ARGYLE, Texas, April 19, 2019 – Harvest, a Hillwood Communities master-planned development located in Argyle, took home five of the developer’s six awards from the 40th annual McSAM Awards held at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel last Saturday. Outstanding individual winners included Angie Mastrocola, Developer Project Manager of the Year, and Page Austin, the Lifestyle Director of the Year. Other recognition for Harvest included Master Planned Community of the Year 600+ acres, Best Lifestyle Annual Program and Best Print Ad.
“It’s such an honor to win Lifestyle Director of the Year,” said Page Austin. “I couldn’t do what I do without the support from Hillwood and FirstService Residential, whose partnership allows me to be both a dreamer and creator. Our work goes so much deeper than events; it’s about reaching people and building lives.”
Hillwood Communities has received multiple best-in-class awards for the quality of its homes, which are surrounded by purposefully designed walkways, gathering spaces, and structural amenities to spark spontaneous encounters and foster shared interests. Additional amenties at Harvest include a commercial organic farm, coffee shop and farmhouse.
In 2018, Residential Strategies (RSI) named Harvest DFW’s #1 master-planned community. Harvest also closed another sensational year of sales, with the community ranking #33 in the Top 50 Master-Planned Communities rankings from John Burns Real Estate Consulting.
“From the moment I saw it, I could see that Harvest was a special community based on a very unique idea,” said David Jarvis, senior vice president of consulting for John Burns Real Estate Consulting. “We know from consumer research that getting outside tops the list of priorities for homebuyers. Harvest gives homeowners tangible opportunities to spend time outdoors without giving up on any of the traditional master-planned amenities.”
“I am beyond proud of our amazing team, whose talent and energy have transformed a stellar residential development into a bona fide community,” said Fred Balda. “The creativity and vitality they put into their programming is reflected in the deep engagement and enjoyment of our residents.”
In addition to the 2019 McSAM wins for Harvest, Bluewood was also recognized for Best Community Entry Feature.
For more on Harvest by Hillwood, please visit http://www.harvestbyhillwood.com/.
MCLEAN, VA, February 27, 2019 – KETTLER, a leading Washington D.C. real estate development and property management company, announces today a partnership with Hillwood Communities on three residential communities in the D.C. metropolitan area with a combined $200 million value at build-out.
The partnership comes as Hillwood’s first residential investment in the capital region. Hillwood is one of the nation’s top industrial, commercial, and residential real estate developers, active in 48 markets across the U.S. and Europe. Through its Communities division, Hillwood has developed more than 28,000 single-family lots in 89 master-planned communities across 13 states and two countries. Hillwood Communities also invests with other best-in-class developers such as KETTLER. Hillwood’s development philosophies are well aligned with KETTLER’s and the partnership positions both brands for further success in the market.
Hillwood is owned by Ross Perot Jr., who served as chairman of the Air Force Memorial Foundation where he led the effort to build the United States Air Force Memorial in the Washington, D.C. region, making him no stranger to the hearts and minds of locals.
Based in McLean, Va., KETTLER is a family-owned developer, owner and operator of award-winning residential, commercial and mixed-used communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, including 29 master-planned communities.
“We are excited about the strategic alliance of our businesses, as Hillwood extends its presence to the D.C. market,” said Robert C. Kettler, CEO of KETTLER. “Hillwood has an incredibly successful track record as a real estate leader with an impeccable reputation. Given their success elsewhere, we have no doubt that this expansion will have a positive impact on our community.”
“Beyond its track record and expertise in the market, we chose to partner with KETTLER because they clearly share in our commitment to long-term value. We view KETTLER as a leader in developing residential and mixed-use communities and are excited to begin our relationship with these projects,” said Danny Ellis, Vice President of Hillwood.
The partnership will kick off in the Washington, D.C. region with the three new communities, including Fredericksburg Park, a mix of 284 detached and attached single-family homes and commercial property within walking distance to historic downtown Fredericksburg and its VRE commuter rail station. KETTLER and Hillwood plan to break ground in March.
Also this spring, construction is slated to start on Riverside Station in Woodbridge, Va. The project comprises 118 townhome units on 11 acres, adjacent to the Rippon Station VRE commuter rail station.
In late 2019, the partnership anticipates breaking ground on East Quarter, a community of 64 single-family attached homes on 14 acres in Leesburg, Va.
“We see these three projects as a great beginning for our relationship with Hillwood,” Kettler said. “We have every expectation that Hillwood’s presence in the market will grow, and our relationship will grow with it.”
GEORGETOWN, Texas [November 15, 2018] – Williamson County voters turned out in record numbers at the polls last week to cast their vote on a decision that will impact Georgetown ISD (GISD) students and staff for decades. Proposition A, which passed with approval from 67.4 percent of voters, addressed technology, safety and security, new infrastructure and building upgrades for GISD schools.
“The residents of Georgetown voted to approve this bond election, which clearly speaks to the community’s support of building upon the strong foundation that the GISD provides its residents,” said Duke Kerrigan, Austin general manager of Hillwood Communities. “Our team believes that building a new elementary school campus within Wolf Ranch is a critical step and an exciting new chapter for our growing community.”
Situated along Georgetown’s scenic San Gabriel River, Wolf Ranch is half of a mile from the Interstate 35 and Hwy 29 intersection. Earlier this year, the GISD acquired the land from Hillwood located to the south of Hwy 29 near the intersection of Wolf Ranch Parkway and D B Wood Rd, which will be home to the new elementary campus. Now that the bond has passed, the district will move forward with the development of Wolf Ranch Elementary.
“By overwhelmingly supporting Proposition A, the community has shown tremendous trust in the district and a clear commitment to our students by investing in their future,” Superintendent Fred Brent said.
Major components of Proposition A include:
• Development of Wolf Ranch Elementary Campus, located in Hillwood’s master-planned community Wolf Ranch
• An expansion at Ford Elementary to allow for continued enrollment in that attendance zone
• Additional safety features at all campuses
• Funds to purchase land and design facilities for future growth
• New school buses to meet the demands of increased enrollment
• Updated HVAC, building roofing and athletic fields
• Updated technology for staff and students
The Wolf Ranch Elementary campus is targeted to break ground in Spring 2019, and construction could begin as early as March 2019, with a planned opening in the fall of 2020. This will alleviate overcrowding at Carver and Mitchell elementary schools in the southeast part of the city while adding capacity to the Pickett zone.
Hillwood Communities will also begin construction on its next phase of development in the area immediately adjacent of the school. “We will deliver new phases on either side of the school campus in 2019,” said Kerrigan.“We strongly believe that Wolf Ranch Elementary will attract additional family buyers as this market continues to grow.”
As a holistically designed Live Smart? community, every aspect of Wolf Ranch is designed to address five key principles that nurture community values while delivering personal value — connection, well-being, enrichment, stewardship and convenience. At full build out, the premier community will be home to about 2,600 single family homes, up to 1,700 apartment units, first-class amenities, an on-site elementary school as well as a vast number of trails, parks and open spaces.
Wolf Ranch builders include Coventry Homes, David Weekley Homes, Drees Custom Homes, Perry Homes and Wilshire. Highland Homes will be begin delivering new homes in 2019 when Hillwood’s next residential phase opens. New homes in Wolf Ranch start in low $300s.
For more on Hillwood’s Wolf Ranch, please visit WolfRanchByHillwood.com.
Developers of master-planned communities without access to first-class internet service have another option: Create their own infrastructure
Remember the expression, “If you want something done right, do it yourself”? Attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, this saying sums up the frustration of a growing number of large bandwidth consumers. Master-planned community (MPC) developers such as Hillwood Communities and Republic Property Group (whose Walsh community was profiled in the August-September 2017 issue of BROADBAND COMMUNITIES) belong to this growing group of broadband consumers. More important, they have the bandwidth appetite and financial means to make a difference for an emerging and demanding demographic – millennials. Millennials (also known as Generation Y), the demographic cohort following Generation X, are notable for their increased use of and familiarity with communications, media and digital technologies.
According to the 2017 State of the Nation’s Housing Report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing, millennials account for 16 million of the nation’s 124.5 million households. By 2035, millennials will account for 49.8 million households “and are thus reshaping housing [and internet] demand in profound ways.”
A New Broadband Narrative
Serving the millennial generation will require thinking about broadband in new ways. Several concepts will form the foundation for a new narrative around the deployment and support of internet services. First is the difference between internet access (which can be thought of as a consumer good) and an internet utility. A utility provides adequate supplies of an essential service throughout a community in a consistent, reliable, problem-free manner.
Second is the need for proactive management. Given the rapidly changing technical landscape, the deployment of reliable infrastructure that will deliver uninterrupted service over time is not a static problem. Problem-free operation over time requires real-time feedback and adjustments to infrastructure and operating procedures. I call this “temporal stability.” To achieve temporal stability, an internet operator must design a system able to anticipate and respond to problems.
The impact of temporally stable broadband on real estate investments has become material. For several reasons, real estate developers, home builders and real estate management companies cannot always depend on incumbent ISPs to deliver temporally stable, utility-quality broadband. First, the limited geographic footprints of the incumbents make it difficult for national developers and property managers to get consistent services across markets. Second, there are no guarantees that ISPs will continue to maintain their networks over time in a way that will meet communities’ requirements. Finally, networks have been effectively extended into subscribers’ homes as subscribers add more and more connected devices, and not all ISPs are willing to provide utility-quality broadband within homes.
As a result, many developers, builders and management companies are considering forming in-house broadband companies (IBCs). They are DIYers.
Georgetown’s 1,120-acre Wolf Ranch development will become one of the largest master-planned communities in Central Texas after an upcoming expansion.
A second phase of Wolf Ranch north of West University opened to homebuilders this summer, and additional phases are planned south of the roadway. When full, the $1.1 billion development will include about 2,600 single-family homes and several multifamily complexes along with commercial areas and possibly an elementary school, according to Hillwood Communities, the Dallas-based company that broke ground on Wolf Ranch in 2015.
To read the full article, please click here.
Hillwood Communities is expanding its Wolf Ranch development in Georgetown after buying 366 more acres where 800 single-family homes will be built, the company has announced.
The tract, named the “Guy tract” after the family that sold it, has three miles of frontage along the South San Gabriel River and will have 23 acres of parkland, according to a company news release.
In June, the Georgetown City Council approved zoning for the 366 acres, which also allows for multifamily units and townhomes to be built on the tract, said Duke Kerrigan, the Austin general manager for Dallas-based Hillwood Communities.
To read the full article, please click here.
Hillwood Communities Announces Wolf Ranch Expansion
Hillwood’s acquisition of the Guy Tract builds on its momentum in Central Texas
GEORGETOWN, Texas [June 27, 2018] – Wolf Ranch, a Hillwood Communities development in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, announced today its acquisition of the Guy Tract, a 366-acre tract for additional homes, parks and trails that will expand Hillwood’s presence in Central Texas.
The acquisition will increase Wolf Ranch to 1,120 acres from 755 acres, making it one of the largest master-planned developments in the Austin area. The development, a half mile from the intersection of Interstate 35 and State Highway 29, also will provide open space areas, amenities, trails and its extensive lifestyle program to prospective homebuyers.
The Guy Tract addition gives Wolf Ranch more than three miles of frontage along the South Fork of the San Gabriel River. Hillwood will provide a trail system and various park improvements along the river frontage, a key amenity for Wolf Ranch and the city of Georgetown.
“The Guy Tract is a natural extension of our existing Wolf Ranch master-planned community. This strategic addition will allow us to engage several miles of the San Gabriel River parks and trails that will provide even more amenities to the region and the Wolf Ranch homeowners,” said Brian Carlock, senior vice president of Hillwood Communities.
“The San Gabriel River is a true gem in central Texas and we are fortunate to have that strong connection. To be in a true Hill Country setting just two minutes from I-35, shopping and restaurants is very special.”
Hillwood’s trail project, comprised of the Guy Tract and Lyndoch Park regional trails, extends the city’s regional parks and trails program from I-35 three miles to the western edge of the Guy Tract. That brings the trails 40 percent of the way to its goal of reaching Garey Park, with the remaining 4.5 miles of proposed trail provided by others.
Carlock said Hillwood will spend about $3 million building the trail and park system.
“This is a great example of our working partnership with Georgetown to build projects that a city can’t afford to do on its own and on a much-accelerated timeline,” he said.
As part of its development of Wolf Ranch, Hillwood will dedicate 40 acres for regional parks along the river corridor. The Hillwood portion will serve as a significant component of a regional trail program that eventually will connect downtown Georgetown to Garey Park on city’s western edge.
Garey Park opened in June 2018, with land donated by by Jack and Camille Garey. Garey Park totals more than 525 acres, the third largest city-owned park in Texas.
The Guy Tract will bring additional homes with river frontage bordering the South Fork of the San Gabriel River, intermingled with public spaces, parks and trails. The 366-acre expansion, scheduled to open by 2020, will provide for about 800 single-family homes and 23 acres of parkland.
“Georgetown is one of the fastest growing cities in Texas and Hillwood is proud to be developing the most active master-planned community in the city, Wolf Ranch. We are excited to add this beautiful 366-acre Hill Country ranch to the community,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Communities. “Georgetown has developed a high-quality, business-friendly atmosphere that positions Georgetown and Wolf Ranch well to take advantage of the wonderful Texas job growth and economic expansion for the long term.”
Hillwood Communities broke ground on Wolf Ranch in December 2015. The initial phase features a resort-style pool and amenity center (The Den), which opened in April. The Den was designed by the award-winning Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. In addition to its amenity and open space features, Wolf Ranch has an extensive lifestyle program that emphasizes a true sense of community for its residents. In June, Hillwood Communities delivered Phase 2 lots to its homebuilders.
At full build out, the premier community will be home to about 2,600 single-family homes and several multi-family projects.
The new development continues Hillwood Communities’ commitment to the town of Georgetown.
As Hillwood Communities recently announced, it sold nearly 18 acres to the Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) for an onsite elementary school within Wolf Ranch. Construcion on the new elementary campus is expected to begin in spring 2019 with a campus opening targeted in the fall of 2020. It will be named Wolf Ranch Elementary School.
“Wolf Ranch by Hillwood has quickly established itself as one of the signature residential communities in central Texas. The recent inclusion of the 366-acre Guy Tract to Wolf Ranch will help to fulfill the city’s vision of connecting the trail system from I-35 to Garey Park,” said Georgetown Mayor Dale Ross. “I am thrilled they have chosen to expand their footprint in Georgetown and look forward to their continued efforts to bring high-quality development to our city that honors the legacy of the Wolf family.”
The $1.1 billion Wolf Ranch development is built on the core values of Hillwood Communities’ Live Smart Principles. It reflects Hillwood Communities’ implementation of the industry’s best practices related to planning, design and construction to deliver a community that families will enjoy for generations to come.
For more information on Wolf Ranch, please visit: www.WolfRanchByHillwood.com
About Hillwood
Hillwood, a Perot company, is a premier commercial and residential real estate developer, investor and advisor of properties throughout North America and Europe. With a diverse portfolio of properties and home to many of the world’s leading companies, Hillwood is committed to bringing long-term value to our customers, partners and the communities we serve.
Through its Communities division, Hillwood has delivered more than 28,000 single-family lots in 80 master-planned communities across 10 states and two countries. These communities continue to raise the bar in terms of quality, innovation, and the unmistakable sense of community that sets each property apart. Before laying the physical groundwork for any new residential development, Hillwood Communities takes the time to focus on the ideals that draw people together — and the everyday interactions that strengthen those bonds. By purposefully designing its walkways, gathering spaces, and structural amenities to spark spontaneous encounters and foster shared interests, Hillwood Communities creates community in every sense. For more information, please visit https://www.hillwoodcommunities.com
Hillwood Communities Celebrates Groundbreaking of Pecan Square in Northlake
Furthering Hillwood’s commitment to smart growth and quality residential development
NORTHLAKE, Texas [June 20, 2018] – Pecan Square, a Hillwood Communities development, celebrated its groundbreaking during the Northlake Town Council meeting on June 14. In its initial phase, Pecan Square’s eight builder partners will offer homes ranging from the mid-$200s to the $500s designed in a variety of architectural styles. The homes will feature state-of-the-art technology that will offer residents the comfort of modern living in a rural setting. The grand opening of Pecan Square is scheduled for fall 2019.
Reminiscent of a classic Texas town, the community will be centered around “The Square”—a destination at the end of a long boulevard lined with heritage pecan trees, ideal for the entire town to come together. A new community center inspired by the iconic horse barn will rise in its place and will feature a lounge, resort-style pools, event areas, open green spaces and a fitness center. Available to the greater community will be a parcel delivery space as well as a co-working facility perfect for those in the area who office from home. An existing 22,000 square foot horse arena will be completely redesigned to become a fresh venue for community gatherings and special events.
When first concepting the new development, Hillwood invited several key stakeholders of the town of Northlake to better understand issues most critical to the residents. The concerns discussed included on-site schools, traffic, transition of density and respecting the rural character along FM 407. During last week’s Town Council meeting, Hillwood Communities revealed the vision of the development and presented how it addressed these very issues.
“From the very beginning of Pecan Square’s planning and design process, Hillwood Communities has taken into careful consideration all that is important to the Town of Northlake. And by complying with our town’s comprehensive land use plan, Hillwood is setting Northlake up for viable, long-term growth,” said Northlake Mayor Peter Dewing. “Instead of taking a cookie cutter approach to designing this community, Hillwood is delivering a unique and special neighborhood suited for diverse, multi-generational living. We are excited to see Pecan Square in the making and are looking forward to welcoming future residents to Northlake.”
Pecan Square is the largest first phase in company history with over 630 home sites. It marks the latest in the company’s efforts to provide neighborhood services and drive community stewardship benefitting Northlake residents. Hillwood believes that creating community goes far beyond the physical construction of homes and amenities. The company is committed to doing its part to help strengthen communities like Northlake, and cultivate a spirit of giving back.
Just northeast of Pecan Square at Harvest, for example, Hillwood facilitated the placement of on-site elementary schools in Northwest ISD and Argyle ISD, both scheduled to open fall of 2019. It also donated land for a brand new fire station located at Harvest, opening this summer. Harvest residents have donated nearly 22,000 meals to date to the North Texas Food Bank, an organization that Pecan Square will also embrace as its primary charity. Additionally, Hillwood participated in awarding two mortgage-free homes to wounded military veterans at Harvest last year; and with its annual Back the Blue event, Harvest residents continue to honor the Northlake Police Department for protecting and serving their community every day.
Pecan Square will add to Harvest’s existing 20,000 square feet of neighborhood retail, which will include the new Northlake Town Hall, medical offices, restaurants, salon and daycare. These services join 7-Eleven which opened its doors to the community in April of this year.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with the town of Northlake to drive conscious growth, support economic development, and provide communal spaces for the town to gather,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Communities. “We at Hillwood take pride in creating community—not just within the boundaries of our master-planned developments, but among key stakeholders beyond the neighborhoods we serve.”
For more on Northlake’s newest place in the making, please visit PecanSquareByHillwood.com.
About Hillwood
Hillwood, a Perot company, is a premier commercial and residential real estate developer, investor and advisor of properties throughout North America and Europe. With a diverse portfolio of properties and home to many of the world’s leading companies, Hillwood is committed to bringing long-term value to our customers, partners and the communities we serve.
Through its Communities division, Hillwood has delivered more than 28,000 single-family lots in 80 master-planned communities across 10 states amd two countries. These communities continue to raise the bar in terms of quality, innovation, and the unmistakable sense of community that sets each property apart. Before laying the physical groundwork for any new residential development, Hillwood Communities takes the time to focus on the ideals that draw people together — and the everyday interactions that strengthen those bonds. By purposefully designing its walkways, gathering spaces, and structural amenities to spark spontaneous encounters and foster shared interests, Hillwood Communities creates community in every sense. For more information, please visit https://www.hillwoodcommunities.com.
Hillwood Communities celebrated the opening of a new amenity center in its Wolf Ranch master-planned development, 1000 Legacy Crossing, Georgetown, on April 5. Called The Den, the new center includes a pool with a 150-foot “infinity edge” as well as indoor and outdoor multipurpose spaces for Wolf Ranch community residents. The building was designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture in Austin.
For more information: 512-686-4266. www.wolfranchbyhillwood.com
Hillwood Communities Celebrates Opening of Amenity Center at Wolf Ranch
GEORGETOWN, Texas [April 5, 2018]— Hillwood Communities, a Perot company, celebrated the opening today of The Den, a new amenity center in the master-planned development of Wolf Ranch. With an infinity edge pool, an indoor and outdoor multiple purpose entertaining spaces and other attractions, The Den will be a centerpiece of the Wolf Ranch community.
The state-of-the-art amenity center will be ideal for residents to unplug, relax and entertain. Overlooking the San Gabriel River, The Den features an impressive pool with a 150-foot infinity edge and cantilevered deck areas that offers stunning views of the river, Georgetown Country Club golf course as well as stunning views of the Texas Hill Country.
“The Den will be a special gathering place for the residents of Wolf Ranch and it truly showcases our project team’s mission to create community,” said Duke Kerrigan, Austin general manager of Hillwood Communities. “This signature building will serve as the anchor point for our unique lifestyle program and will provide a setting for the residents of Wolf Ranch to build memories for generations to come.”
Designed by the renowned Michael Hsu Office of Architecture in Austin, the center’s building features rammed earth walls, extensive glass walls, corten metal structural that blends into the surrounding area. Taking advantage of native shrubs and grasses, the drought-tolerant landscape will lessen the environmental impact and allow residents to connect with the surround land.
“Hillwood is fortunate with its opportunity to develop such a stunning property and we take our role of being a good steward of the land very seriously,” Kerrigan said. “Our team spent more than 2 years planning, designing and constructing The Den to ensure that this amenity was done the right way so that our residents would be proud to call it home.”
Wolf Ranch is half a mile from the Interstate 35 and Hwy 29 intersection, along Georgetown’s scenic San Gabriel River.
As a holistically designed Live Smart? community, every aspect of Wolf Ranch is designed to address five key principles that nurture community values while delivering personal value — connection, well-being, enrichment, stewardship and convenience. At full build out, the premier community will be home to about 1,700 single family homes, 900 apartment units, first-class amenities, an on-site elementary school as well as a vast number of trails and open spaces.
