With several new residential communities underway in Cypress, developers are targeting areas farther and farther away from the city of Houston.
New projects include Elyson—a 6,000-home master-planned development from Newland Communities set to go in along the Grand Parkway at FM 529—and Hidden Arbor, a Trendmaker Homes project announced in April that is planned for the wooded areas of north Cypress along Mueschke and Cypress Church roads.
“Builders are getting the parcels that are left and building while the market is hot,” said Jim Mulholland, broker of Cy-Fair Real Estate in Cypress. “I think the demand will have an even bigger impact once Hwy. 290 and Grand Parkway construction is complete.”
In terms of size, projects range from the 3,200-acre Elyson to The Preserve, a 23-home Pulte Homes project off Kluge Road. With homes available for presale this summer starting in the $300,000s, The Preserve is intended to provide residents with the feeling of exclusivity that may be hard to come by in larger communities in more central locations, developers said.
“This project is unique because it’s just very difficult to get new housing in such a high demand market,” said Tanya Rizzo, director of sales for Pulte’s Houston division. “The northwest quadrant gets attention from homebuyers because of all the growth. We haven’t done much promotion yet, but we already have a waiting list.”
Other active projects include the 780-acre Miramesa, being developed by Land Tejas Companies west of Fry Road. The community celebrated its grand opening in April, and builders, such as Meritage Homes, Perry Homes and Grand View Builders, are all contributing to the project.
Home sales also began this spring at the Falls at Dry Creek, another secluded project off Schiel Road in north Cypress. Builders Ryland Homes and Beazer Homes have both been busy putting new houses on the market this summer.
Meanwhile several existing master-planned communities in the area continue to build out residential developments in accordance with set master plans.
At Cypress Creek Lakes, developers expect work to continue on the portion of the community featuring 1,000 homes just north of Tuckerton Road over the next 12 months. Work on a series of 50-foot lots was turned over to builders this summer, and 60-, 70- and 80-foot lots are all being planned.
“We have been conducting surveys and analysis on home-buying trends, and data shows people who are moving in the Jersey Village and Cypress area want to stay in the area,” said Randy Corson, vice president of residential development with Mischer Investments, the company developing the community. “They want to stay along the Hwy. 290 area. They just move farther up.”
Corson also identified transportation projects and new commercial centers as developments that have been drawing people to the area.
“The extension of Tuckerton Road has been a real blessing for the residents here,” he said. “We also have an H-E-B opening in the middle of September at Fry and Tuckerton giving people easier access to groceries.”
Eight builders continue to develop the master-planned community Hidden Creek—Bridgeland’s newest neighborhood—where new residents have been moving in as quickly as houses are built.
Once built-out, Hidden Creek will host 1,000 home sites and 20-acre Lakeland Village Park. Homes are already on sale at a handful of villages with construction expected to begin on three more sections this fall.
Amenities, such as the skate park, basketball courts and tennis courts at Lakeland Village Park, are nearing completion. Plans also include a dog park and a swimming pool.
“The opening of our largest neighborhood comes at an exciting time given the tremendous demand for upscale homes in the Northwest Houston area,” said Peter Houghton, vice president of master-planned communities for Bridgeland. “Since introducing Hidden Creek, we’ve seen strong home sales. We expect to see even more growth once construction on the community’s newest amenities, Lakeland Village Center and Lakeland Village Park, is complete.”
