Home construction is ongoing in the Dellrose, Bauer Landing and Rosehill Reserve communities, while Tealpointe Lake Estates anticipates breaking ground on its first home this summer, developers said. Johnson Development also announced plans in January for a new community nearby.
When built out these developments could add at least 4,300 new homes, which would more than double the nearly 3,000 existing homes in three block groups—a neighborhood-level unit determined by the U.S. Census Bureau—along FM 2920 between Kickapoo and Cypress Rosehill roads, according to census data.
An uptick in the number of residents moving to this region has caused a greater demand for homes, developers said. On average the population of the block groups increased 20 percent from 2013-16, according to census data.
Notable school districts, cheaper land prices, larger lot sizes and abundant green space make this area desirable to homebuyers, said Matthew Janke, director of land development for Dellrose, a 600-acre master-planned community near Hwy. 290 and Bauer Road.
“This is an attractive piece [of land],” Janke said. “It’s a bit of an emerging market. We want to provide an alternative to the busy and more developed areas of the [Greater] Cypress area.”
Home sale activity
As homebuyer interest grows and the number of available homes multiplies, the pace of home sales could continue to increase this year, Janke said. So far, builders in Dellrose are on track to sell at least 100 homes by the close of the year. The community, which broke ground in 2015, will feature more than 1,500 single-family homes at build-out.
“We expect the home sale frequency to continue to increase as the community develops out,” Janke said.
Rosehill Reserve, a 325-acre master-planned development located on FM 2920, is also picking up stride, said Brian McGown, a developer for Rosehill Reserve Ltd. The community broke ground in 2015 and celebrated its first model home opening in July 2017.
About 60 homes are either completed or under construction, and 100 more homes will be ready within the next eight months, McGown said. Upon build-out Rosehill Reserve will feature about 900 single-family homes, he said.
“We are moving quickly,” he said. “We are either at or ahead of schedule. There has not been a master-planned community in this part of Tomball in relation to FM 2920 and the Grand Parkway. It’s the right location at the right time.”
Johnson Development also announced in January a 370-acre community slated near the Grand Parkway and Mueschke Road, with the first homes available next fall. According to a statement, the community could feature 1,000 new homes at build-out.
Johnson Development declined to comment on the development.
The 99-acre Tealpointe Lake Estates is also under construction, with 51 homes planned along Mueschke Road. Developer Louis Smith said the area is attractive to residential developers because of the available land for homes and recreational amenities. Tealpointe Lake Estates will feature 1.5-acre home sites.
“It’s like a little oasis here,” Smith said. “The access is great with the Grand Parkway right here.”
Construction is also ongoing at Bauer Landing, a 306-acre development on FM 2920 that will include 943 homes.
“There is some benefit of having multiple developers in one area,” Janke said. “It brings in some synergy where everyone is doing some advertising, and more buyers get familiar with the projects out there.”
Meeting growing service needs
With growing master-planned communities, local entities are also considering additional schools and fire protection services to aid more residents.
Waller ISD purchased space for a future middle school and a new elementary school near Becker Road and Dellrose, according to WISD officials. The district does not have a timeline for school construction.
Tomball ISD plans to build a new elementary school, junior high school and athletic stadium near Cypress Rosehill Road and the Grand Parkway—funded by a $275 million bond package in 2017—Chief Financial Officer Jim Ross said.
Although Ross initially said he anticipated construction starting this summer for the junior high school and stadium and this fall for the elementary school, he said that timeline has been delayed.
Additionally, Lee Sulecki, Rosehill Fire Department assistant chief, previously said the department planned to open a fire station on land purchased by Emergency Services District 21 on the west side of the district, which spans from Telge Road to Hwy. 290. Construction could begin in about two years.
As more residential properties arise, McGown said the area could also see an influx of dining and shopping options.
“We are going to see a big boom in the commercial real estate,” he said. “As always the commercial development also follows a bunch of rooftops.”
McGown said H-E-B plans to open a location near Cypress Rosehill Road and FM 2920 as well. H-E-B could not be reached for comment before press time.
In addition, Houston-based real estate investment firm Parkside Capital bought 55 acres in February 2016 at the northeast corner of the Grand Parkway and Cypress Rosehill Road for retail space, according to the firm’s website. Parkside also could not be reached for comment.
Other commercial developments have sprung up in the last two years along the western FM 2920 corridor, including 2920 Roadhouse, Corner Store and Knox Tractor, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported.
Daikin Industries also opened a $417 million technology park just south of FM 2920 last year. The 500-acre campus employs about 5,000 people.
“Our employees live across the area, which includes areas along FM 2920,” said Nathan Walker, Daikin senior vice president of corporate marketing. “We’re proud to be a part of this community and are excited to watch the area continue to grow. The residential growth certainly complements the area and continues to be a great option for our current and future employees.”
Connecting communities
Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said several road projects are slated to accommodate the growth along the FM 2920 corridor.
“It is not county driven but free enterprise driven,” he said. “We are reacting to the people whether that is residential or commercial.”
Cypress Rosehill Road is being widened to four lanes between the Grand Parkway and Seidel Cemetery Road. The $15 million project is scheduled to finish later this year, Precinct 3 officials said.
Precinct 3 project manager Eric Heppen said the $8.9 million widening of Mueschke Road to four lanes from the Grand Parkway to Draper Road is set to finish next summer with Mueschke Road eventually being widened to FM 2920. Crews completed widening Mueschke Road between Juergen Road and the Grand Parkway in March.
The Texas Department of Transportation also plans to widen a 20-mile stretch of FM 2920 between Hwy. 290 and
Hwy. 249 by adding a lane in each direction, according to TxDOT information. No project timeline has been released.
McGown said he believes the opening of nearby Grand Parkway segments F-1, F-2 and G in 2016 has been a major benefit for residents looking to commute to Houston.
“Our location is almost dead center between The Woodlands and the Energy Corridor,” he said. “A lot of traffic is going to flow to [the Grand Parkway] during the week and down FM 2920 on the weekends.”
Additional reporting by Anna Dembowski
