Lake Woodlands
Location:
The Woodlands, Texas
Project Size:
25,000 Acres
Client:
The Woodlands Corporation
Services Provided:
Planning + Urban Design
Parks + Recreation
Commercial
The Woodlands is a 25,000-acre planned community north of Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport. After an investigation of similar large waterfront projects in the U.S. and abroad, L-DS prepared a number of phased land-use options for Lake Woodlands based on a market study. These options were presented to the client and the chosen development plan included single-family and mid-rise residential, corporate offices, research/tech offices, two commercial areas with entertainment, marinas, and restaurants as well as lake-side parks and trails. These highest and best use studies and physical plans were undertaken in 1986 while the lake was being constructed.
Special care was taken to plan for integration of future buildings into the thickly wooded site, to control views across the lake, and to provide a pedestrian system linking neighborhoods to the lake amenities. Where appropriate, it was proposed that the lake edge would be modified to increase waterfront land and to create a more attractive land and waterscape of islands and inlets. The project was a success with every lot on the west side of the lake quickly sold and the eastern edge subsequently marketed.
