Creekside Village development at a fast pace

[IndianSpringsGuy]

I dared to go inside of the village today. I follwed some of the dump trucks that I am always behind just to see what they are doing. I also went to the lake area to see them pulling dirt out of the new lake bed. They are moving a lot of dirt from the new lake bed off of Kuykendahl to use for developing the roads and infrastructure of the new village off of Gosling. I discovered some ousing areas completely without trees. I am betting that they bukldozed the area. HOwever it seems that the backside of the homes have plenty of vegetation and green areas. I am going to talk to the association tomorrow about the resultant noise in our neighborhood, my pet peeve.

[Wilson]

You can see on Google Maps how barren some of that area is. I don't know if it was TWOC that did it or if it was like that before. There are pockets all around TW, but just outside what used to be the boundaries, of cleared acreage.

I was looking at Creekside on TW site just yesterday. They have a list of the homebuilders so far and I checked most of them and saw that you can already get floorplans and pricing.

http://www.thewoodlands.com/creekside/

[IndianSpringsGuy]

I guess things happen in pairs. Today I received a Creekside advertisement for low-end priced homes. I think it was ITC or something like that advertising monthly payments starting at $680. The homes looked very small and they say they already have some homes available.

[Candleman]

I am going to talk to the association tomorrow about the resultant noise in our neighborhood, my pet peeve.
Why do people complain about construction noise? Do you think it was total silence for your neighbors when your house was built. You live in The Woodlands, the site of construction for 30 years now. will it stop because you are here? The answer is NO! Deal with it. or move to a place that is built out.

[herself]

How do the homes look are any up yet? I've been wanting to go wander about there but haven't made any time to do so yet.

Most neighborhoods have rules about the hours of the construction. Is the noise only during regular work hours? You may be screwed if so.

It'd be nice if we'd get some noise ordinances here ( hint hint rm )

[IndianSpringsGuy]

Why do people complain about construction noise? Do you think it was total silence for your neighbors when your house was built. You live in The Woodlands, the site of construction for 30 years now. will it stop because you are here? The answer is NO! Deal with it. or move to a place that is built out.

Because for five years it was quiet here. That was the basis for the purchase. Other people will complain about babies sleeping. Come on now. Builders do not have the right nor the resolve to ignore the rights of residents. This is one of the reasons for the Association leadership being as it is. They must be part of the community in which they build. The property values can be easily be contested and the developers can easily find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The value of the property is heavily dependent on the quality of life which sells, not the beauty or quality of the materials. The Woodlands is not a site, it is a planned community. Fortunately for us, the development company realizes this and will help. If they don't they will suffer sales. I guarantee that.

We cannot have ordinances yet, but believe me, I am personally working on means to improve the siotuation. Hopefully we can have some "rules" as soon we become a self governed body. I would like to eventually see something like the El Paso ordinances. This ius one of the advantages we can enjoy in the future as a municpalality, if we ever get to that point.

[IndianSpringsGuy]

How do the homes look are any up yet? I've been wanting to go wander about there but haven't made any time to do so yet.

Most neighborhoods have rules about the hours of the construction. Is the noise only during regular work hours? You may be screwed if so.

It'd be nice if we'd get some noise ordinances here ( hint hint rm )

This noise is daylight only. They cannot dig up and load the dirt at night (fortunately). The construction itself is not the problem, just the traffic going to the construction site. I am waiting for an answer from the owners association now.

The homes I saw are not quite as nice as those I have seen here. There are not many to see. It remains early in development. By the way, remember the uissues we had with power lines here? Well, the development company and the power company are installing the lines above ground. It is really ugly! I can hardly believe they would be so cheap. (and expensive later as has been proven by required maintenance on above ground lines). But of course the electric company is a different company in Harris county.

[Candleman]

ISG you should have done more research before you made your purchase. there will be construction and noise associated with it as well as traffic until the last piece of land is developed. This has been going on for 30 years now with no end in site. Like I said earlier, someone was inconvienced when your home was built. This is just part of living in The woodlands. I just get a big laugh when newbies feel that everything must cease when the move in, this perpetuates the stereotypical Woodlands resident. If I had my way The Woodlands would be it's own little self contained island with ALL funding for schools and such at THE WOODLANDS homeowners expense.

[Wilson]

Yeah, I don't feel too much sympathy for people in neighborhoods with those lots that "back to greenbelts" and then construction starts. Dove Trace, for instance? Sorry, but that is a lovely intersection in terms of commercial development! I don't care what their realtors told them! You can see all that land south of Indian Springs along Flintridge, Wilde Yaupon, Trace Creek, and those high-dollar neighborhoods further up - Hunter's Crossing, Heritage Hill, Trinity Oaks, etc. Did those people really expect all that land to stay virginal?

[Candleman]

Did those people really expect all that land to stay virginal?

If so, they must believe in the 72 also. lol

[herself]

I wonder if those electric lines are just above ground while they do the construction?

It is miserable living next to construction. I bought early on in a development with my first house. Now I buy only in fully built out areas.

[Wilson]

Yeah, but as much as I love my house on my *interior* lot, I keep looking at new neighborhoods in the hopes of possibly grabbing up one of those just-released corner culdesac lots that are 40,000+ sq ft! They're rare, but they do exist! If you can just stand the 3+ years of construction that comes with everyone else buying lots and building out! lol

[IndianSpringsGuy]

ISG you should have done more research before you made your purchase. there will be construction and noise associated with it as well as traffic until the last piece of land is developed. This has been going on for 30 years now with no end in site. Like I said earlier, someone was inconvienced when your home was built. This is just part of living in The woodlands. I just get a big laugh when newbies feel that everything must cease when the move in, this perpetuates the stereotypical Woodlands resident. If I had my way The Woodlands would be it's own little self contained island with ALL funding for schools and such at THE WOODLANDS homeowners expense.

Well, we did research it. There are multi-use lots and plans changed. There was no bridge, no plans for the new village. That was developed after we were here. Master plan does not mean detailed planning until t he master plan is totally done and often that is not complete. Mullti-use lots is the downfall of planning. When we moved here, we had a lot of virgin areas nearby. The development of those areas has not been bad at all. Howver, an Exxon station was built off of Gosling, really on Panther CK TR, then the development company decided to change the plan and make it open on Gosling, so they tore out the newly laid bike trail and trees. That had a huge impact on our neighborhood and not a singkle soul asked us for input before it was done. Nope, we have been through more difficulties what we should have ever had to endure. Their decision was not a good one. It was unnecessary and we continue to "fix it" years later. This subject is very big and has ramifications you might not understand. I know a good builder and he can do about anything he sets his mind to do. Many just do not think because they are not paid to think, just do. Accountability should drive the consequences but I do not see much of that.

[Wilson]

Wow... straight from the LGI website...

"> Highly regarded Conroe Independent School District (http://www.conroeisd.net/genindx.asp)"
http://www.lgihomes.com/community_creekside.cfm

Ummmm?????????

[schnauzermom]

It's weird that LGI homes is not listed as one of the homebuilders on the official Creekside website that Wilson posted at the top of the thread. I wonder if this is actually outside The Woodlands Creekside boundaries.

As for construction I live in a new neighborhood and have a house being built right in front of me. It's really not that bad but traffic can get blocked with all the trucks. Especially since 6 people are putting in pools!

[mdonn76405]

ISG,
I love your optimism, I am the eternal optimist, but our small group has been investigating the boards and the developer for a year. If you saw half of what we have, you wouldn't be so hopeful. The developer is being sued and has been sued numerous time for ANTITRUST violations. A lot of the parties involved to include Eissler and Nelda Blair have violated election laws, Nelda and her husband were fined, and Eissler is waiting. Eissler was also found to have used campaign funds for his personal gain. On top of that, a last minute amendment was added to the bill that may keep us from ever incorporating. I hope your right, but I think your going to be disappointed.

[Wilson]

That *is* interesting... in a snobby way lol (I don't mean you, Schnauzer... I mean TWOC's website leaving that out!). They're advertising the LGI homes as "in as little as $699/month". I haven't driven down there, myself, so I can't say exactly where they're building them. But every one of the Villages does have a low-end section for the income-diversity that Mitchell intended (although I doubt the reasoning is to honour Mitchell's wishes). It will be interesting to see how this all develops over the next few years. It sounds like a good project, but I wouldn't buy a home there...

ETA that LGI's website doesn't come out and SAY "*in* The Woodlands", either. I wonder if they're under some kind of gag order lol.

[Wilson]

Ha! And I didn't even catch the biggie at first glance - "Imagine your family living among the beautifully wooded forests of Montgomery County for as little as $699 per month." It's a pretty big deal that this village is being built in Harris County, not Montgomery, and the school are not CISD.

http://www.lgihomes.com/community_creekside.cfm

[schnauzermom]

A friend was looking for foreclosures out past Benders Landing. I *think* the neigborhood was called Creek something and I know LGI sold land in Benders Landing because we looked into buying in there. Maybe that's where this is. It would be down Rayford, a long way down Rayford, LOL.

[Wilson]

The map on LGI's website shows a general area on the SW corner of Woodlands Pkwy/Gosling, but a bit further south than WP. I may call their Info line tomorrow just for fun.

[schnauzermom]

My guess is that the info center is no where near the community, very smart and somewhat misleading marketing if this is so. Let us know what you find out.

[IndianSpringsGuy]

The map appears messed up as well. I do not know what road that is on the south that goes to I45. It has the parkway as if it has already been built. Misleading map. I am not sure that all of Creekside is in Harris county. One would think that but there is a possibility that these homes are on this side of the creek? The houses I saw were not LGI as far as I know. I did not see a builders name there.

[Wilson]

I thought that road was maybe Kuykendahl, but who knows? I am going to go out there today and see what I can find out.