The Woodlands Goes World Class
By Jamie Quinn
The Woodlands Liefetysles & Homes

Who says a charming bedroom community can’t have big city style? One local developer is convinced we can have it all, and has recently broken ground on a project that will bring world-class entertainment to the area, without sacrificing the neighborhood in the woods.

Henry Altman, president of B&A Development, has created several commercial complexes in resort communities all over the world. As a resident of The Woodlands, he is now using his skills in his own back yard, as he leads the development team of the Indian Springs Medical Professional Office and Restaurant Complex.

The concept of mixing a medical center with an entertainment park is unusual and unprecedented in Texas, and perhaps across the country. Still, the $25 million business plan has won the approval of investors. Altman says it makes perfect sense. “We have high visibility and upscale trendy restaurants that people will go to. And, when they are there, they will be aware of the medical professional services offered at the medical facility,” he said. Medical professionals don’t seem to mind mixing business with pleasure—over 50 percent of the available office space at the complex has already been pre-leased.

The property certainly won’t resemble a medical center. Its design incorporates both an old-world and modern style, mixing the geometric lines you might find at the Grand Louvre in Paris with pedestrian squares that are typical of Italian piazzas.

B&A Development Group has made it a priority to partner with the best design and construction crews in the world. The architects on the project, Pei Partners, are world-renowned and their work is men¬tioned in the controversial book and movie, The Davinci Code. I.M. Pei was the designer of what could be one of the most photographed structures in the world—the pyramid at the Grand Louvre. His oldest son, Didi Pei, was the managing architect on that project and is now heading up the design team working on the Indian Springs complex.

“We think that our complex certainly has the Pei-esque feel to it,” said Altman. The 30,000-square-foot complex centers around a 17,000-square-foot, triangle-shaped fountain. “We will have about a 25-foot water wall at one end of our triangular fountain that water cascades down, goes into one pool, and then flows underneath two walkways back into the fountain.” The fountain, which is also equipped with programmable lights and music, was designed by Fluidity. Members of the company’s design team were also responsible for creating the fountain at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.

The fountain will be the obvious main feature of the complex and a source of entertainment in itself. During the day it will be pro¬grammed to different Disney movie theme songs. For adults, some nights will feature music by Mozart, Beethoven and other composers. Other nights will showcase Broadway tunes and well known classics.

Each of the three restaurants in the complex will have tiered levels facing the outdoor fountain. “Each restaurant is like a mini sky box in an amphitheater-type setting.”

The Indian Springs Medical Pro¬fessional Office and Restaurant Complex will contain three original-concept restaurants; Rao’s Northern Italian Restaurant, Chez Thai Restaurant & French Bakery and Enrique’s Latin Grill.

Rao’s Northern Italian promises to offer the ultimate in fine dining. Rao’s will serve guests the finest selections of meats, seafood and pasta, as well as signature piz¬zas cooked in a wood-burning oven. Private wine lockers will be available for guests to store an endless selection of pre¬mium wines. The restaurant will also have a separate lounge area that will feature live piano music on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. The area will host a jazz trio on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Brunch will be served on Sundays.

Chez Thai Restaurant and French Bakery will transport guests into a new world of culture and art. The restaurant’s furnishings promise to be as delightful as its menu. Colorful silk tapestries and teak wood floors will be the backdrop for an extensive display of imported art and antiques. The menu will offer a fusion of Asian and Thai dishes. The separate bak¬ery will serve fresh breads, coffees, sand¬wiches, salads and other fresh snacks.

Enrique’s Latin Grill will offer affordable and delicious food for the whole family. The Latin American design is colorful, lighthearted and festive, and the menu will be mouthwatering. Although this restaurant is designed to be family-friendly, adult entertainment will be offered in the evenings. On Wednesdays guests can receive free salsa and meringue dance lessons.

Ice cream carts and Italian ice vendors will have a place on the plaza, especially during special events. “We’re going to do a series of unplugged jazz concerts in 2007, said Altman. “It will be an intimate setting for a concert.” Outdoor art exhibits and other events also will take place at the complex.

Despite all of the excitement the Indian Springs Medical Professional Office and Restaurant Complex will bring to the area, the project is receiving many of its acco¬lades for another reason. The medical and entertainment park will incorporate the most environmentally responsible design principles available.

Bayou swells will be used in the park¬ing lot to control drainage, and all of the run-off water will filter down through the earth, rather than into gutters or storm drains. Emergency power will be generated using bio-diesel fuel and all of the steel used to construct the building will be recycled steel.

The building will install the highest quality commercial air filtration system on the market. Windows will have glazing to lower UV pollution and filtered water will run into the complex to provide crystal clean tap water.

B&A Development will spend millions of dollars on environmental upgrades for the complex, and Altman says it’s worth it. “We think it’s a little bit expensive, but we also think it’s the wave of the future and the responsible thing to do—that I think all developers should be considering.”
Securing land and funding for his spec¬tacular vision has been an arduous process for Altman. He says he couldn’t have made it to the breaking ground stage without support from his partners and his attorney Grady Randle. “It took us lit¬erally from September 2004 to September 2005 to even get the property under con¬tract, then several more months to close,” said Altman. “All good things are worth a good fight.”

With the negotiation stage complete and construction under way, it will still be sev¬eral more months before the Indian Springs complex opens for business. The medical professional offices will open in April 2007 and the restaurants will open in June 2007. The complex will be located at Kuykendahl Road and Flintridge Drive, in the southwest section of The Woodlands. •