In 2010, Marron opened the original Uncle Tony’s restaurant one mile from his current cafe before closing it in 2013. In 2017, he opened a new location in Spring, which remains open today. This summer—almost 15 years after first opening in Porter—Marron brought his concept back to FM 1314.
“This is home,” Marron said. “I live five minutes away ... and I’ve been looking to come back.”
Within the last year, at least 14 new businesses have opened along FM 1314 between the Grand Parkway and Hwy. 59. At least six more are expected to open by next fall.
The growth along FM 1314 in Porter is beneficial for residents, said Mark Linabury, president and CEO of the Greater East Montgomery County Chamber.
“It just ... creates more options and more convenience,” Linabury said.
However, locals said with the growth comes challenges such as increased traffic.
At a glance
Nearby housing has drawn new businesses to open along the corridor, said Kelley Mattlage, vice president/chief communications officer for the East Montgomery County Improvement District, via a Sept. 29 email. One example is The Highlands, a 2,300-acre master-planned community located near the intersection of FM 1314 and the Grand Parkway in Porter.
“When you’ve got new subdivisions going in, especially as large as The Highlands, those residents will want their grocery stores, gas stations, shopping and dining options to be nearby,” Mattlage said.
The Highlands was developed by Caldwell Companies, which began selling homes in the community in 2021, Caldwell President Peter Barnhart said Oct. 8. About 1,000 homes have been sold in the community since it opened.
“When you build lots of rooftops, there’s lots of other people that want to follow on the trail, whether it’s ... business owners, restaurants [or] retail services,” Barnhart said.
Another factor drawing business owners and developers to the corridor is Grand Parkway access, which makes amenities across Houston, such as George Bush Intercontinental Airport, more accessible, Barnhart said.
Growing challenges
Porter resident Lucy Cervantes has lived in the area for almost 22 years, and she said while the FM 1314 corridor has continued to grow, so has traffic.
“To get anywhere, we have to make sure we leave earlier due to traffic,” Cervantes said.
From 2014-24, traffic along FM 1314—where the corridor intersects with the Grand Parkway—rose 35%, according to annual traffic counts from the Texas Department of Transportation.
Traffic can both draw development and be worsened by it, Linabury said.
“With that many new households, that many new vehicles ... that brings more traffic, but again, the traffic counts are what the developers look at,” Linabury added.
In September, near the intersection of FM 1314 and the Grand Parkway, construction began on Territory at Porter, a 342-unit apartment complex being developed by Dhanani Private Equity Group. Dhanani Principal Faiz Hirani said he and his partners saw few multifamily housing options in Porter, which motivated them to open an apartment complex in the area. Over the next decade, this dynamic is projected to continue, with single-family housing to make up 66.7% of new housing within New Caney ISD’s boundaries, according to a March 17 report from demographics firm Population and Survey Analysts.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Miller said one reason he chose to launch Blue Jay’s Cauldron—a game store that opened in June—along FM 1314 in Porter was due to nearby housing.
“I’m trying to be a family-focused, community-friendly, local game store. ... I would like to think that overall, we’re increasing the overall vibe of the community,” Miller said.
What they're saying
- “Growth is coming because the people are, and what do people want? They want amenities and close access," Mattlage said.
- “We like that we have options, but ... it’s a bit much. People need to keep moving further and further out to get out of the ‘city’ feel," Porter resident Lucy Cervantes said.
Over the summer, EMCID’s board of directors approved tax rebate agreements with developers for two retail centers planned to be built near the intersection of FM 1314 and the Grand Parkway, as previously reported by Community Impact. Dhanani and Caldwell Communities are developing each shopping plaza separately.
Dhanani’s shopping center, Porter Retail, will fetch a rebate of $0.0025 on the total sales and use tax revenue from businesses located within the plaza each calendar year for 10 years, Mattlage said. Dhanani’s shopping center broke ground in September and construction is expected to wrap up in the summer or fall of 2026. Potential tenants include Little Caesars and Beans & Brew Coffee House.
The name and timeline for Caldwell’s center had not been announced as of press time, but it will earn a $0.005 tax rebate for retail for 15 years. Caldwell Companies declined to comment on the planned retail development.
