With its close proximity to Hwy. 290 and the Grand Parkway, the rural Hockley area is beginning to encounter residential and commercial growth. New master-planned neighborhoods, such as Dellrose and Bauer Landing, have already opened in the area in anticipation of the Greater Houston area’s expansion outward. More than 2,000 new homes are planned for both neighborhoods, according to developers. Several new homes are slated for the Hockley area.[/caption] “We’ve been out here well before the Grand Parkway, and we had record sales and closings well before [it opened],” said Brian Batten, Houston division president for LGI Homes. “We’ve just seen the growth going outside of Houston. We pick [a] location a little further out, and then we’re ahead of the growth—which gives customers a great value for what they’re looking for.” Daikin Industries, a manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning products, is one of the companies expected to spur growth in the area after opening a $417 million campus in nearby Waller in late May. Greater Houston Partnership officials have estimated the annual economic impact of the facility to be $3.9 billion. Additional reporting by Shawn Arrajj