KatieDidIt

The greatest chimichanga there is exists at Chapultapec, a little dive on Richmond near 59. I've been there probably 50 times and have never even ordered anything else. The chips and salsa aren't that great, though.

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The kids love Cha Chos on Westhiemer and Nantucket. Great Drive-thru as well.

Interesting that this Wal-Mart apparently had cameras inside the restroom to see what this customer was doing, but when one of their own janitors molests a child in a restroom, no one knew anything about it. 

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Hmm, I wonder what the security gaurds do with the "Ladies Room" tape? sell it on the internet. I had no clue those big chain stores had camera in there.

I will never shop at Wal-Mart again.  I don't care if there is no other store for 100 miles.  I will drive the 100 miles.  For anyone not aware, a shoplifter was held to the concrete ground on his stomach with no shirt on for 30 minutes by employees.  It was at least 95 degrees outside, so the ground must have been scorching hot.  He quit breathing and died.   

I think after the incident a couple days ago in Atascocita, Wal-Mart ought to consider changing its slogan...

"If you steal even a cent, you'll feel hot cement!"

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No one I know likes Walmart. They are a plague!

Who's keeping them in business.

We have enjoyed the Nit Noi in Rice Village and in Tanglewood for years. I am so glad to see them opening one up here.

Add to your list:

Walmart at 249 & 2920

Walmart at 2920 & Kuykendahl

Walmart at 242 and College Park

Walmart at I-45 & Sawdust

Walmart at I-45 & Louetta

Walmart at I-45 & League Line

At 1960 & Cutten, they recently closed down the old decrepit Walmart, sold it and the new owners turned it into the Harwin Drive of the North (their name for it, not mine) and then Walmart opened a new larger behomoth directly across the street. The neighbors in the Champions area directly attribute the rise in crime in the areas adjacent to these stores to Walmart itself, the constables who attend the neighborhood HOA meetings call it the "Walmart effect", that crime seems to follow the Walmarts. Interesting...

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Thanks Pin for pointing out more,yikes, it strengthens my basic concern for the over Walmarting of the area.

I don't know.  They're building this thing on an FM road, for crying out loud.  It looks to be a few miles away from your million dollar homes, as well.  I hate to sound rude, but when you build out in the middle of a rural area (and FM 2978 is rural, for now), you have to expect that anything can be built nearby.  A WalMart doesn't sound like the worst of things.  But, if the crime is so bad out there, have you considered moving to Houston?  Our crime rate has been dropping for 10 years now.

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Red, I am not going to get into a class battle with you.

Its 1/2 mile away from these homes. And NO, I did not expect THE WOODLANDS to do this within their community, and I am far from the only one.

I did live in Houston for 15 years, Tanglewood/Galleria, and loved it. But HISD ran out of money and private schooling would not provide the type of well rounded experience for our kids that we wanted.

Tomball has not only a Wal-Mart already, but a fairly new Target store as well.

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Pin, I know you have a lot of inside contacts: No one at that WOC will tell me what they intend to build on the remaining mixed commercial use land on 2978. I am worried its going to be a slew of apartments

Walmart in Tomball

Walmart at 242 and College Park

Walmart at Rayford Sawdust.

Just curious, do you shop at walmart?

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NO. And they aren't exactly building this one in a neighborhood of "bargain shoppers" either. Even having two grocery stores in this area is causing slow stock turnover and lower quality produce. There are just not enough residents to support another goods supplier.

There is no stigma to shopping at a Walmart in my mind. Its just 3 of them aren't needed in a 76,000 population area. And due to its location, crime and business failure are a concern.

But if that bubble exists, you can lose big time from the over inflated price.

I feel that bubbles exist in certain over inflated markets.  Houston doesn't seem to be in one and I'm happy for it.

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I am noticing some price decreases in the Villages. I think finally people are crying uncle and enough over million dollar ranches. So in a since, I think in some areas of Houston, the bubble is deflating.

Yeah, the one in my home town was turned in to a Children's museum and the remaining space was orgainzed for meeting space.  The large parking lot was adjusted in the front by the road way for out parcel space for new restraunts.  Trees were added to the parking lot too.  Not bad for a town of around 25,000 where supposedly Wal-Marts kill everything.  Wal-Mart assisted in marketing to outparcels in the front of there own store.  The city convinced Wal-Mart it would make more money selling off the two pieces in the front instead of selling the whole then to the city.  Wal-Mart prepped the two outparcels (water, electricity, sewage) so new businesses could readily build and use them.

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That is so great that your city found a way to utilize the space! Driving through the south though, you see many situations that did not turn out so possitive. Kudos to your community.

And a 78,000 population subdivision out of the juridiction of many city service type of authorities.  The Woodlands has there own private fire department.  No real police force exists.

I guess if they get annexed they can complain to the City of Houston for police coverage.

I don't think crime will be that much of a problem.  Like RedScare says, who knows how to get there.

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Well in itself that is a bad thing too. Think of all the Walmart that have folded or moved across the street, leaving an empty shell behind. Oh well.

back on topic.......

katydidit, have you had any progress with the water pressure problem?  do your neighbors have the same problem.  has your community association been able to assist you?

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Yes the problem is still here and neighbors have the problems too. Sorry, but the association is a joke. Its insulting how they handle problems.

I have got to be happy and get things done on my own. Dealing with the Woodlands Association and Mafia Company leads me to drink.

It's since gotten even worse. Rouse was acquired by General Growth, essentially a mall developer that also owns the Woodlands Mall. So the vision of Mitchell is DEAD in the Woodlands. Consumerism and profit maximization are taking over.

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I agree with this statement completely.

And putting a Walmart next to the homes off Player Woods and the Gary Player Golf course is not a sign of pushing diversity, but a sign of all in out STUPIDITY. Why does the Woodlands need THREE Walmarts anyway? sheesh

sorry to keep harping on this subject, but I have to pass that construction site daily and it irks me how close the thing is. The crime is so bad next to the Walmart on Rayford Sawdust, we lock our doors getting to the Orwall fields. Now we are going to be living in a diverse crime area. JOY!

We came back from 2 months away from home to find the Walmart construction in full gear. Along Woodlands Parkway they removed the trees so you can see the entire parking area and or building pad. The operating company swore up and down they would leave a 60 foot tree barrier around the construction site. Well they did, on 2978 only. BUt right in the neighboorhood with multi-million dollars homes they CLEAR CUT down the trees.

Residents have opposed this construction from the get go do to the crime and property depreciation this company brings,....but the Woodlands Mafia prevailed.

This from an article as late as 7/27/05

The 25-acre site will be surrounded by a 60-foot forest buffer along Woodlands Parkway and 50-foot forest buffers along FM 2978 and Branch Crossing Drive.

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:WN0qU...&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

The Woodlands has become "all about the money," not the residents, in the past two years.

Oh and one more gripe: We have had to deal with Joel Deretchin over the recent crime lately and lack of police coverage, what a politician. His long, rambling emails basically boil down too, "tough luck SUCKER."

Booooo

Where exactly is this located?

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Ok just looked it up. FABULOUS. It backs up to the Woodlands Country Club at the intersection of S Panther Creek and Glen Loch.

Jeez.

Lack of water pressure, no police coverage, trying to bring in low income therefore a higher crime rate....... We are seriously questioning our move up here for the schools. SO many negative factors for the adults are outweighing the benefits for the kids.

Where exactly is this located?

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I have heard about this but still don't know the location. Boy, this new operating company is REALLY making some poor choices in relation to property values. First Walmart and now this.

I mean more water towers.

and KatieDidit, is you subdivision completetly built out?

This is a memo that I just received at work by email. The information is public, so it's not a problem for me to post:

******************************************************

To All PATE Employees:

We are excited to announce today, that Montgomery County has approved the contract for Pate Engineers, Inc. to serve as Program Manager for the Montgomery County Transportation Pass-Through Toll Program. This program is the first in Texas to utilize the

If they can't meet peak demand, the TCEQ can get involved.

Obviously, parts of the Heights are still transitioning, just like 6th Ward, Midtown, Rice Military, Montrose and any other area that has gone from Barrio/Ghetto to Bourgeois/Glam. There's a lot of graffiti still around Shepherd/Durham.

It seems that for an area to go from good to bad happens fairly quickly but the reverse is true to go from bad to good.

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Jeez, we even hear gun shots in the back of the Woodlands along FM 2978. I think its just a fact of life everywhere now.

several community leaders are disgruntled that metro is changing the rail plan previously put before the voters.  do they have a legitimate gripe, or is mayor white doing what's best for the city?

debmartin

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White is a DICTATOR with his tow plan, metro plan and cameras. He does what he wants. I voted for Sanchez and wish more had.

If developers were willing to put water towers instead of booster stations, you wouldn't have this problem.

Also, the pumps coul overwhelmed in the morning because of too much usage.  Complaints to the TCEQ should be filed.

developers have to file there proposed water distribution systems with the TCEQ to ensure enough pressure is there.

Tell TCEQ about you compaints to the MUD and there responses.

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Thank you for that contact. MUD does admit to not having enough wells back here to supply the demand during peak hours. I think its a little lame that they haven't fixed it yet. But like everything else up here, they will get to it "whenever."

We moved up to the Woodlands less than a year ago, and in the past two months we have been having water pressure problems at least twice a week. Its always in the mornings and impossible to take a shower in a trickle. Everytime I call, they claim its "a pump that has gone down." Ok...I pay 3k a year, on top of water bills, to the MUD district just to have water and sewer! I NEVER had problems like this anywhere else. Yes, mains would break and the water would go off for a few hours............every few years... but not constant water pressure problems that I get the priviledge of paying extra for.

City of Houston really needs to take this place over.

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. They are greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Ben

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Dr. James Moore in Uptown Park. HE is also George Bush Sr's dentist.

By younger do you mean in median age?

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Yes, median age and the fact it seems to cater to the yuppy with all the urban, trendy spots. Houston seems more pipe and slippers. However, downtown is the exception.