In 2012, The Woodlands experienced its most successful year yet in terms of the development of office facilities and interest from companies looking to move into the community. The Woodlands Development Company announced or started construction on three multi-story Class A office buildings in Town Center, while Anadarko Petroleum began construction on a new 31-story office building.

In addition to new office space, companies such as Layne Christensen, Waste Connections and Energy Alloys all announced plans to move their corporate headquarters to The Woodlands, while many others expressed an interest to do so.

"Our business recruitment efforts over the last year was the busiest time we've seen since our existence, as far as inquiries," said Gil Staley, president of The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership.

The EDP is charged with recruiting and retaining businesses in The Woodlands area.

"We had 25 percent more [requests] that we responded to than our previous best year ever," Staley said.

Since purchasing The Woodlands in 2011, the Howard Hughes Corporation has worked to follow through with a goal its representatives set to increase the pace of development.

In October 2011, the Development Company announced plans for 3 Waterway, a 192,000-square-foot, nine-story office at Lake Robbins Drive and Woodloch Forest Drive.

The building is about 98 percent leased, according to the Development Company, with major tenants including Waste Connections, Energy Alloys and Nexeo Solutions.

Construction on 3 Waterway began in the spring, and it is expected to be completed in early 2013.

In July, plans were announced for Hughes Landing, a 66-acre mixed-use development on the east side of Lake Woodlands. The first office building, One Hughes Landing, will be the home of Layne Christensen, which announced in December it was relocating its corporate office from Kansas. According to the Development Company, Layne Christensen will occupy the building in September.

"[The office developments] obviously reflect an improving economy, in Houston in particular," said Alex Sutton, co-president of The Woodlands Development Company. "We have had some of them on the drawing board for a while."

Sutton said the Development Company has received very strong interest from retail and commercial companies in Hughes Landing.

Planned for the Waterway Square District, 10 Waterway was announced by the Development Company in September. The Class A facility will include 20 stories and 500,000 square feet and be located just south of The Woodlands Waterway. The current space houses a parking lot. Tenants for the building have yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, in February, Anadarko announced a new 31-story building next to its current tower that will include 549,260 square feet.