CELINA, Texas — Hillwood Communities started construction this week on its next multibillion-dollar residential community in North Texas.
Ramble by Hillwood is now underway in Celina, bringing thousands of homes and an emphasis on nature to Celina, about 40 miles north of Dallas. Hillwood Communities broke ground Oct. 23, executives confirmed. The company had bought the land in January.
The master-planned community is expected to feature about 4,000 homes across 1,380 acres from Preston Road to Custer Road, just 2 miles north of downtown Celina.
Homebuilders selected for the neighborhood include American Legend Homes, Coventry Homes, Drees Custom Homes, Highland Homes and Perry Homes.
On Oct. 8, Hillwood received unanimous approval from Celina City Council for a development agreement to expand the project by 34 acres at the southeast corner of Preston Road and GA Moore Parkway. The extension allows for the construction of an additional 100 homes and a retail component, said Brian Carlock, senior vice president of acquisitions at Hillwood Communities.
Below: Rough location of Ramble by Hillwood, north of downtown Celina.
"[The parcel] was just a hole in the donut, right in the middle of the project that we needed to own just to make sense of the master plan," Carlock said.
Hillwood plans to complete the first set of 700 lots by the end of 2025, with the complex set to open by spring 2026, said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Communities. In total, the development will be built in six phases, with full completion expected by 2044.
Once built, Ramble is estimated to have a total value of around $4.3 billion. Homes are expected to cost between $400,000 and $1 million apiece.
Phase one amenities will include an event lawn, a beer garden, pools, various outdoor sports courts and a nature-inspired playground. Ramble will also include 200 acres of greenbelt, featuring a network of parks, open spaces and natural lakes. An additional 18 acres will be set aside for future multifamily housing. Two on-site elementary schools are also planned.
Importance of infrastructure
The north side of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex has been a magnet for growth. Cities such as Frisco, McKinney, Plano, Celina, Allen and Prosper are experiencing significant expansion. The reasons for this trend include these cities' commitment to infrastructure, access to major freeways, high-ranking school districts, good leadership and reliable fiber internet connectivity, Balda said.
Celina, for example, recently topped the list of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, with an estimated 26.6% population increase from July 2022 to July 2023. Collin County school districts are some of the highest-rated in the state. Major roadways continue to expand north, carrying the wave of development farther into North Texas.
Single-family home construction permits rose by 52% in Celina in 2023, with the city issuing a total of 2,503, according to data compiled by Tomlin Investments, a real estate investment firm. Homebuilders began construction on 14,217 units in the first quarter of 2024, up from 9,828 over the same time period last year.
However, to sustain this growth, the availability of essential infrastructure such as water, roadways and sewage systems is key. Some areas currently face challenges; for instance, Princeton, with a growing population of more than 28,000, recently imposed a 120-day moratorium on new housing construction because of insufficient infrastructure. Carlock expressed concerns about the region's schools potentially struggling to accommodate the rapid population influx.
Hillwood views the elementary schools in its communities "as important" as eye-catching features like the amenity center, Carlock said.
To support infrastructure needs, Ramble will be part of a municipal management district. These districts assist in developing and maintaining infrastructure such as wastewater systems. Carlock believes these kinds of districts offer a solution to development moving further away from existing utilities and into smaller cities.
"You can take the strain off of cities from selling $50 [million] or $100 million worth of bonds to create wastewater plant [by doing it] yourself," he said.
Affordability is a challenge not only for homebuyers but also for developers. High land prices and permit fees lead to higher home prices, Carlock said. On the plus side, labor and material costs have started to ease.
"You could pay $20,000 to $30,000 just to pull a permit to start [a project]," Carlock said. "If that's what the builder or developer is having to pay in these fees, it goes right into the end home price."
Hillwood Communities is the master-planned community division of the Dallas-based real estate conglomerate led by Ross Perot Jr. In addition to Ramble, Hillwood is expected to start delivering the Hunter Ranch neighborhood in Denton, Treeline in Justin and Legacy neighborhood in southeast Houston in 2025. It also continues to add to three master-planned communities in North Texas: Pecan Square in Northlake, Union Park in Little Elm and Harvest in Argyle.
Earlier this year, Hillwood was represented in the land purchase by David Davidson of Davidson Bogel Real Estate. The undisclosed seller was represented by Van Nichols of Nichols Land Company.
