Intersection work at Woodlands Parkway and Grogans Mill Road to finish in April

Jonathan McMillian, founder and principal of LANDology, said as of late January, issues such as erosion and drainage have been addressed, and 1.2 acres of the lawn area have been reclaimed as forest.

"We're reclaiming it to become more of ... the standard of what The Woodlands Township intersections are, typically," McMillian said.

The backstory

There are two elements to the project, the first of which is funded by The Woodlands Road Utility District No. 1, mainly through commercial property taxes. This takes place on 8 acres, costs $4.5 million and includes:

• Erosion remediation
• Stone planter walls
• 423 additional trees
• New ornamental plantings
• Enhanced lighting

"This is a significant intersection for The Woodlands in that it is the primary gateway from the residential villages into the Town Center, so ... while we are repairing and beautifying it, we saw that opportunity as a great stage for visitors that come in," McMillian said.

The separate project to add the sculpture costs $1 million and is funded by The Woodlands Township, Howard Hughes and the Town Center Owners Association. The 25-ton sculpture was designed by LANDology and carried out by a separate contractor. The idea behind the project is to celebrate diversity along with the community's attachment to the land and its natural environment, according to information from LANDology. The weathering steel material naturally ages with time, and markings on the piece show the passage of time from 1974-2024. Features include:

• 5-foot width
• 50-foot diameter
• Made of weathering steel
• Represents The Woodlands' villages with eight silver- and gold-toned trees
• Embodies concepts of people, belonging, time and native forest
• Includes 50th anniversary logo

What's next

Board members said they wanted the township to communicate information about the final project to residents in greater detail so they can see what it will look like when it is completed.