The conceptual plan for the Bridgeland community exemplifies what a true master-planned community has to offer. While many communities describe themselves as master-planned, a true master-planned development involves significantly more than rows of streets laid out with as many homesites as possible. A true master-planned community has exactly that…a master plan governed by a set of design standards and land-use restrictions. The master plan is a blueprint for the community’s construction that creates stability and predictability while allowing the developer flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions and consumer preferences over time.

Bridgeland, a 10,000-acre development planned for 65,000 residents, is a true master-planned community, with thoughtful distinctions:

• To provide housing for all demographic and psychographic markets, Bridgeland offers a wide range of prices, styles and densities, from conventional neighborhoods priced from the mid-$100,000s, to custom home designs priced more than $1 million, as well as an exciting “new urbanism” project whose first phase is planned to open in 2008.
• Roadways are designed so meandering lakes and landscaped open space welcome drivers at every turn.
• The land plan transformed necessary infrastructure, such as trapezoidal drainage ditches and easements, into attractive and functional amenities such as trails and waterways.
• While Bridgeland has well-defined borders, residents will never find long stretches of fencing with homes backing to busy thoroughfares.
• Bridgeland has sacrificed land to offer lakes with natural meandering shorelines instead of cement-edged detention ponds.
• Bridgeland has buried all power lines in the first phase, The Shores, to enhance views.
• Border-to-border trails link pedestrian and bicycle traffic to various villages, village centers and activity centers. Exercise trails with fitness stations will wind throughout the development, as will nature trails along waterways and creeks.
• Multiple recreation facilities offering swimming pools for all ages, community centers, ball fields, tennis courts and more will be conveniently located throughout the development.
• Full-time activity directors will design programming ranging from arts and crafts classes to fishing and nature field trips exploring the community.
• Bridgeland has conceptualized shopping hubs within the community while avoiding unattractive retail strip centers.
• A bustling Town Center may include hospitals, schools, future employment, entertainment and a significant shopping component.
• Bridgeland has a comprehensive education plan including sites for preschools, private schools, schools for special needs students, and multiple public school locations, as well as satellite college campuses and continuing adult education classes, all within community borders.

The Bridgeland community is a development of General Growth Properties, Inc., the second largest U.S.-based publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) in the country. As owner of Bridgeland and the majority owner of The Woodlands, General Growth is also one of the largest master-planned community developers in Houston.

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