Trademark president and founder Terry Montesi tells GlobeSt.com that the firm has been working on the project for two years. He says there is pent-up demand for high-end retail, loft-style office space and first-class restaurants. The fact that most of the land in community's town center is spoken for gives Trademark's upscale angle little competition and makes it a prime selling point for Montesi.

The Woodlands now has 70,000 residents, but has the capacity for 125,000. It most likely will hit that peak in the next 10 years, says Montesi. "That is outstanding growth." Simply put, the right demographics are in place to support Trademark's upscale development "for a sophisticated `downtown' with new offerings," he believes.

The first phase will entail a "Main Street"-style, open-air development with retail, office, restaurant, entertainment and possibly residential venues. The development is located across from Woodlands Mall and will feature a landscaped central plaza, intimate streets with perimeter parking, public art and an area for outdoor events. Trademark plans to conduct market research over the next 90 days to further identify community interests and needs. The research will include a review of similar, successful projects across the country.

Tommy Miller, Trademark's CIO, says the plan is to capitalize on the synergy of several nearby developments, including the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center and Woodlands Waterway project.

Development Design Group, an outdoor shopping center design expert, has been hired to develop the plans. Ground will break in the fall to drive a summer 2003 first-phase opening. Nick Hernandez of Houston's Boyd Page will lease the project.

Michael Richmond, president and CEO of the Woodlands Operating Co., says residents in the area have been asking for "more upscale retail amenities and urban-style, second-story main street office space." He says Trademark is well-positioned to meet the demands. Trademark's portfolio consists of more than two million sf.