Hurricane Harvey flooded 100 percent of all the businesses in Kingwood Town Center. Recovery has been a long, hard road. Some retailers threw in the towel. Others hung on by their nails. The shopping center on the northwest side of Kingwood Drive and West Lake Houston Parkway was one of the hardest hit – caught between rising waters from Lake Houston and descending waters from Bens Branch. For several years, the entire center looked like a ghost town.
City of Houston crews remove sediment from under Kingwood Drive Bridge over Bens Branch by shopping center.
The remediation efforts seem to have bolstered confidence and encouraged the return of retailers.
Pardon Their Dust
For the last two years, loyal customers had to dodge construction as the shopping center got a facelift. But last month, the construction trailer and fencing disappeared. Today, I counted only four vacancies in the main part of the shopping center. And workmen are busy doing interior buildout on some of those.
Ghost-Town Look Gone
The ghost-town look is gone…replaced by pristine exteriors, new signage, and fresh landscaping. It will only be a matter of time before the remaining spaces refill.
Here’s how the center looks today.
A new Trek bicycle store recently opened, and makes a nice complement to other retailers. Around the corner, a fresh new look for the urgent care center and Walgreens.
Still Searching for Anchor Tenant…
Unfortunately, the center still lacks an anchor tenant.
The leasing agent, NewQuest, is rumored to have been in discussions with a large fitness center to occupy that space or part of it. This morning, I saw electricians entering the space to work. But NewQuest did not return a phone call to confirm or deny a deal with a new tenant. NewQuest’s website still shows the space officially for lease.
…But Appraised Value Quadruples Since Harvey
Regardless, you can see another sign of the shopping center’s success on the Harris County Appraisal District website. The appraised value of the center has more than quadrupled since those bleak days after Harvey.
Five-year appraised value history from HCAD.orgas of 9/8/22.Screen capture from HCAD.org as of 9/8/22.
Welcome Back, Retailers!
If you avoided this center during construction, explore what all the small business owners have to offer.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/8/2022
1836 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220908-RJR_0963.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2022-09-08 15:17:032022-09-08 17:09:21Major Kingwood Shopping Center Almost Back
Leaders from the Cypress Creek area met on 9/6/2022 to hear a pitch about forming a Cypress Creek Drainage Improvement District. The purpose: to accelerate projects that could reduce flood damage.
A Gathering of Utility District Heads
Approximately 100 to 120 people attended the meeting. Most represented municipal utility and other special purpose districts.
Much of the area is unincorporated. And when Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey addressed the crowd, he pointed out that those districts represent the “primary form of government” in that part of Precinct 3.
Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey addressing the Cypress Creek crowd about the formation of a drainage improvement district.
What Happened
Seven speakers throughout the one hour and 40 minute meeting reprised several dominant themes.
The steering committee doesn’t yet know all the details of flood-mitigation recommendations or their costs. The meeting was only a first step in soliciting input, gaging interest in, and publicizing such a district.
Creating the drainage improvement district would enable the 450,000 people in the 267-square-mile Cypress Creek Watershed to speak with one voice and get the help they need.
Developing large-scale flood-risk reduction projects can take decades.
“Control your own destiny.” Don’t count on help from Harris County anytime soon because of the current domination of Commissioners Court by a majority with other priorities.
Individual presentations addressed various flood-mitigation options such as tunneling, dredging, and construction of floodwater-detention basins. Cost estimates ranged from $600 million (for a first step) up to as much as $1-, $2- or $3 billion (during the next 20-30 years) depending on the amount of risk reduction people desire.
Forming Drainage District and Funding Projects Could Take Years
Speakers also addressed the steps needed to form a Cypress Creek drainage improvement district. Without going into excruciating detail, it could take years to form a district, determine a project list, estimate costs, determine the best way to fund improvements (i.e., bonds vs. tax increases), and raise money to begin construction.
The implication: start now. The longer residents wait, the greater the risk of flooding.
Issues to Overcome
Members of the steering committee fielded questions from the audience at the end of the presentations.
During Q&A, several in the audience pointed out that that flood risk is constantly increasing because of rapid upstream development. But task force members said that was beyond their purview.
It also became obvious from the questions that some people craved more certainty in plans, costs and funding than anyone at the meeting was prepared to offer last night.
I personally attributed that to frustration over three things:
Public skepticism and frustration over such issues could make the creation of a new drainage district a difficult sell.
Potential “First Step” Benefits
But if people can see past that skepticism, they may get a chance to accelerate flood risk reduction, and attract matching funds and grants from state and federal sources.
Said one engineer in the crowd after the meeting, “It’s amazing how much quicker things go when you have money!” Before the Flood Bond in 2018, the Flood Control District often had to save up multiple years to build one detention basin.
They describe their mission as helping to “facilitate the construction of 22 stormwater detention sites recommended in the Harris County Flood Control District’s Jones/Carter Study as the most feasible means of mitigating flooding along Cypress Creek.”
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220906-RJR_0927.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2022-09-07 16:28:132022-09-07 20:22:55Effort Begins to Form Cypress Creek Drainage Improvement District
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will soon begin constructing its Lauder Basin Phase 2 in the Greens Bayou watershed. Scheduled for Fall 2022, Phase 2 is located east of Aldine Westfield Road in the area of the Castlewood Subdivision between Aldine Bender and Lauder Roads.
Location of Lauder Basin Phase 2 near Castlewood SubdivisionLooking S over Phase 1 of the Lauder Basin in March 2022. Greens Bayou on right. Phase 2 will go in the trees, upper right.
Size and Scope
This project help reduce existing flood levels by safely holding 651 acre-feet of stormwater during heavy rains. It will involve excavating approximately 1,152,200 cubic yards of soil, cost approximately $22.5 million, and hold 212 million gallons of stormwater. That’s more than a foot of rain falling across a square mile.
Phase II will be a dry bottom stormwater detention basin. A remnant channel, or “oxbow,” in Phase II will be recreated at the bottom of the basin.
Additional trees will be planted post-construction. While the stormwater detention basin’s primary function is to reduce flooding risks, the site may provide multi-use recreational facilities that would be developed by partner entities. Construction of Phase I of this project, located along Greens Bayou between Lauder Road and JFK Boulevard, was substantially completed earlier this Spring.
More Specifics
2018 HCFCD Bond Project C-34 Precinct: 2 Contractor: RES Gulf Coast LLC, dba LECON, Inc. Contract Amount: approximately $22.5 Million Construction Start: Fall 2022 Contract Duration: 581 calendar days (about 1.5 years)
Mid-Reach Program: Greens Bayou cuts across NW Houston to Greenspoint Mall, then parallels Beltway 8 south of Intercontinental Airport. At Aldine-Westfield Road it turns further south, and cuts under 59 by the go-cart track. This project is part of the Greens Mid-Reach program, which has restored a 10-year level of service to the Bayou and is aiming for a 25-year level.
Greens Mid-Reach Program. See Lauder Basin Location in lower right.
Construction Warning
Construction equipment will access the work area via Miranda Street. The contractor will use heavy construction equipment such as dump trucks, excavators, and bulldozers to remove trees, vegetation, and excavated soil.
Motorists should heed all warning and road closure signs and detours. Be alert to truck traffic when passing near construction access points and along truck routes.
Major Kingwood Shopping Center Almost Back
Hurricane Harvey flooded 100 percent of all the businesses in Kingwood Town Center. Recovery has been a long, hard road. Some retailers threw in the towel. Others hung on by their nails. The shopping center on the northwest side of Kingwood Drive and West Lake Houston Parkway was one of the hardest hit – caught between rising waters from Lake Houston and descending waters from Bens Branch. For several years, the entire center looked like a ghost town.
Finally, the owner sold it to a buyer with deeper pockets who could make needed repairs.
Flood Mitigation Efforts Bolster Confidence
While that was happening, the Army Corps finished dredging the West Fork. Harris County Flood Control District completed a major maintenance project to restore the conveyance of Bens Branch. And the City cleared sediment from under the Kingwood Drive bridge over Bens Branch, eliminating a major bottleneck on the creek.
The remediation efforts seem to have bolstered confidence and encouraged the return of retailers.
Pardon Their Dust
For the last two years, loyal customers had to dodge construction as the shopping center got a facelift. But last month, the construction trailer and fencing disappeared. Today, I counted only four vacancies in the main part of the shopping center. And workmen are busy doing interior buildout on some of those.
Ghost-Town Look Gone
The ghost-town look is gone…replaced by pristine exteriors, new signage, and fresh landscaping. It will only be a matter of time before the remaining spaces refill.
Here’s how the center looks today.
Still Searching for Anchor Tenant…
The leasing agent, NewQuest, is rumored to have been in discussions with a large fitness center to occupy that space or part of it. This morning, I saw electricians entering the space to work. But NewQuest did not return a phone call to confirm or deny a deal with a new tenant. NewQuest’s website still shows the space officially for lease.
…But Appraised Value Quadruples Since Harvey
Regardless, you can see another sign of the shopping center’s success on the Harris County Appraisal District website. The appraised value of the center has more than quadrupled since those bleak days after Harvey.
Welcome Back, Retailers!
If you avoided this center during construction, explore what all the small business owners have to offer.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/8/2022
1836 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Effort Begins to Form Cypress Creek Drainage Improvement District
Leaders from the Cypress Creek area met on 9/6/2022 to hear a pitch about forming a Cypress Creek Drainage Improvement District. The purpose: to accelerate projects that could reduce flood damage.
A Gathering of Utility District Heads
Approximately 100 to 120 people attended the meeting. Most represented municipal utility and other special purpose districts.
Much of the area is unincorporated. And when Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey addressed the crowd, he pointed out that those districts represent the “primary form of government” in that part of Precinct 3.
What Happened
Seven speakers throughout the one hour and 40 minute meeting reprised several dominant themes.
Individual presentations addressed various flood-mitigation options such as tunneling, dredging, and construction of floodwater-detention basins. Cost estimates ranged from $600 million (for a first step) up to as much as $1-, $2- or $3 billion (during the next 20-30 years) depending on the amount of risk reduction people desire.
Forming Drainage District and Funding Projects Could Take Years
Speakers also addressed the steps needed to form a Cypress Creek drainage improvement district. Without going into excruciating detail, it could take years to form a district, determine a project list, estimate costs, determine the best way to fund improvements (i.e., bonds vs. tax increases), and raise money to begin construction.
The earliest such a district could even go on a ballot for voter approval would be November of 2023.
The implication: start now. The longer residents wait, the greater the risk of flooding.
Issues to Overcome
Members of the steering committee fielded questions from the audience at the end of the presentations.
During Q&A, several in the audience pointed out that that flood risk is constantly increasing because of rapid upstream development. But task force members said that was beyond their purview.
It also became obvious from the questions that some people craved more certainty in plans, costs and funding than anyone at the meeting was prepared to offer last night.
I personally attributed that to frustration over three things:
Public skepticism and frustration over such issues could make the creation of a new drainage district a difficult sell.
Potential “First Step” Benefits
But if people can see past that skepticism, they may get a chance to accelerate flood risk reduction, and attract matching funds and grants from state and federal sources.
A November 2021 Cypress Creek Program Implementation Plan developed by Jones & Carter for the Harris County Flood Control District estimates that 14,000 acre-feet of floodwater storage could remove:
But the estimated $600 million cost would exceed the amount currently allocated to the Cypress Creek Watershed in the 2018 flood bond. So more money would have to come from somewhere to achieve those benefits.
Said one engineer in the crowd after the meeting, “It’s amazing how much quicker things go when you have money!” Before the Flood Bond in 2018, the Flood Control District often had to save up multiple years to build one detention basin.
For More Information
To learn more about the Cypress Creek Flooding Task Force, visit their web site here.
For a list of the Task Force leaders, click here.
They describe their mission as helping to “facilitate the construction of 22 stormwater detention sites recommended in the Harris County Flood Control District’s Jones/Carter Study as the most feasible means of mitigating flooding along Cypress Creek.”
For the meeting’s PowerPoint, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/7/2022
1835 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Construction Starting Soon on Lauder Basin Phase 2
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) will soon begin constructing its Lauder Basin Phase 2 in the Greens Bayou watershed. Scheduled for Fall 2022, Phase 2 is located east of Aldine Westfield Road in the area of the Castlewood Subdivision between Aldine Bender and Lauder Roads.
Size and Scope
This project help reduce existing flood levels by safely holding 651 acre-feet of stormwater during heavy rains. It will involve excavating approximately 1,152,200 cubic yards of soil, cost approximately $22.5 million, and hold 212 million gallons of stormwater. That’s more than a foot of rain falling across a square mile.
Phase II will be a dry bottom stormwater detention basin. A remnant channel, or “oxbow,” in Phase II will be recreated at the bottom of the basin.
Additional trees will be planted post-construction. While the stormwater detention basin’s primary function is to reduce flooding risks, the site may provide multi-use recreational facilities that would be developed by partner entities. Construction of Phase I of this project, located along Greens Bayou between Lauder Road and JFK Boulevard, was substantially completed earlier this Spring.
More Specifics
2018 HCFCD Bond Project C-34
Precinct: 2
Contractor: RES Gulf Coast LLC, dba LECON, Inc.
Contract Amount: approximately $22.5 Million
Construction Start: Fall 2022
Contract Duration: 581 calendar days (about 1.5 years)
Mid-Reach Program: Greens Bayou cuts across NW Houston to Greenspoint Mall, then parallels Beltway 8 south of Intercontinental Airport. At Aldine-Westfield Road it turns further south, and cuts under 59 by the go-cart track. This project is part of the Greens Mid-Reach program, which has restored a 10-year level of service to the Bayou and is aiming for a 25-year level.
Construction Warning
Construction equipment will access the work area via Miranda Street. The contractor will use heavy construction equipment such as dump trucks, excavators, and bulldozers to remove trees, vegetation, and excavated soil.
Motorists should heed all warning and road closure signs and detours. Be alert to truck traffic when passing near construction access points and along truck routes.
For More Information
For more information, visit the project page at www.hcfcd.org/C34.
Direct questions or comments to www.hcfcd.org/contact-us.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/5/22
1834 Days since Hurricane Harvey