New Businesses to open up in town and more homesites are now available in the New Waverly area as the area continues to grow.
While many long-time residents of New Waverly have expressed concerns about the coming growth in the area, others are making preparations as new residents flock to the area in search of a new hometown. Most of these new residents are moving in from points futher south, ostensibly to avoid the hustle and bustle of the greater Houston area, but a growing number are moving in from points all over the country as a new major employment center continues to grow in the northern Harris County / Southern Montgomery County area.
The construction of Exxon’s worldwide headquarters near The Woodlands has resulted in an employment and housing surge in that area, while recent freeway improvements in Montgomery County have made the New Waverly area an appealing bedroom community for commuters. Traffic congestion and soaring home prices in the Houston area as well as higher crime rates have prompted many Houston area residents to seek out a better place to live and raise their families.
Texas Grand Ranch has been a prime example of that growth, as eager buyers have snapped up every available homesite almost as soon as they have hit the market, leading to record sales for TGR’s developer, Patten Properties. Just this weekend, another section of Texas Grand Ranch will be offered for sale and again interest appears to be high. While TGR is the most visible development taking place, there are numerous other homes being built throughout the area and several large tracts of land in the area are on the market for potential development.
TXDOT continues to focus efforts on local roads as traffic counts continue to increase. Tens of thousands travel I-45 on a daily basis and recent freeway construction has led to traffic congestion on local roads. Just this week, a contractor is wrapping up much needed repairs to Hwy 75 in town. While many bemoan the delays associated with the construction work, it is a necessary step to prepare for the coming growth across our area. As more and more newcomers arrive, improved roadways will be necessary not only to serve current residents, but those that will continue to come to New Waverly seeking a better place to call home.
Our local business community is also adapting and building to meet both current and future needs. The Waverly House restaurant, a local fixture for decades, has closed down and renovated to house other commercial businesses, while local residents are working to revive a long shuttered restaurant on Hwy 150. Red’s Dining is set to open soon and will feature a hometown cafe atmosphere.
First Financial Bank broke ground this week on the newest commercial construction project in the City of New Waverly.
First Financial has 72 locations across Texas, and has operated a branch in New Waverly for 4 years now on Hwy 150 West. They are looking to open their newest location this fall at the corner of FM 1375 W and Hwy 75.
What’s Next for New Waverly?
While much of Texas Grand Ranch is not in New Waverly ISD, the latest section opening up will be and NWISD is already looking to the future. Superintendent Darol Hail confirmed that student enrollment, although relatively stable so far this year, has been growing 4-5% per year in recent years and current enrollment is around 1030 students.
Dr. Hail stated that in recent years, the District has authorized facilities studies on each of its campuses in an effort to identify future needs. While there are no immediate plans for a bond project, Dr. Hail believes that it would be prudent to engage citizens as early as this fall and form a committee to assess the District’s future needs and be prepared as more and more families move into the area. Just this week, we sat down with Dr. Hail and talked about the future of NWISD and will be publishing the results of that interview this weekend.
New Waverly 