Immediate Release February 7, 2012

TxDOT Pursues Design-Build Strategy for Grand Parkway in

Houston

$1.4 Billion Project to Break Ground in Early 2013

AUSTIN – The greater Houston area is one step closer to reduced traffic congestion for more

than 2.5 million people as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) accelerates plans

for the completion of the next phase of State Highway 99 (the Grand Parkway).

TxDOT announced it is moving forward with a design-build strategy for the next sections of the

Grand Parkway and is expected to issue a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for this project in

early March. This RFP is for a project to develop approximately 37 miles of new toll road for

segments F1, F2 and G of the Grand Parkway in Harris and Montgomery Counties. This part of

the Grand Parkway project will create a major link in the regional transportation system

connecting US 59 North to US 59 South.

A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was published last November to solicit qualification

statements from teams interested in entering into either a design-build contract or a concession

agreement for this project. Those submittals allowed TxDOT to evaluate both delivery methods

and were due earlier this month. Based on the current financial environment for major projects

like the Grand Parkway as well as the strength of the traffic and revenue studies conducted for

this project, TxDOT has decided to move forward using the design-build method. In February,

TxDOT will review and select the best teams from those that responded to the RFQ to compete

for the design-build contract.

“This is a win-win situation for drivers and businesses in Houston,” said Ned Holmes, Texas

transportation commissioner. “The design-build option is an ideal approach for this project to

provide a high quality facility and the best value for the state.”

“The timing couldn’t be better for TxDOT to undertake a design-build strategy for this project,”

said Ted Houghton, Transportation Commission chairman. “Area contractors are motivated to

work and interest rates are quite favorable for TxDOT to move this project forward.”

TxDOT received authority from the 82nd Texas Legislature under Senate Bill 1420 to develop

11 specific projects, including the Grand Parkway, through comprehensive development

agreements. Although these partnerships allow the department to contract with the private

sector for the design, construction and possibly financing, operation and maintenance of a

project, the state retains ownership of the project at all times.

“We review and manage each one of these priority projects based on their own merits and think

the design-build option is the best way to go forward on the Grand Parkway,” said Phil Wilson,

executive director of TxDOT. “Our goal is to provide safe, reliable and economical transportation

solutions for Texas.”

- more -

News

Texas Department of Transportation

Senate Bill 1420 also called for the creation of local committees to make determinations

regarding the best path forward on each of the 11 large projects. For the Grand Parkway,

Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Policy Committee member and Fort Bend

County Commissioner James Patterson led the 1420 committee.

“I commend all the committee members and volunteers who put so much time and effort into the

1420 committee,” said Commissioner Patterson. “We’re at a great milestone in this project and

look forward to continuing to work with TxDOT to begin construction of this critical phase of the

Grand Parkway quickly.”

TxDOT will continue acquiring right of way needed for the project throughout the RFP process.

TxDOT expects to award a contract for this phase of the Grand Parkway by the end of the year

and break ground in early 2013.

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For more information call TxDOT’s Communications Division at (512) 463-8700.

The Texas Department of Transportation

The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting

aviation, rail and public transportation across the state. TxDOT and its approximately 12,000 employees strive to

empower local leaders to solve local transportation problems, and to use new financial tools, including tolling and

public-private partnerships, to reduce congestion and pave the way for future economic growth while enhancing

safety, improving air quality and preserving the value of the state's transportation assets. Find out more at

www.txdot.gov. Fan us on Facebook www.facebook.com/txdot. Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/txdot.

http://www.wasteconnections.com/

We love to hear that companies are finding The Woodlands planned community and making it their #1 choice for relocation their families and employees.  We welcome Waste Connections to our area and hope they find it to be a wonderful place to live and work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsGjX1hhf0k&feature=player_embedded

I just had my first Fairfax, Virginia Exxon-Mobil transferee family close on their home yesterday and so far, they are loving The Woodlands.  I would like to welcome them to the community and look forward to helping other Exxon-Mobil employees make the move.

RPC, Inc. is a holding company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RES. The Company provides oilfield services and equipment to independent and major oilfield companies in exploration, production and development of oil and gas properties, domestically and in selected international markets. RPC offers a wide range of oil and gas services required throughout the life cycle of a well. The Company has a history of acquisitions and transactions to increase shareholder value, while maintaining a conservative balance sheet. RPC plans to continue its growth through increasing market share, completing acquisitions, and expanding geographically. The Company’s operating business units include Cudd Energy Services, Patterson Services, and ThruTubing Solutions.

The company will be leasing 79,000 sq. ft. of office and warehouse space on Technology Forest Drive.

Below is an article from the Houston Business Journal regarding RPC, Inc's move to The Woodlands:

RPC leased a 79,000-square-foot building at 2828 Technology Forest Blvd. for 150 employees to begin occupying in February.

The company is leaving behind a 7-acre facility it owns at 15015 Vickery Drive with 31,000 square feet of office space and 12,000 square feet of warehouse space. The property is being marketed for sale by Bandier Realty Partners. RPC also will vacate 13,000 square feet of office space at 16770 Imperial Valley Dr.

RPC needs more square footage to keep up with growth in the energy industry, said Richard Hubbell, RPC’s president and CEO in Atlanta. The company’s largest office is in Houston, but most of its facilities are located in oil and gas fields throughout several states.

While RPC’s executive team and board of directors are in Atlanta, most of the major decisions are made in Houston, Hubbell said.

I would personally like to welcome RPC, Inc. and all the employees to The Woodlands!

I know that relocation to a new area is never an easy thing to do, but when people see The Woodlands, they are usually happy to see that it's a very nice place to live and has a lot to offer.  The schools are excellent, there is lush landscaping and like the names says, there are a lot of trees and plants.  The climate is nice for the most part although the summer does tend to get pretty hot.  July and August being the hottest months, but winter is mild and most northerners don't complain about the lack of snow.

There is a lot of useful information available for anyone relocating to The Woodlands area.  I have a relocation package that I send out upon request.  I work with all the relocation companies such as Prudential Relocation, Sirva, Cartus, MI Group, Brookfield, etc.  When an employee is transferring to a new area, the relocation company requires that they register their preferred Realtor so that the relocation company can get reimbursed a portion of the Realtor's commission to cover some relocation expenses.  This is something that I gladly do to allow me the opportunity to work with the client.  It's important to remember that as a transferee, you can select your own agent as long as the agent will cooperate with the relocation company and pay their fee.

Many times the agents that are assigned to a transferee may not be the most experienced real estate agent in a community.  For this reason, it's important to do your homework and find an agent that knows the area and community you're moving to so that you will make the best home selection for you and your family.

Texas created 19.4 percent of total jobs created in the United States from September 2010 to September 2011. Texas gained 248,700 nonfarm jobs during the period, an annual growth rate of 2.4 percent compared with 1.1 percent for the United States. The state's private sector added 281,400 jobs, an annual growth rate of 3.3 percent compared with 1.7 percent for the nation's private sector.

by Ali Anari and Mark G. Dotzour

Click here for full report.

From 11am to 5pm, neighborhoods throughout The Woodlands are joining in this Community Fall Festival & Fundraiser for a U.S. soldier who was severely wounded in battle while defending American freedom in a foreign war zone.    
“This is all about giving back to someone who has given so much in the cause of preserving our liberty,” said event chair Tami Buron (tburon@mtgtx.com).  
 
“One Hundred per cent of funds raised will directly benefit the Woodlands Texas Sentinels Project, through which our community is coming together to provide a wounded U.S. solder and their family a new mortgage-free home, and a springboard into a new civilian life.”

There will be live entertainment by local groups in The Woodlands with dancing and music.  A midway with carnival games for children and lots of food.

I will be personally sponsoring the Cake Walk so come out and see me and I will have free wrist bands to give out to the kids so they can participate in all the events at no cost.  It's guaranteed to be a fun-filled day with fun things for the whole family to do!

Homes are selling for value based on comparable sales and appraisals.  This is where the mortgage industry has tightened down on the real estate market.  For the most part, it's under control and fair.  The appraisal process is not what it used to be and is going to need some adjustments, but we have to deal with it best we can for now.  It's important to have an experienced agent who knows how the process works and anticipates any problems before they occur.  Although you may have to settle for a fair price on your home when you sell it in today's market, most likely, you will also get a fair price on the home you purchase.  Since most people move up when they sell their current home, the advantage is actually yours in a buyer's market.   

In regards to refinancing your home, I think it's something for everyone to consider, especially if you think you're going to stay in your current home for an extended period of time.  It would be a good idea to take the opportunity to do some updates at the time you decide to refinance.  You may want to ask your lender about the possibility of cashing out some of that equity so you can make improvements to your home.  This is a great time to do it with interest rates so low.  I am always available to discuss what home improvements are worth doing to increase the value of your home.  I do real estate because I like people and I like homes and the greatest joy I have is helping people find their perfect home or business opportunity and once they find it, I like to help them improve it and have it appreciate as much as possible.

One thing everyone can agree on is that The Woodlands area is a great place to be right now and with the Exxon-Mobil move happening and the many companies that are moving to the area in the next few years, owning real estate in The Woodlands is probably one of your best investments.

Firemen are working around the clock to try and get the fires contained.  They are in need of donations and there are a couple of sites I have found very helpful in keeping in touch with what's going on with the fires.  This site is a Texas A&M forestry site that has some very helpful information:

http://texashelp.tamu.edu/004-natural/fires.php

There is another site that is providing up to the minute information on the wildfires and many people that are in need of help.  This site is on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/Montgomerycountyfireinfo

There is a great need for donation items and this site will tell you what is needed and where you can drop it off.  I am going to be collecting items and dropping them off, so contact me if you want me to take donation items for you.  Let's keep all the people and their pets in our prayers.

  http://www.woodlandsalert.org/selectalert/login.aspx

Since I joined, I have only received one alert but it was important and was related to the Texas Wildfires and I can tell you that this one post is the reason I feel so compelled to let others know about it.  I would like to know how others feel about this system and is it a sufficient way to keep the residents of The Woodlands informed?  

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

STATE HIGHWAY 242 AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 45 TOLLED DIRECT CONNECTORS PROJECT PUBLIC

HEARING

On August 18, 2011 the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) held a public hearing to receive

comment on the State Highway 242 at Interstate Highway 45 Tolled Direct Connectors Project. TxDOT

reviewed three options for the Direct Connectors and the preferred alternative, along with findings of

the Environmental Assessment (EA) that was required as a part of the project. No environmental

impacts, including noise increases, were identified in the EA that would require remediation in order to

build the Direct Connectors.

Three individuals offered oral comments at the hearing. Representatives of Sen. Tommy Williams and

Montgomery county Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance spoke in support of the project. Mr. Bob Bagley

expressed concern regarding the ability of ambulances to access St. Luke’s Hospital with the selected

Direct Connector alignment.

TxDOT was not allowed to comment during the hearing, but did address concerns after the hearing

closed.

The three proposed Direct Connectors will be tolled via electronic overhead gantry as used on the Hardy

Toll road. The toll amount has not been set, but will vary depending on traffic demand. Tolls ranging

from 50 cents to $1.50 would be similar to those found for similar traffic situations in the Houston metro

area.

The estimated construction cost is $49.2 million for the IH 45 Northbound to SN 242 Westbound, and SH

242 Eastbound to IH 45 Southbound connectors. The two connectors have been funded. Estimated

contract let is fall/winter 2011.

Funding is not available for the IH 45 Northbound to SH 242 Eastbound connector at this time. It is

estimated that the construction cost for this connector will be $12.7 million.

The public has until September 1, 2011 to submit comments to TxDOT via email or U.S. mail. Written

comments must be received or postmarked on or before September 1, 2011 to be included in the

official public hearing record.

Comments for the public hearing record must be submitted to the attention of the Director of Project

Development, Texas Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 1386, Houston, Texas 77251-1386 or emailed

to –

Houston Business Journal - by James Aldridge, San Antonio Business Journal

Wall Street bond rating agencies have assigned their highest possible rating to Texas’ $9.8 billion in short-term debt.

Each year, Texas sells Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANs) to provide funding to public schools at the beginning of the school year. The TRANs will be sold on Aug. 23 and are rated SP-1+ by Standard & Poor’s Standard & Poor’s Latest from The Business Journals Fitch says U.S. debt is AAATexas earns highest ratings on school-finance debtTexas earns highest ratings on school-finance debt Follow this company , MIG 1 by Moody’s Investors Service Moody’s Investors Service Latest from The Business Journals Texas earns highest ratings on school-finance debtTexas earns highest ratings on school-finance debtMoody’s may cut defense contractor ratings Follow this company and F1+ by Fitch Inc. Fitch Inc. Latest from The Business Journals Fitch affirms U.S. AAA ratingFitch affirms AAA credit rating for U.S.Fitch affirms U.S. AAA rating Follow this company The debt will be paid back later in the school year once tax revenues come in. The notes should be repaid in full on Aug. 31, 2012.

“These ratings reflect confidence in Texas’ economic resilience and conservative fiscal management,” says Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. “Texas has outperformed the nation as both economies recover from the recession. The state has regained 88 percent of the jobs that were lost during the recession, while the nation has recovered 22 percent. However, we will also continue to monitor factors such as the housing market where new home construction and existing home sales remain slow.”

Texas has used short-term TRAN notes to fund public schools and meet other cash flow needs since 1987.

July sales of single-family homes in Houston totaled 5,034, up 16.7 percent from July 2010. This marks the third increase of the year after an 8.4 percent gain in January and 0.5 percent bump in June. The July number represents the second highest sales volume month of the year. June was higher with 5,570 homes sold.

On a year-to-date basis, sales are down 2.2 percent. When compared to July of 2009, a year in which there were no unusual real estate market influences such as Hurricane Ike in 2008 and the 2010 home buyer tax credit, single-family home sales were down 12.2 percent.

Broken out by segment, July sales of homes priced below $80,000 rose 15.8 percent; sales of homes in the $80,000-$150,000 range climbed 17.7 percent; sales of homes between $150,000 and $250,000 increased 18.5 percent; sales of homes ranging from $250,000-$500,000 advanced 13.7 percent; and sales of homes that make up the luxury market—priced from $500,000 and up—soared 25.7 percent.

http://swamplot.com/welcome-to-the-land-of-exxonmobil-a-tour-of-the-companys-new-north-houston-campus/2011-06-07/

If Exxon Mobil employs 8,000 at this facility and you the employees average 3 persons per household, that means 24,000 people will be added to the area by 2015.  Granted some employees and their families may commute from the Houston area and not make the move to The Woodlands area, but the only reason many people in the past have told me they can't make the move to The Woodlands is because of the distance they would have to drive to work.  Given the opportunity to work near The Woodlands, I am betting that most employees will jump at the chance to move.

Along with the building of the Exxon Mobil campus, the construction of the Grand Parkway will begin.  Many of us native Houstonians can remember when we would drive the 610 loop and think about how far it was to drive all around the city.  Then the Sam Houston Tollway was added and many of us marveled at the extreme usage of a road that was so many miles outside the "loop."  Now we have a Grand Parkway being constructed and once again we're surprised at the need of a road more miles outside the current toll road, but already we're realizing how much we want and need it and before long we'll wonder how we ever lived without it.

I am very excited about Exxon Mobil moving to the area and I would like to thank them for the positive changes they are helping to make in The Woodlands.

 http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

You live in The Woodlands, but your mailing address says Spring.

Woodlands villages are in Montgomery County, except for one, which is in Harris County.

Woodlands schools are in Conroe ISD, except for one, which is Tomball ISD.

My mailing address says Tomball, but I tell people I live in Spring, and the kids go to Klein ISD schools.

I call this the grey zone.

But I digress. My point is, it can be confusing.

So, people are wondering …who, where, when, why, how and what is going on in these here woods?

What’s with all the mowed-down trees, bulldozers and bare tracts of land?

A parcel of land recently cleared at the northeast corner of Augusta Pines and Kuykendahl has led to speculation of further homebuilding in the area, but it turns out that’s not the case.

There will be room for just one home here – a house of worship.

Maybe.

“The Woodlands Development Company is doing pre-development work on a 5.5-acre commercial/church site,” said Susan Vreeland-Wendt, director of marketing for TWDC. “But there are no immediate plans or details for the site.”

It’s a busy corner of town, as Kuykendahl continues to undergo major road-widening. That’s good news for Tomball ISD, as it gears up to build a second elementary school in The Woodlands, slated to open August 2012.

Creekside Village, The Woodlands Township

The Woodlands, a master-planned community in Montgomery County that dates back to the early 1970′s, is home to several villages including Grogan’s Mill, Alden Bridge, Sterling Ridge, Cochran’s Crossing, Indian Springs, College Park and Panther Creek.

These things matter to house hunters, because it decides things like tax rates, school zone boundaries, and who will be responding to your address in case of emergency.

Meanwhile, an 1800-acre tract of land west of I-45 and north of the Hardy Toll Road in Harris County will soon become the “nature-inspired, mixed-use” community of Springwoods Village.

The mailing address will be Spring, but what’s attracting the attention of builders now seems to have something to do with rumors of Exxon moving its headquarters a few miles up the road in…you got it…The Woodlands, Montgomery County.

Exxon has not confirmed any of this, but really, it’s the worst-kept secret, according to this blog in the Houston Business Journal.

And here’s the latest, courtesy of Houston Tomorrow.

Springwoods Village developer CDC Houston is hesitant to comment about Exxon, but loves the progress of the Grand Parkway.

“We really can’t comment on Exxon at this point,” said Simon, senior VP and director of development for CDC Houston, a subsidiary of Conventry Development Corporation. “We happen to think the time is right for Springwoods Village now anyway, given the progress of the Grand Parkway and other things coming up in this area.”

Simon said the company has owned the land for nearly 50 years.

“Now is the time,” Simon said. “Our market research shows residential growth has been in excess of 35 percent in the northwest side of Houston. Over the next five to 10 years, projected demand is for more than 100,000 new homes in this area.”

Simon said they will soon award $80 million worth of public infrastructure construction projects, followed by discussions with a variety of homebuilders.

“We typically like to have a range of product types, from apartments to townhomes to single-detached, at price points of $100,000 – $400,000,” Simon said. “We want fairly small neighborhoods within Springwoods Village so we have a finer grain to the community. And frankly, with the economy these days, it’s less of a financial commitment for homebuilders to develop a community of 50 homes instead of 200 homes.”

CDC Houston is researching different builders they think would best fit their objectives, including “very good quality and a strong eye towards building in sustainable, green kinds of ways” in order to complement the 33-mile Spring Creek Greenway preservation.

When all is said and done, 4,500 – 5,000 homes are expected to be built in Springwoods Village, along with more than 8-million square feet of commercial office space and 1.2-million square feet of retail space.

The entire build-out is expected to take at least 15 years.

The difference I see in the real estate market this year compared to years past is that Buyers are getting more and more particular about the homes they are purchasing.  If a buyer is going to pay top dollar for a property, he/she expects the home to be in turn-key condition and completely updated.  If a home needs repairs and updating, the buyers seem to only be interested if they can get the home at a very good price. 

I have also noticed that buyers seem to be offering 10% less than list price when they make an offer on a home.  I think many consumers are thinking that sellers may be desperate to sell.  Because many of the news programs report declining sales in other parts of the country, buyers hear this news and assume we are in the same situation as other areas.  If a buyer is moving to our area from another state, they may have had to take a loss on the home they sold and therefore expect the same sort of discount on their purchase.

It's very important to keep your home well maintained and updated as much as possible.  Homes that show well will usually be the first homes to sell and as the competition of listings increase in the upcoming months, you need to make sure your home stands out from the rest.

Your real estate agent can advise you and give you tips on things you can do to help show your home.  Simple staging, a little paint and de-cluttering will go a long way in helping your home sell.

For those of you that have never attended the Arbor Day celebration in The Woodlands, you are missing a great event.  I have attended it the past couple of years and first of all, the venue in Creekside Park is perfect for this event.  I was surprised to see all the different activities that were offered for children of all ages.  There were 10 or so bounce houses that the kids can play on and the stage offered continuous entertainment with sing along activities for the kids.

I have trees growing in my yard that I planted 2 years ago.  There are many different kinds of trees that are available.  I didn't see the need to plant a pine tree, but was thrilled to be able to plant several dogwood trees, and a redbud tree that have done very well.

If you get the chance, please try to get over to Creekside Park and attend the Arbor Day celebration.  It will be open from 10 am - 2pm.  You won't be disappointed.

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability. Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows. Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life. It's important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial "comfort zone." To that end, it may be more important to lock in today's relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today's market.