One of many growing communities in Southeast Montgomery County thriving along the Rayford Road corridor, the Harmony master-planned community, will add as many as 2,600 homes over the next five to 10 years.

The $5.8 million investment is comprised of about 1,000 acres, feauring mostly residential and some commercial development, said Bob Douglas, general manager of the project for Johnson Development. Harmony already has 341 lots on the ground, including 215 occupied homes. Douglas said another 370 lots are under development, while another 1,500-1,600 lots are planned. Harmony may also feature some multi-family development.

Located just south of Grand Parkway, Douglas said, the location is ideal for homebuyers looking to commute to The Woodlands and downtown Houston. The tollway will also allow motorists the chance to commute to the planned ExxonMobil campus in Spring in five to 10 minutes, he said.

"We think [the Grand Parkway] is essential," he said. "The whole area is growing, and typically what we find with areas of exploding growth is that traffic starts to get clogged before improvements get made. Grand Parkway coming along at this time is a good thing for the community. It's going to make living out here a lot more convenient."

ExxonMobil employees and employees from other businesses within the energy sector have already shown interest in Harmony, Douglas said.

Although mostly composed of residential development, Douglas said, about 58 acres have been sold within Harmony for commercial projects. He said 21 acres have been sold for the construction of an H-E-B at Rayford Road and Riley Fuzzell Road, which will break ground upon completion of the nearby Grand Parkway segment.

"It's exciting to have an H-E-B at your front door," Douglas said.

Another 4.6 acres were sold to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a church that is nearing completion at the northwest corner of Rayford and Discovery Creek Boulevard. Negotiations continue for a day care within the community as well, Douglas said.

The Harmony development also features several amenities, Douglas said. A pocket park is already in place within the Harmony Forest section. Several other pocket parks with playground equipment and a series of hiking and biking trails will be planned for the future, he said.

Construction is underway on the first of two recreational centers. The first will be located in the Harmony Creek subdivision, featuring a pool, pavilion and splash pad. It is set for completion in November, Douglas said. A second, larger recreational center is planned on the south side of Rayford Road.

For more information on Harmony development, go to www.harmony-houston.com.