the woodlands

The Woodlands is a census-designated place and master-planned community located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston within Montgomery County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 55,649.Located about 30 miles north of Downtown Houston, The Woodlands is famous, as its name suggests, for incorporating the piney woods surrounding it with urban and suburban development. It was named one of the best master-planned communities in the country, and is one of the fastest-growing communities in Texas. The Woodlands is home to the Woodlands Town Center Improvement Distrct, a local governmental agency created by the Texas Legislature, The Woodlands Waterway, the 4 AAA Diamond Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and The Woodlands Country Club, the only golf club in the nation to have six world-class golf courses. Almost all of the community is located in the city of Houston's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) with a small portion lies in the corporate limits of Shenandoah.The Woodlands was founded by George P. Mitchell in 1974, who changed ownership of The Woodlands in the 1990's to a joint partnership between Morgan Stanley and Crescent Real Estate Equities. In January of 2004, Crescent sold their interest in The Woodlands to the Rouse Company, a development company familiar with master-planned communities. In 2004, the Rouse Company was sold to General Growth Properties Inc., another shopping mall developer.The Woodlands is growing up as a formidable city, as many companies are moving to The Woodlands, such as Anadarko, Hewitt Associates, and Chicago Bridge & Iron. The Woodlands is located in the Conroe Independent School District, with The Woodlands High School being the primary feeder. Construction on The Woodlands College Park High School began in early 2004 and is scheduled to open in 2005. The Woodlands Town Center area includes shopping and eating facilities, plus a waterway reminiscent of San Antonio's Riverwalk. Under construction in the area are more upscale retail and restaurants, as well as several urban residential developments.