Potbelly Sandwich Works is coming soon to The Woodlands, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The setup: The restaurant will be 2,18 square feet in size, according to the filing. It began construction Jan. 19 and will end April 13. The cost for the project is $425,000, according to TDLR.

• 1900 Lake Woodlands Drive, The Woodlands

Montgomery County commissioners moved Jan. 29 to schedule a dedicated agenda item to discuss the future of the county courthouse footprint after a presentation on historic preservation sparked pushback over how far restoration plans should go—and how they intersect with the county courthouse nearing capacity.

What happened: During a presentation from the Montgomery County Historical Commission, Jason Smith, deputy chief of staff for Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, said a historic courthouse preservation master plan has already been sent to the Texas Historical Commission for review, a step required before the county can apply for state preservation grant funding. 

He also said the first grant phase would support design and schematic planning, while later construction funding would require county money as a match. Official floor-by-floor drawings have already been shared with judges for feedback.

But commissioners quickly zeroed in on a bigger question: What’s the county’s long-term courthouse infrastructure plan—and who decided what “restoration” should look like?

A total of $43,000 in art grants have been awarded by The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in partnership with The Woodlands Arts Council to initiatives across Montgomery County.

The Performing Arts Microgrants program for 2026 continues a program that has invested $130,000 in performing arts education and access since 2024, according to a news release.

Measuring the impact: Microgrants go toward programs such as music instruction, performance opportunities, equipment and expanded arts programming, according to Jan. 16 news release.

Recipients of the latest grants include:

• Caney Creek High School
• The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra
• Patterson Elementary School
• Conroe High School

Missed any Community Impact articles from this week? Check out the top trending stories from Community Impact's coverage areas in Houston from Jan. 26-30. 

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