After more than 25 years of involvement with the development of The Woodlands, LJA Engineering & Surveying has seen the 25,000-acre "new home town" become a reality. According to Calvin Ladner, LJA president, "We started with beautiful land, a master plan and
some ambitious projects. We are now working adjacent to projects we designed over 20 years ago."
Over the years, LJA has provided engineering and construction administration services for commercial areas as well as the majority of hydraulic and drainage projects that are key to the property's success. The firm has been responsible for site design, drainage, utility design, platting, surveying and infrastructure design services for many of the residential "villages", now housing 50,000 residents.
Alex Sutton, P.E., vice president at The Woodlands Operating Company, L.L.P., comments, "LJA provides a continuity and historical perspective that is invaluable. After literally hundreds of projects, we can rely on their people to understand our development process."
Dan Kolkhorst, P.E., senior project manager at The Woodlands Operating Company, L.L.P., concurs. "We're fortunate to have these professionals who understand our goals and our property so thoroughly. There's no doubt that LJA's expertise has brought a higher quality to our community."
Sterling Ridge appears on the horizon
As The Woodlands celebrates its 25th anniversary, it is introducing a 3,000-acre community projected to be home for more than 15,000 residents. LJA is providing complete engineering design services for The Village of Sterling Ridge, which includes over 5,500 homes, a shopping center, parks, playgrounds and green belts.
Sterling Ridge lies west of Kuykendahl Road and south of the Bear Branch reservoir all designed by LJA in the early 1980's. As part of the access plan, LJA is designing a two-mile extension of the Woodlands Parkway.
Within Sterling Ridge, LJA is providing subdivision and infrastructure design for a gated community. The 350-acre Carlton Woods will contain large, over-sized lots offering luxury homes in the $500,000 and up range.
LJA is also acting as engineer for The Club at Carlton Woods, featuring a new par 72, 18-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus (his first in Texas since 1989). LJA provided similarservices for the most recent of The Woodland's golf courses, designed by Arnold Palmer, in the late 1980's.
Other LJA projects at The Woodlands:
- Village of Alden Bridge - subdivision design and platting and infrastructure for 2,000 lots in the area north of North Harris/Montgomery College
- Village of Indian Springs - subdivision and infrastructure design for a 3,000-acre residential community adjacent to Spring Creek
- Windsor Hills - engineering services including water, sewer, drainage and paving for a senior community of 500 single-family homes near Highway 242 and North Harris/Montgomery College
Commercial projects fill in
Within The Woodlands commercial district, LJA continues providing engineering services for The
Woodlands Waterway, a two and one-half mile corridor containing both a pedestrian walkway
and a motorized tram in The Woodland's "downtown". Development of The Waterway has
spawned further activity in the area with the first shops and restaurants, including a Landry's,
opening up on the heavily landscaped, paved Waterway in late 1998. Mobil Oil has constructed a
eleven-story building, and Anadarko Oil is designing a 32-story office building near the Mobil site.
As designed by LJA, the Waterway creates a connection between the 20-acre Lake Robbins and
the 100-acre Lake Woodlands. It contains a spillway feature to control water surface elevation
between the lakes while facilitating drainage for the area.
Other commercial LJA projects include:
- Infrastructure design for a satellite St. Luke's Health Center at the corner of Highway 242 and I-45
- Site, paving and utility design for a 50-acre commercial development located at the intersection of Highway 242 and I-45
Long Term Value
As a result of its association with The Woodlands, LJA has developed a valuable relationship with the Woodland's Joint Power Agency which serves as the General Manager and Operator for the Municipal Utility Districts in The Woodlands. LJA also serves as the District Engineer for many of the area's Municipal Utility Districts and works with the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) regarding their facilities within The Woodlands.
