Brookfield Residential, the land-development firm behind Blanco Vista in north San Marcos, broke ground on its newest community, Kissing Tree, near Hunter and Centerpoint roads in San Marcos in February. The company expects the first homes to be completed before the end of 2016.
The neighborhood, named for the site where former Texas Gov. Sam Houston addressed a crowd of San Marcos residents in the 19th century, is geared toward residents age 55 and older. The neighborhood will feature 3,000 homes, an 18-hole golf course, hike and bike trails, and other amenities.
“People will come from all over to live in a community like this with like-minded, similar demographics with similar interests,” Kissing Tree General Manager Scott Turner said. “They want to be in this type of environment. We just took it to a new level and solved a lot of the problems that we’ve seen that people have been faced with.”
The neighborhood is geared toward the “active-adult” demographic, including those who have advanced in their careers and are looking for a community that offers housing, entertainment and exercise opportunities, Turner said.
The community is clustered around The Mix, a hub of entertainment and dining options that include pickleball courts, a beer garden and swimming pools.
The development was originally approved in 2011 under the name Paso Robles. Turner said the “huge bet” Brookfield Residential undertook in purchasing the 1,332-acre property where the neighborhood will be located appears to be paying off already. The neighborhood’s website, www.kissingtree.com, has attracted interest from residents in 49 of the nation’s 50 states, and more than 2,800 people have signed up through the website to receive more information on the community, he said.
In June, Brookfield Residential held a dinner for 300 guests to present more information about the community.
“We’ve had so many people sneaking in here at night and coming in here while we’re under construction, that we just said, ‘Why fight it?’” Turner said. “Let’s throw a party.”
The neighborhood will offer 17 floor plans in five architectural styles, meaning residents will be able to choose 85 types of homes.
Brookfield Residential Senior Director Edjuan Bailey said he believes the company’s focus on providing quality housing for residents of the community sets it apart from similar “active-adult” developments.
“A typical active-adult community doesn’t give as much attention to the housing,” Bailey said. “They’re like, ‘Hey come play golf here, and then take any old house.’ We’re saying, ‘Come play golf here. Come have fun here, but live in a great home.’”
Turner said Brookfield Residential is currently working to determine the prices of homes that will be available at Kissing Tree.
While the neighborhood is under construction, guests at Kissing Tree will be greeted by a smattering of decommissioned shipping containers that have been repurposed into sales and design studios, where prospective residents can learn more about the ways to customize their homes.
The shipping containers are one example of Brookfield Residential’s focus on sustainability, Turner said.
Kissing Tree will also offer varying levels of energy-conscious homes. The lowest-efficiency models will still exceed minimum building code standards for efficiency, Turner said. “Net-zero” homes that rely on solar energy and other means for power will also be available.
“For cities to thrive they need a whole panoply of housing types, people types, income types,” Turner said. “That’s why I think [Kissing Tree] is important to the people of San Marcos.”
