The village center saw the loss of a Randall's store anchor in 2020, leading to discussions of various redevelopment possibilities until Howard Hughes—which acquired the center in 2023—proposed a land swap with Montgomery County that would allow a new library to be built at the center along with a community center and 32,000 square feet of retail space.
The background
The center at 7 Switchbud Place, The Woodlands, was the first of The Woodlands' village centers to be developed in 1974. According to the news release, the design for the center and library have been developed between Howard Hughes and the county with the following features in mind:
The library will include:
- A special children’s area fully separated from the rest of the library with an enclosed space
- An enclosed young adult room
- A podcast room
- A 3D printer
- Multiple workrooms
- A 100-person, theater-style classroom
- A modern conference room
- A boardroom
- Several meeting rooms
- A multifunctional meeting hall/ballroom
- Enhanced facilities
- A meeting hall for daily senior meals, voting and other activities
What they're saying
“This is an exciting opportunity to update and expand what the Grogan’s Mill Village Center offers residents,” said Jim Carman, president of the Houston Region for Howard Hughes. “Through thoughtful master planning, we are creating places and spaces that bring people together to meet, shop, learn and connect as part of a revitalized village center in The Woodlands—a project that exemplifies our long-standing commitment to community building.”
“Laura Bush famously said, ‘I have found the most valuable thing in my wallet is my library card,'" Noack said. "The Precinct 3 Commissioner’s Office and Howard Hughes have teamed up to provide our residents access to priceless information, resources and knowledge through the latest and greatest in library technology—at no cost to taxpayers. The new library and community center not only will provide the gold standard in facilities for lifelong learning, community activities, group gatherings and events, it will serve as a key hub in continuing to build this great community.”
“For years, we have talked about the need to revitalize The Woodlands' original Village Center, and today, we are able to celebrate a project that will generate excitement while providing premier amenities for our residents and visitors,” said Aaron Hoffstadter, president of the Grogan’s Mill Village Association, in the release.
What's next
According to the release, long-term leases or extensions have been signed with current businesses at the center, and other businesses will continue to operate under their current leases. Among the current businesses with new or continuing leases are:
- Brother’s Pizza
- Ome Calli Café
- Safeway Driving
- The UPS Store
- Woodforest National Bank
- The Woodlands Cleaners
- Chef Chan’s
- 4H Tailor
- SN Liquor
The Woodlands Farmers Market, which operates at the center, will continue to operate during construction and after completion, according to the release. The center will be completed by summer 2025, according to the release.
