COMMUNITY AMENITIES ATTRACT BUYERS
Developers stay focused on needs of residents
Creating a community is a task that involves not only extensive planning for properties, but also thoughts of the big picture when it comes to amenities, schools and jobs.
The building process begins with scouting properties that are destined to be a place people have a feeling of relaxation and security.
Jim Zimmerman, vice president of Crescent Communities, discussed how their community, The Groves located in West Lake Houston area near Humble, has been designed to bring all of these factors to their residents. Currently, there are 79 homes sold with 13 homeowners residing there. There is room for 2,200 homes with access off Beltway 8.
Crescent Communities has The Groves master-planned communities in Austin and Dallas.
Finding the perfect location in an established area was the first step.
“We blanketed the area searching. We needed 500-1,000 acres. The school district is very important. We’re highly likely to have schools in front of and within our community,” Zimmerman said.
The Groves, which encompasses 993 acres offers areas to explore with parks, creeks, natural reserves and a resort-style pool.
“Amenities are extremely important. We brought in a whole team of people with builders for a visioning workshop on what we wanted to create life in the woods. We want to inspire, interact and build on that lifestyle with Saturday night movies and fitness and cooking classes. It’s not just physical. We want to create a community,” said Zimmerman.
Dan Naef, president of Rise Communities, has all of these factors on his agenda as well when it comes to Cane Island, their new development under construction and slated to open in October 2015 in Katy. There will be 2,100 homes near Old Katy with access to Katy High School and the Energy Corridor. Texas Department of Transportation will open a Cane Island exit in September according to Naef.
He said they’re able to hit “three home runs” for Cane Island with Katy ISD, the positioning of available jobs and easy access directly to the community. The next focus is building a community where people want to live.
“Amenities are critical for us,” Naef said. “We pride ourselves on things to expect at master planned communities and some things that aren’t expected. We’ve included a great sense of arrival, a welcome center, amenity village, a conservatory and a three acre lake with 7 foot fountains. We’ve brought in 500 trees that are 10 years old to create a forested approach along with two 100 foot living arches with flowering vines.”
Cane Island also has Hub the dog, the Cane Island Ambassador, who welcomes new neighbors and shares in the spirited life of the community.
The role of green space is also a critical element in new communities.
The Groves boasts that nearly 200 acres of their property are dedicated to parks and trails with a large buffer of trees to complete the environment. In the near future, a Fish Camp, treehouse, suspension bridge and zip line are in the cards for more outdoor interaction.
“We want to have tremendous parks and recreation activities,” said Zimmerman. “These are the things that make us different. We want to be a retreat where people can see, hear and feel the outdoors. It’s all lifestyle oriented. We keep it simple so our residents can feel all the pressure go away. It’s a fun, relaxing community where people can be connected with friends.”
Cane Island also brings green spaces to life with
miles of trails, planned themed parks and lakes for fishing and kayaking that are adult/children friendly. Future smaller parks are also on the drawing board. Their biggest “wow factor” said Naef is their close proximity to a neighboring farm where residents can see cows, elks and a buffalo feeding nearby.
Rise Communities also broke ground in April 2015 on the Meridiana community located near the interchange of State Highway 288 and Highway 6 in Manvel and Iowa Colony and will be connected with the Alvin Independent School District. Meridiana will include 5,500 single-family homes. Model homes are expected to open in the fall.
This community will also be a place where residents can enjoy all the benefits of a masterplanned design added Naef.
“Meridiana will be an exceptional, familyoriented master-planned community with outstanding home builders and unprecedented, educational-oriented amenities. We are making a bold commitment to education with learning and discovery experiences for all stages in life, from young children to active adults. Plus, its location on Texas 288 will make it ideal for those working in the Texas Medical Center,” he said.