Tag Archive for: Allgood

Perry Homes Expanding N2 Detention Pond on Woodridge Village Site; Also Building Up Low Areas

On Wednesday, Perry Homes resumed construction on the Woodridge Village Site in two areas: adjacent to the N2 detention pond and along Woodland Hills Drive. Today, we know more about the nature of the construction activity next to N2 thanks to receipt of construction plans from Montgomery County on Thursday morning. The plans were part of a Freedom of Information Act Request.

N2 Detention Pond Expanding North and East

The new plans show an expansion of the N2 pond to the north and the east. In the satellite image below, “A” represents the original N2 pond which Montgomery County built 15 years ago. “B” represents the approximate expansion area which will be about 8 to 10 feet deep.

A = Original N2 Pond. B = Expansion Area.

City of Houston approved the plans on 3/17/2020, according to this inspection report dated 3/30. Montgomery County approved them the same day according to the County Engineer’s stamp on the plans. Below, see what the same area looked like from a helicopter before construction started.

“Work” indicates where excavation started on Wednesday. Excavation in the area labeled “N2” pre-dates Perry’s ownership of the land.

See below what the N2 area area looked like on Good Friday morning, two days AFTER construction started. Compared to the photo above, contractors took out the crescent shaped row of trees on Thursday. They also started excavating the expansion area.

Looking south at N2. Note: trees are gone. Expansion area is about one-quarter to one-third excavated in two days. See pond in upper left. Photo courtesy Matt Swint.

Part of the dirt from this excavation work went to fill in former wetland areas in the foreground of the image above.

Here’s the same area looking west from a vantage point farther south over Taylor Gully. The area between the old pond and the expansion area still needs excavation. Photo courtesy Matt Swint.
Height of excavator is about equal to depth of pond. Water in pond is due to a one-inch rain late yesterday. Photo looking west courtesy of Matt Swint.
Layout of subdivision immediately north and south of triangular-shaped N2.

Also Filling Low Area Along Woodland Hills

“A” represents N2 and the expansion area. “B” is the area along Woodland Hills where other contractors used part of the excavated dirt to fill in boggy areas.
This shows new fill in Area B from photo above.

Two reports (Wednesday and yesterday) from other sources suggested that Harris County was responsible for this work. However, a call to Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle’s assistant this morning indicated the County is NOT involved in this construction activity.

New Contractors On Job

Note filled area in background adjacent to Woodland Hills Drive. Logo on truck and other equipment parked there today reads “D&J Construction.”
Logo on equipment parked today at the northern Webb Street entrance indicates that Allgood Construction is working on the excavation, one of their specialties.

Plans show that detention pond N1 will eventually go where these trucks are now parked.

I counted six pieces of equipment on the southern section of Woodridge and at least 12 on the northern section, including those above. By my count, that’s a record. I’ve never seen so much earth-moving equipment on this site at one time.

Listing Sign Still Up

A sign at the Woodland Hills entrance today indicated that the Perry property is still listed for sale.

Sign adjacent to Woodland Hills entrance to Perry property indicates that Land Advisors is acting as property broker. Photographed Friday, 4/10/2020.

Due to the Easter weekend, with most staff off, Commissioner Cagle’s office could not reply today about the status of negotiations with Montgomery County, the City of Houston, and Perry Homes to purchase the property.

In their meeting Tuesday, Harris County commissioners discussed trying to negotiate Atlas-14 compliance and closure of the “beat the peak” loophole with Montgomery County. As a contribution from the City, they also requested land in lieu of cash to help defray costs on other Flood Control projects.

Two More Detention Ponds Planned But Not Started

The City and MoCo previously approved plans for N1 and N3, two other detention ponds on the northern section of Woodridge Village. Contractors have not yet started excavating those.

Looking south on eastern boundary toward Elm Grove, where the N3 detention pond will go. Work has not yet started here.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/10/2020 with help from Matt Swint

955 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 204 after Imelda