the United States.

According to the annual RCLCO study, Cinco Ranch new home sales hit 887 in 2009 up 14% from 2008 when Cinco Ranch was number two in the country.

Ted Nelson, Central Region President of Newland Communities, notes “that in the past few months, Houston has ranked very high in studies ranging from the nation’s healthiest housing markets to cities where the recession is easing. Overall, the Houston communities on the top 10 list represented 2250 hew-homes sales, more than double those of the second ranked metro, Las Vegas.”

Another Newland Communities MPC in Greater West Houston, Telfair, ranked fourth in new-home sales with 450, a 9% increase from 2008. The Woodlands ranked second with 633 new-home sales and Sienna Plantation ranked 10 with 280 new-home sales.

Houston # 2 in Population Growth in 2009

Metropolitan Houston added 140,784 residents from July 2008 to July 2009, ranking it second in the country behind Texas neighbor, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. Fort Bend County, a portion of which constitutes Greater West Houston ranked one of the 30 fastest growing counties in the US in 2009.

In related news, Barton Smith of the University of Houston Institute for Regional Forecasting forecasts Houston area 2020 population will reach 7.4 million, a 2.3 million increase over the estimated 2010 population of 5.1 million.  Using these figures, the West Houston Association calculates the 2020 population in Greater West Houston will reach 1.63 million in 2020 from an estimated 1.1 million in 2010.

According to Dr. Smith, employment  for the Houston region will reach 3.2 million in 2020 from 2.5 million in 2010.  Similarly,  we calculate Greater West Houston employment will reach 656,000 in 2020, up from 512,000 in 2010.

2010 West Houston Development Map Now Available

Grand Parkway Segment E Teed Up by Harris County Commissioners Court for Design & Early Construction.

Commissioner Radack and Judge Emmett Show Leadership--Commissioners Approve Agreement with TxDOT

Harris County has authorized commencement of work on Segment E from US 290 to I-10.  The Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club has filed to stop the project on the grounds of "arbitrary and capricious actions by a group of government agencies".  Read the filing at this link as well as the WHA response.  The West Houston Association, a longtime supporter of the development of the Grand Parkway Segment E, is gratified to see that once again Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack and Judge Ed Emmett have broken the log jam on Segment E and championed its design and construction as a Harris County initiative to add greater mobility for citizens in northwest and western Harris County.

The Commissioners approved on February 24, 2009 an advance funding agreement with TxDOT that would hold Harris County whole an buy them out if another entity is chosen to undertake the entire 185 mile Grand Parkway loop around Houston.

On February 26, 2009 the Texas Transportation Commission approved the agreement as well.  In addition, it has been announced that Segment E would receive $196 million through TxDOT as part of the recently passed Stimulus package.  These funds would be blended with toll revenue funds to build this project for Greater West Houston.

Harris County will vote to initiate design activities at their March 10, 2009 meeting.  Construction could start this year or early 2010.

After years of environmental and design studies, this initiative of Harris County will kick start the Grand Parkway between Interstate 10 and US 290, a distance of approximately 15 miles.

Segment E will provide motorists traveling to and from major employment centers on Interstate 10 a greatly improved alternative to existing congested major thoroughfares and the highly congested US 290.

In addition, the Grand Parkway will be an urban planning instrument for Greater West Houston, providing quality access to major new residential and commercial developments designed to accommodate the significant growth expected in this area between now and 2035 and beyond.

Forecasts by the West Houston Association indicate that by 2050, Greater West Houston will experience a population growth of 1 million and an employment growth of 500,000.

Much of this new growth will center in the area around the new segment of the Grand Parkway, making the current initiative even more important to assure future sustainable quality development in Greater West Houston. 

Current and future mobility solutions are critical for access to I-10's Energy Corridor with a current employment base of 73,000 expected to grow to 90,000 by 2025.

Alternatives such as State Highway 6 are currently congested and have no capacity improvements scheduled.

David Hightower Elected Chairman of the Board of Directors

Officers and New Board Members Elected

The West Houston Association Board of Directors announces the election to chairman of the board, Wolff Companies Executive Vice President, David Hightower.  He succeeds Mark Kilkenny who served as chairman since 2006.  Mr. Hightower has served as Vice Chairman.  Joining him as officers of the Board are:

• Karl Willmann, Vice Chairman.  Betz Companies Brokerage

• Steve Moskowitz, Treasurer. ConocoPhillips

• Joel Marshall, Secretary.  Trendmaker Development Company

• Mark Kilkenny, Executive Committee At-Large & Past Chairman of the Board. Mischer Investments Inc.

• Ted Nelson, Executive Committee At-Large & Past Chairman of the Board.  Newland Communities.

• Roger Hord, President & CEO, West Houston Association

Newly elected to positions on the Board of Directors are:

• David Anthony, Superintendent, Cy-Fair Independent School District

• Peter Houghton, Bridgeland

• Troy Maxwell, Woodcreek Development Company

They join the following elected to a new two year Board of Directors term:

• Chuck Cervas, BP America

• Richard Phillips, University of Houston System Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch

Board members serving two year terms ending December 2009 are:

• Joe B. Allen, ABHR LLP

• Deborah Johnson, Shell Oil

• Patricia Maddox, Maddox Investments

• Bradley Freels, Midway Companies

• Ed Knight, Harrison Interests

• Jeff Ross, Pate Engineers

Ex Officio Members of the Board of Directors serving as Committee Chairs are:

• Bob Jones, Jones & Carter Engineers

• Kerry Gilbert, Kerry Gilbert Associates

• Ronnie Mullinax, Brown & Gay Engineers

• Jack Miller, R.G. Miller Engineers

Can US 290 be the "Next Interstate 10 Reconstruction Project?"

Do You Want US 290 Completed before 2023?

As commuters and residents along Interstate 10 West begin enjoying the benefits of a massive reconstruction of that heavily used freeway, we can not help but wonder when the same reconstruction will be begin on the new "beast," US 290.

There can be no doubt that US 290 has now taken that very unwelcome moniker away from Interstate 10 West.  And there can be no doubt that US 290 deserves the same attention to funding of design and construction that Interstate 10 received.  The big question is how do we get US 290 reconstruction, Hempstead Tollway and commuter and light rail funded.

US 290 must be made the regional priority project.  There is no more critical construction need in the region.  Population growth in the corridor will be 41% by 2025 making it one of the fastest growing sections of the region.  The freeway already functions at level of service F throughout much of the day.  Its outdated design makes it an unreliable and unsafe roadway by modern, urban design standards.

US 290 also is Houston's link to the "central Texas triangle" where the majority of Texas' growth will occur.  A reliable transportation link from the Houston region is a necessity.

State and Local agencies and elected officials must work together on the US 290 corridor.  We have a long history of cooperative roadway projects in Harris County.  This cooperation has led to more projects done sooner for our citizens.  The county and state have reached joint funding agreements that facilitate construction as was demonstrated on Interstate 10 and Beltway 8.

Without some significant and forceful leadership and action, the US 290 corridor faces delay that will only cost taxpayers more in wasted commute times and increased fuel usage.  The current TxDOT funding crisis has resulted in this priority corridor being removed from the  funding schedule effectively meaning that it will not begin construction by its projected start date of 2011.  Even if construction started in 2011, it would not be completed until 2023 (using a 12 year construction schedule similar to that established for Interstate 10 before TxDOT and Harris County compressed the it to 6 years by using cooperative and innovative financing.

Do you want US 290 completed before 2023?

Call for Early Action on Segment E of Grand Parkway--Harris County Responds

Update:  Harris County Commissioners have contracted with a number of engineering firms to begin design of Segment E of the Grand Parkway.  The next step is to obtain an agreement with TxDOT on the county's acceleration of design and construction in advance of an arrangement on the entire Grand Parkway loop.

The I-10 W to US 290 portion of the Grand Parkway known as "Segment E" can be ready for construction in 2009 according the Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack in comments before the West Houston Association in May.  This means plans drawn and right of way acquired in 2008.  Construction could take 12 to 18 months.  This means Segment E could be ready to travel on in early to mid 2010.

As a potential reliever for some traffic currently using the US 290 corridor and with major development decisions waiting on this segment, the West Houston Association fully supports this aggressive initiative  by Harris County.

To help assure this initiative succeeds, the Association has been meeting with TxDOT and Harris County officials and has developed the following policy.

The West Houston Association encourages TxDOT and Harris County to:

1. Reach an agreement in advance of current efforts under SB 792 for the entire 185 mile loop
2. Allow Harris County to design, acquire right of way and construct Segment E of the Grand Parkway with flexibility to buy Harris County out of the project if and when another developer contracts with TxDOT for development of the full Grand Parkway.

Advantages

1. Early implementation of the 15 mile strategic I-10 to US 290 element of future Grand Parkway loop.  Estimates of total cost for this section are $412 million plus $100 million for direct connections at US 290[i] approximately 9.5% of the total GP loop cost of $5.354 billion.
2.  Alternative route for Northwest Corridor commuters to Energy Corridor, Westchase, Uptown and CBD.  Northwest Freeway and Hempstead Toll Roads will ultimately relieve traffic congestion but high costs make the toll road non-toll viable and unavailable state and federal funding are pushing construction of US 290 many years beyond its original target date.  Intersecting  US 290, Segment E will provide some current suburban commuters and many future residents in new subdivisions, a viable alternative to the US 290 congestion and congestion on the few current north-south arterials between US 290 and I-10.
3. Ultimate Grand Parkway Developer may benefit from acquiring a completed, traffic generating segment “on day one” thus enhancing the development of the remainder of the 184 mile loop.

Houston Housing Market Differs from Nation's

This is the conclusion of the Federal Reserve Bank--Houston Branch in a recent report on the Houston economy.  The report notes the "significant headwind" that the ongoing housing downturn has provided the U.S. economy but highlights that Houston's story is quite different primarily because land use is not as restricted in Houston as it is in higher costs regions.  In other words, the laws of supply and demand work and work well in Houston.

Read this article at this link.  (PDF)

Debating Land Use in Houston:  Two Different Approaches

Should land use in Houston be more restrictive than it currently is?  Two perspectives on this and related issues will be discussed at a special meeting on February 26th sponsored by Houstonians for Responsible Growth, Blueprint Houston and the Gulf Coast Institute. 

On one side: David Crossley, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Institute and Arthur Nelson, Professor of Planning and Urban Affairs at Virginia Tech University

On the other side: former Mayor Bob Lanier and public policy expert Wendell Cox of Demographia.

FEBRUARY 26, 2008 at the George R. Brown Convention Center
5:30-7:00 p.m.
Admission is free

Registration begins at 5:00pm

Please go to www.houstongrowth.org/rsvp
to RSVP and reserve your tickets.

Parking available in Convention Center/ Hotel garage on Polk/Avenida de Las Americas.
 

For Harris County Bonds & Constitutional Amendment 12

The West Houston Association has endorsed the 2007 Harris County Bond Propositions 1 through 6 that will be presented to voters of Harris County on November 6, 2007.  We urge members of the Association to become familiar with and support the propositions because of their crucial importance to the future of county.  Members are encouraged to communicate their support of the proposals to their employees.

The Association is supporting these propositions as a means of expanding and improving critical infrastructure not only in Greater West Houston but throughout the county.  These proposals will improve the quality of life for all Harris County citizens.

For Constitutional Amendment Proposition 12--Highway Bonds

The West Houston Association has endorsed Texas Constitutional Amendment Proposition 12 which authorizes the issuance of up to $5 billion in Texas state general obligation bonds for highways in Texas.  We urge members of the Association to familiarize themselves with this important statewide matter and express their support for the proposition.  A vote on this measure is on the statewide ballot November 6.

This proposition will allow the next session of the State Legislature to authorize bonds for highway improvements in the state.  Although the state highway program is mostly funded by dedicated tax revenue, the traditional sources which the Legislature has chosen not to increase, have not kept up with the growing demands of the system.  The bonds proposed will be repaid from general revenue on which a constitutionally imposed limit of 5% of uncommitted revenue.  The current state debt is below 2%.

WEst houston plan 2050 Symposium on the future of greater west houston

presentations available

Presentations by Symposium speakers are available at www.WestHouston.org.  Click on the link to the Symposium at our home page.  A DVD is of the Symposium is also available.  Order form here.

aSSOCIATION BOARD WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS FOR 2007

Wilbur Smith Associates |  Moody National Bank  |  Simon Property Group  |  Brown and Caldwell

McDade, Smith, Gould, Johnston, Mason + Company  |  HEB Grocery Company

Legislature Wins Some, Loses Some on Toll Roads

List of Potential TxDOT/Harris County Projects included in Plan      

Map of Projects included in Plan

The 80th State Legislature passed Senate Bill 792 (Copy of Fiscal Note to 792) dealing in part with the construction of toll roads around the state.  While the target of 792 seemed to be comprehensive development agreements (CDAs) between TxDOT and private sector entities, some potential Harris County Toll Roads got caught in the crossfire.

In this legislation several Harris County roadways were exempted or grandfathered from the provisions in 792 that placed a two-year moratorium on toll road projects around the state:

• extension into downtown of Hardy Toll Road, HUS 290 corridor toll lanes,

• SH 288, Fairmont Parkway,

• South Post Oak Extension;

• Westpark Toll Road extension to FM 1623,

• Fort Bend Parkway SH 6 to the Brazos River, and

• Beltway 8 East

The state moratorium is lifted on September 1, 2009.

The hottest projects in Harris County were grandfathered, with the exemption of the hottest of all, the Grand Parkway. 

In a deal only some of our elected officials in Austin could conjure up, the Grand Parkway could sit in limbo, or in a "market valuation" study phase for up to four years.  During this period the study and agreement on "terms and conditions" by TxDOT, Local County and the MPO (the Transportation Policy Council) is required.  The MPO is involved in this process until August 31, 2009.  TxDOT and the Local County have another 2 years to reach agreement on terms and conditions.  A copy of SB 792 is available at this link.

An Earlier Story on The TxDOT-Harris County Toll Deal

Gary Trietsch briefed the West Houston Association Board of Directors March 27th on the newly developed agreement between the Texas Department of Transportation and Harris County which may likely lead to the development of $21 billion in new tolled and non-tolled roadways in the Houston region.

Gary Trietsch announced details of the agreement between TxDOT and Harris County for $21 billion in toll and non-tolled roadway projects to be implemented over the next 20 to 30 years, mentioning that Transportation Commissioner Ned Holmes would like to have the projects done in ten years.

This agreement is a new approach for TxDOT and is not duplicated anywhere else in the state according to Gary Trietsch.  It precludes TxDOT from contracting with a private sector firm through a CDA and preempts the creation of a so called regional mobility authority.  In essence, local control is retained.

He said the agreement, which will require further review, was preliminarily agreed upon by local and state authorities and should be finalized within one year.  It calls upon TxDOT to undertake all planning and environmental work and for Harris County Toll Authority to handle all right-of-way, construction, operations and maintenance. 

Legislation to facilitate this agreement will be considered in this session of the Texas Legislature.

Many of the projects are located outside of Harris County and other local government partners such as Fort Bend and Montgomery County will be brought into the agreement now or as the projects come on line.

The estimated total cost of the 56 projects covered by this agreement is $21 billion.  Toll revenue projects will account for $14.6 billion and non-toll revenue projects will account for $6.4 billion.  The revenue potential for all of the projects is unknown at this time.  Essentially, the latter number reflects the payment or concession to TxDOT which, in turn, will be used within the region on the non-tolled projects listed in the agreement.  This amount will be paid out over time as the non-tolled projects are planned and constructed and will not be an upfront payment.

All funding for these projects is over and above current and future TxDOT funding for projects in the Houston District.  Harris County Toll Authority is said to have an approximate $700 million per year funding capability.   The agreement will enable Harris County to undertake the projects directly through the Toll Authority or in partnership with other local governments or the private sector.

Several projects in West Houston included in the agreement are: the Grand Parkway; US 290 and Hempstead Toll Road; the extension of the managed use lanes on I-10 from SH 6 west to Sealy.

WHA Encourages Local Government Intervention in to Houston SIP Lawsuit in the 5th Circuit

Read Issue & Background Paper at this Link

NEW Harris County and Fort Bend County Commissioners Courts have voted to authorize intervention in the suit to halt Houston's SIP.

The West Houston Association is joining with other organizations in the greater Houston area to  request that local governments consider filing a motion to intervene in a very important lawsuit recently filed in the Federal Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit . The lawsuit seeks to overturn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of the Houston area’s current federal 1-hour ozone air quality state implementation plan.

If the suit is successful, all federal funding for road, highway and mass transportation projects may be suspended or diverted to other regions of Texas until such time as a replacement plan is approved by EPA. A steady stream of federal funding is critically important to local efforts to address acute mobility problems. If the flow of federal funds is cut off or disrupted, the citizens of Harris County will suffer costly and needless delays in our area’s roadway and transit capacity projects, in addition to having to deal with other unnecessary restrictions to their mobility.

The lawsuit was filed by an environmental organization against EPA, and no local governmental entity is a party. If no local governmental entity intervenes, the residents of this region would potentially be faced with dictates from a settlement agreement between a federal government agency and a single environmental organization without any local or state government involved in the process.

If a government decides to file a motion to intervene, it would be best to do so prior to January 6 (within 60 days of the date on which the lawsuit was filed). If the intervention is granted, entities will likely be invited to participate in mediation talks that are expected on the matter.

This is not, in our view, a matter of clean air versus pollution. The West Houston Association and its members support clean air and responsible environmental policies. We believe we can achieve both growth and reduced emissions. In fact, data indicate that the Houston area is reducing ozone forming emissions from motor vehicles and will continue to rapidly reduce emissions from motor vehicles as newer vehicles work into the system.

West Houston Association Participates in Opportunity Houston

The Executive Committee of the West Houston Association has pledged $5,000 to the region's economic development and marketing program, Opportunity Houston.  The Association will become a strategic partner in promoting the Greater Houston region.  This project of the Greater Houston Partnership is a 10 year, $40 million campaign to help create 600,000 jobs; promote capital investment of $60 billion; and increase foreign trade to $225 billion.

WHA Endorses November 7 City of Houston Bond and Proposition Election

The West Houston Association Executive Committee has endorsed the City of Houston November 7th $625 million bond election and Propositions G and H.  Members of the Association are urged to carefully review the proposed measures and express their support in this critical election.

The bond election, the first since 2001, will not require a tax increase and will finance capital improvements through 2013.  If approved by voters, the bonds will be used in the following areas:

Proposition G provides that "enterprise fund expenditures" or City expenditures supported directly by user fees such as the airport fund will have no preset revenue limitations resulting from the passage of the cap on expenditures.  We feel expenditures supported by user fees result from the direct use of a particular City activity.  These revenues reflect demand for that service or system and allow for capital and operation investments to expand the systems and improve efficiency.  Fees levied upon that use is the fairest form of public funding--only those that use the service pay for it.  It is inconsistent to place arbitrary limitations on expenditures designed to support that demand.  Visit http://www.voteforpropg.com/facts for additional information on this proposition

Proposition H allows for the expenditure of up to $90 million above the revenue cap for public safety matters such a police and fire protection. 

The Association is directly supporting Citizens to Keep Houston Strong, a group supporting passage of the propositions.

West Houston Association Participates in Opportunity Houston

The Executive Committee of the West Houston Association has pledged $5,000 to the region's economic development and marketing program, Opportunity Houston.  The Association will become a strategic partner in promoting the Greater Houston region.  This project of the Greater Houston Partnership is a 10 year, $40 million campaign to help create 600,000 jobs; promote capital investment of $60 billion; and increase foreign trade to $225 billion.

Stormwater Management Study

The Association represented on the Urban Stormwater Management Study Stakeholders Committee as it advises on the new study being financed by Harris County Flood Control, Texas Department of Transportation and the City of Houston.  The Study goals are to:

• increase understanding of flooding and drainage issues
• improve stormwater management in the entire watershed
• develop better public projects
• improve public understanding and confidence

The Association heavily encouraged the HCFCD to undertake the study when it was in its formative stages after District Director Mike Talbot announced his initiative to look for local partners in the study.

Roger Hord, president of the Association, will represent the Association on this committee.

Roger Hord, president of the West Houston Association, has been appointed by the Texas Transportation Commission to the Trans-Texas Corridor Citizens Advisory Committee.  Hord was one of 21 appointments made by the Commission from the State of Texas.  The Committee will assist in developing major transportation and utility corridors the state plans to build in coming decades.