Community leaders talk with Woodlands Online at Grogan’s Mill Village Center ribbon-cutting ceremony

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Community leaders, members of the media, business owners, and interested individuals thronged to the newly refurbished and refit Grogan’s Mill Village Center for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The retail village center is the oldest in The Woodlands, and became the subject of a hotly debated real estate venture where the South Library and community center currently on Lake Robbins near the Pavilion will move into the center. Beyond the construction of a new library and community center, now named after former Congressman Kevin Brady, existing retail outlets, restaurants, and businesses will be complemented with a new influx of business entities.

As this multimillion dollar venture draws to a close, with the projected relocation of the library coming in August, the time was ripe for there to be a celebration of the updated new center. Woodlands Online managed to speak with several community leaders about the project.

Jim Carman – President, Houston Region, The Howard Hughes Corporation
“This was a long time coming, a long time needed. We couldn’t be more proud to be here today to celebrate the reopening of the retail – even though we’ve had retailers here the entire time of construction – and hopefully everyone in The Woodlands can come out and check out what’s happened here. It’s a rehabilitation that we’re super proud of; just look at the before and after photos and you’ll see it’s a rebirth of the center, and for the next fifty years it’ll be a place that all The Woodlands can be proud to be called part of the community.”

When asked by Woodlands Online if other Woodlands village shopping centers would be following suit, Carman pointed out that Howard Hughes owns the Grogan’s Mill center but none of the others.

Brad Bailey – Chairman, The Woodlands Township Board of Directors
“This is the original ‘OG’ center that’s gotten a great face lift. It looks really good, really attractive. Getting in new tenants, restaurants, and retail operators is a great thing for this center, and it’s been a long time coming. What I hope this does is spearhead the rest of the village centers to start updating. We have to make sure that our centers are new and improved and modernized. They’re fifty years old – I’m 52 and I’m feeling the pain, so I can imagine what they’re feeling. This is exciting.”

Ritch Wheeler – Commissioner, Montgomery County Precinct 3
“Today is exciting for the community. Grogan’s Mill Village Shopping Center is the epicenter of The Woodlands, and to see a partnering company like Howard Hughes reinvest into the heart of the community is not only amazing but also shows what a great community partner they are. And this is going to be a phenomenal space for people to come to – not just the library and community center, but also the retail, the restaurants, and other businesses. This is going to be a real destination. I think this is going to pave the way for the other village centers as we redefine what they look like from a retail standpoint, and we can start to envision what they would look like as a destination space.”

When asked, Wheeler lauded his staff for their part in much of the infrastructure and beautification efforts under his tenure as commissioner.

“I have a great team, my road crew and office staff can’t be beat. They do all the heavy lifting for me and allow me to get out among our constituents and hear from them what they want from this office.”

Aaron Cox – President & CEO, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce
“It’s a monumental day for the area. It’s the time where we’re turning the page on the first fifty years of The Woodlands Township, and part of that page-turning is renovating and renewing, and creating new opportunities for the next generation, and this is one step in that direction as we open up this new center, complete with retail and ultimately a community center.”

While still lacking an anchor grocery store since Randall’s vacated its space five years ago, sources in the chamber and Township told Woodlands Online that they expect to hear some good news on that front in the near future. Meanwhile, new businesses are already signing leases at the shopping center, which is open for operations. Additionally, The Woodlands Farmers Market (aka the Grogan’s Mill Farmers Market) will still maintain its usual schedule in a specially designed space at the center.