East Shore, the “Garden District” of The Woodlands Town Center, is a 260-acre enclave bordering the eastern edge of 200-acre Lake Woodlands. East Shore combines classic architecture, formal garden parks and green spaces with urban-style living. East Shore is within walking distance of the shopping, dining and entertainment venues along The Woodlands Waterway®, a 1.4 mile part transportation thoroughfare, part linear park and water amenity, in the heart of The Woodlands Town Center.

Stonemark Builders is preparing to break ground on the La Costa Garden Homes, a unique enclave of red tile roofs and gleaming white stucco exteriors that forms its own intimate lakeside village within walking distance of the shores of Lake Woodlands. Inspired by Mission-style architecture, La Costa includes 42 garden homes in 14, two-story buildings, priced from the high $300,000s.

Each building is designed around a courtyard garden that connects three unique floor plans, offering distinctive features such as downstairs master bedrooms, private studies, elevator options and attached two-car garages. Each floor plan has its own outdoor patio or terrace, so residents can enjoy the project’s wooded setting, which has maintained 40% green space.
In addition, La Costa is the only project in East Shore with its own private resident amenities that include a central community pool and spa, covered cabana and outdoor grill for residents, as well as 24-hour security patrols and landscape maintenance for true “lock and leave” ownership.

Stonemark is also the creator of The Villas, a neighboring enclave in East Shore that includes 25, three-story single family detached residences with detached, rear accessed three-car garages. Although eight individual home designs are offered, what makes The Villas unique is that buyers can work with Stonemark’s architect owners to re-design the interior of any plan to their personalized specifications, which most buyers take advantage of to personalize the master suite, kitchen and living area.
Source: TWDC

Danie van Loggerenberg, president and founder of DvL Concepts, a professional building design company based in The Woodlands, recently returned from the 50th Annual Convention of the American Institute of Building Design, Texas Society, with 11 trophies awarded in the State-wide competition. van Loggerenberg received top honors including the W.R. Coleman award of excellence and Best of Show trophy. The awards were presented at a gala at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

DvL Custom Concepts designs projects in The Woodlands, the Greater Houston area, the Gulf region and throughout the State of Texas. In The Woodlands, DvL works with a number of private clients and custom homebuilders including the J. M. Wendell Family of Companies (J.M. Wendell, LLC and Southern Mark Homes). Most of the awards were for projects designed in The Woodlands, in the lakeside neighborhood of East Shore and the gated communities of Carlton Woods Creekside and St. Peter’s Gate.
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According to the upcoming July 21, 2008, edition of Pollstar magazine, the concert industry’s leading trade publication, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion ranked second in its listing of top 50 amphitheatres in the world based on the number of tickets sold during the first six months of 2008. The Pavilion’s ticket sales totaled 112,080 for shows played between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2008.

So far this season, The Pavilion has had five sold-out concerts (15,000+), including Jimmy Buffet April 21, Buzzfest XXI April 26, Kayne West May 2, Roger Waters May 4 and Radiohead May 17. Other concerts with attendance over 10,000 include the Police May 20 and Iron Maiden May 22.

“We have had an incredible year so far in 2008. The quality and variety of shows we have presented has been fantastic,” said Jerry MacDonald, president and CEO of The Pavilion. “I attribute the strong showing to the vibrant Houston market and our booking partnership with Live Nation. Our facility is a wonderful way to experience concerts and our location is one of the keys to our success.”

The next few months include performances by Kid Rock & Lynyrd Skynyrd Aug. 9, Dave Matthews Band Aug. 15, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Aug. 29, Maroon 5 & Counting Crows Sept. 5, Toby Keith Sept. 6, Santana Sept 20, 3 Doors Down Sept. 21 and more. There also are several Houston Symphony dates and one Houston Ballet performance. For more information regarding these and other upcoming events at The Pavilion, visit www.woodlandscenter.org or call 281-363-3300.

Pollstar provides music business professionals with the most reliable and accurate source of information on the industry.
Source: TWDC

Several new forested neighborhoods are now open for sales in the 400-acre expansion of the Village of Sterling Ridge, with homes starting in the $150’s up to the mid-$500’s.

Homebuilders include Chesmar Homes, Gracepoint Homes, Highland Homes, Lennar, Plantation, Trendmaker, Village Builders, David Weekley Homes and Wilshire Homes.

Lennar’s new twin villa model is now open in Bloomhill, with homes priced from the $150’s. Highland and Plantation now have sales offices open on May Valley Drive, where they are selling homes priced from the $270’s - $330’s in the neighborhood of Vershire.

In Almondell, Wilshire is offering new homes from the $380’s with 2,800-3,800 square feet on 65-foot homesites. Wilshire is offering pre- onstruction prices. The Wilshire sales office is also on May Valley Drive.

The neighborhoods of Bloomhill, Vershire and Almondell are accessed off Branch Crossing Drive where it intersects with May Valley Drive. Access to FM 2978 at the western boundary of The Woodlands should be completed later this year.

The new neighborhood is located in the Magnolia ISD, and children will attend Ellisor Elementary, Bear Branch 6th Grade Campus, Bear Branch Junior High School and Magnolia High School. Both Bear Branch 6th Grade Campus and Bear Branch Junior High are only two miles north of the new area, off FM 2978. A site for a new Magnolia ISD K-5 elementary school is also located within the new area.

May Valley Park, a nine-acre park, will be located near the entrance to the new neighborhood and winding hike and bike trails will connect the area with other neighborhoods in the Village of Sterling Ridge. Planned to open in spring of 2009, May Valley Park features a heavily wooded site with a stream running through it. Amenities will include a Pavilion, tennis and basketball courts, playground, picnic area, stream crossings and pathways.

This new neighborhood in Sterling Ridge is also located near several other parks and pools in The Woodlands, including Cranebrook Park where there’s a pool with interactive aquatic play structure, and Terramont Park, a 16-acre park with “wheel friendly” area, hills, playfields, tennis and basketball courts, and an expansive playground.
Source: TWDC