This is what “European sensibility” means in The Woodlands — at least to the Woodlands Development Company people marketing Treviso at Waterway Square, a 23-story condo tower planned across Waterway Square Pl. from the Woodlands Waterway itself, right behind the construction site of the 302-room Westin hotel now going up along the waterfront. The view down the waterway above shows the new tower at center, in front of an existing multi-story parking garage (whose cheese and bicycle shops at the base face Lake Robbins Dr.), and just east of the 24 Waterway Ave. office building and its ground-floor restaurantage. The completed Westin is at right center.
In the language of the development firm, this setting is “not unlike a European village.” So the name? “Treviso is a medieval Italian town near Venice that shares its combination of peaceful canals and iconic Piazzas but on a smaller scale, and just slightly off the beaten path,” declares a marketing brochure.
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The project was designed by the Preston Partnership, an architecture firm with offices in Atlanta and DC that knows a few things about Europe. Italian tile and Miele appliances will be on hand inside.
The condos will come 4 to a floor, with a few penthouse levels at the top.
- Tower to bring luxury condos to The Woodlands [Houston Chronicle]
Renderings: Woodlands Development Company
Another example showing that the woodlands is the hot new place to be for the youths of America unlike the inner loop. I believe there’s a local restaurant nearby for locals to meet, called Thank God it’s Friday or, TGIF, and get this- they’re open daily! not just Friday. Wow, its literally the city that never sleeps: The Woodlands
Much more in common with a capitalist plundered modern chinese city than anything that could be closely construed as “village” like, but I guess if you’re marketing to a bunch of rich honkies then they wouldn’t know the difference anyhow. The lack of diversity in these renderings really starts to get uncomfortable after a while.
Looks very paved. Why is it called the Woodlands?
That looks awesome! Cant wait!
Some call it The Woodless…
Wow, look at it! My view of nothing. Can you see it everybody?? Can you see it??
Conflicted about The Woodlands. Losing too many trees, but actually becoming more urban in its own way. Those condos should have a hell of a walkability score. Right there you have employers, movie theatres, world class concert venue, real grocery stores, areas to exercise, services, ever improving restaurants – – and decent parking. On top of that, good schools, one of the better malls, easy access to Hwy 45 and Lake Conroe …
Treviso, a microcosmic symbol of the Woodlands: an intellectual wasteland where only conformity and consumerism thrive.
The scary thing is the Woodlands actually is like these renderings – clean, contrived and corporate. I was recently in the area for the first time in 10 years for a concert at CW and had this uneasy feeling the entire time.
Close to 45? that WOULD be great if 45 wasn’t snarled in a huge traffic jam from the overdevolopment and plundering of whatever wooded lands used to be here. Just thinking of all the construction and clear cutting just about gives me a panic attack.
Reminds me of something out of “Logan’s Run”–but then so many of these renderings do. They all aim for the same demographics of that movie too. . .