Woodlands of Columbia : News Releases

A&M Keeps College Station and Woodlands Thriving

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Woodlands of College Station and the student housing apartments that are for rent in College Station are part of a bustling economy thanks to Texas A&M University. The following article discusses this.

Texas A&M’s Economic Impact
Reporter: Mike George
KBXT.com

While lawmakers figure out how to best spend the state’s portion of the economic stimulus package… a study out by Texas A&M shows an economic stimulus plan of its own for the local economy.

In 2008, the direct impact was about $1.3 billion. This is an increase of about $146.5 million compared to the previous year and the previous record. Adding the impact of those dollars being reinvested throughout the region, the total impact is about $3.28 billion—nearly $366 million more than the prior record set in 2007.

Here’s a breakdown of just some of the ways the university affects the area’s economy.

Record enrollment of 48,039 is going to be felt across the board. How about an impact of more than $378-million. That’s an increase of approximately $96 million. Major categories for student expenditures include food and housing, clothing, school supplies and recreation.

*The average annual payroll for the more than 20,844 Texas A&M and A&M System employees based locally (including student workers) was approximately $796.8 million, an increase of more than $27.8 million over year-ago estimates. Payroll directly affects the local economy through purchases made by employees and their families and also increases the deposit base in local financial institutions, officials noted.

*Campus Visitors: Whether it’s parents, friends or other family members coming to see the 48,000 plus students or those coming to sporting events , plays or the George Bush Library, those visitors are coming with money and spending it. Try $ 137.9 million going into the local economy, for a gain from a year ago of about $22.6 million., According to the study. Typical expenditures in this category include ticket sales, food, lodging, gasoline and other services.

*To accommodate more students more visitors,professors, researchers and support staff A&M needs more room. So there is a building boom going on. In 2008, there were $98-million in construction projects. going on. A&M President Elsa Murano noted in this study the full impact of the university’s $800 million building program, now under way or in various stages of planning, has yet to be fully felt in the regional economy. Major projects on the horizon include the Memorial Student Center expansion and renovation, and construction of the new Emerging Technologies and Economic Development building.

Murano was quoted in the study as saying “Texas A&M treasures our strong partnerships with College Station, Bryan, Brazos County and beyond,” Murano said. “Considering the economic uncertainly across the country, we are obviously closely monitoring potential future impacts on the university, but we are in an enviable position in comparison to many of our higher education colleagues in other states.”

The study measured the economic impact of Texas A&M, as well as key aspects of A&M System members based in College Station, including the System Offices, the Texas A&M Health Science Center, and the System’s seven state agencies: Texas AgriLife Research, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Texas Engineering Extension Service, Texas Forest Service, Texas Transportation Institute and Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.

University officials within the Division of Finance pointed out the study was designed to highlight some of the regional economic activity resulting from the presence of Texas A&M, the A&M System headquarters and A&M System agency activities conducted locally and does not purport to be a sum total of their full impact on the region. Also, they note, the sum of the different categories does not equal the direct impact figure because some of the inclusive activities involve expenditures that are made initially outside the local community or are included in other categories.

The Woodlands Is Part of a Thriving Area of College Station

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Woodlands of College Station is located near all the popular hot spots, including Texas A&M, Northgate and Blinn College. The part of town Woodlands is in an emerging area with thriving retail and real estate. New construction on Wellborn Road proves this. See article below for more details.

Wellborn Road: An emerging corridor

By HOLLI L. ESTRIDGE
Special to The Eagle

Traffic is slower and more congested than usual as the expansion of Wellborn Road between F.M. 2818 and Rock Prairie Road continues.

When David Cottrell made his foray into the Bryan-College Station commercial real estate market three years ago, a rural intersection on the western fringes of Brazos County emerged on his radar.

Now the Houston developer of North Park Plaza in Bryan and College Station Plaza is pioneering new development near the Wellborn Road-F.M. 2818 nexus.

Bolstered by new residential development and intersection traffic counts approaching 30,000 cars per day, the southern stretch of Wellborn Road is quickly evolving into a new hot spot for development.

“The area has matured, and it’s vibrant,” Cottrell said. “You have a fair amount of homes that have been there for a while, as well as a number of new homes that are coming online.”

To that end, Cottrell said his Ace Hardware-anchored Navarro West Plaza will fill a great void in the market that currently forces residents on the western end of town to travel a distance for many services.

The 12,000-square-foot Ace Hardware store will be joined by a Fat Burger and a 1,200-square-foot Mac’s Liquor Store, which are slated for a March opening. Cottrell declined to identify four other prospective tenants that could occupy the center’s remaining 3,800 square feet but said they would include a mix of national and regional retailers offering both services and hard goods.

College Station Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services Lance Simms said new development has indeed picked up along the southern stretch of Wellborn Road in recent months.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission recently approved Phase 1 development of The Barracks, a 108-lot town-home project on Rock Prairie Road near the intersection with Wellborn Road; the two-building second phase of All Safe Storage south of Rock Prairie; and the 120-acre Capstone Cottages, a student housing development with nearby light commercial uses.

Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Transportation is prepping the road to accommodate growth. In addition to a Wellborn Road widening project that is already under way, TxDOT is working on the F.M. 2818/Wellborn Road interchange project.

The $25.8 million project, which will occur over two years, will separate train and roadway traffic, improving access along the north-south thoroughfare.

In 2008, TxDOT completed work at the intersection of Villa Maria and Wellborn roads — a project that was key to improving travel on Wellborn.

In recent years, shopping centers, restaurants and retail outlets have cropped up along the stretch of Wellborn Road from Harvey Mitchell north to Villa Maria. Simms said interest has spread to areas as far south as William D. Fitch Parkway in the last year or so.

Improving access and making way for development on Wellborn Road has proved a difficult task, said David Gwin, director of economic and community development for the city of College Station.

The Union Pacific rail line that runs along Wellborn Road presents access challenges and serves in some cases as a barrier to development, Gwin said. And as the city has focused economic development dollars in recent years on College Station’s primary commercial corridors — Texas Avenue and University Drive — Wellborn Road has remained a rural-type thoroughfare, he said.

Because of infrastructure issues, residents in new developments rely heavily on the road to gain access to Bryan and College Station, Gwin said. As development continues along the corridor, Gwin said, it will only become more difficult to improve infrastructure.

Still, city leaders view Wellborn Road as a burgeoning secondary commercial corridor, brimming with service retail for residents along the county’s western outskirts.

“As far as our primary corridors go, people are still mainly interested in the triangle that is Texas Avenue, University Drive and Harvey Road leading up to the mall,” Gwin said. “Eventually, we see Wellborn as kind of completing that triangle.”

Woodlands Phase 2 to open Fall 2008

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Phase 2 of The Woodlands of College Station will be available in the fall of 2008. Plans include unique 2 bedroom cottages on the main entrance route. More to come in the following months.

Woodlands of Columbia : News Releases

A&M Keeps College Station and Woodlands Thriving

Texas A&M’s Economic Impact Reporter: Mike George KBXT.com

The Woodlands Is Part of a Thriving Area of College Station

Woodlands Phase 2 to open Fall 2008

Texas A&M’s Economic Impact
Reporter: Mike George
KBXT.com