Source: Star Local Media, Chris Roark
Mesquite is about to drastically change the look of its housing landscape.
And it expects to add nearly $4 billion to the local tax base in the process.
Over the next few years the city is expected to add 10,617 new homes, which is projected to provide $3.9 billion in added value to the city and Mesquite ISD.
City Manager Cliff Keheley said the city is experiencing the next big surge in residential growth.
“We went through a period when we had high growth in the 1980s,” Keheley said. “In the 2000s it leveled off, and then it remained stagnant after the recession in 2008, just like it did in the rest of the Metroplex.”
But now it’s starting back up. In addition to available land on the southern end of the city Keheley said the reasons for the incoming residential surge include the proximity to Dallas, the quality of schools in Mesquite and the other amenities Mesquite has to offer.
“This is the housing boom we’ve been waiting for,” Keheley said.
Keheley said that boom is being led by a handful of new developments that are in the works or will be soon. Keheley said nearly all of the new residential development is coming to the southern end of the city.
Among those are Polo Ridge and Ridge Ranch. Polo Ridge is expected to bring in 1,007 homes and be located south of FM 2757 and Malloy Bridge Road. It will include an activity center, an equestrian center, ponds and small lakes.
“Polo Ridge should start building homes early next year,” Keheley said. “This development offers the greatest variety of lot sizes and choices for home buyers.”
Ridge Ranch, located at the southwest intersection of E. Cartwright Road and Lawson Road, will bring in 949 homes. Phase 1 is complete.
But Keheley said there are other projects on the horizon that will give Mesquite a housing product it’s never had before. Spradley Farms and Solterra are master planned communities that will begin construction in 2023.
“We’ve never had a master planned community that focuses on a community within a community and its amenities,” Keheley said.
Solterra, a 1,424-acre master planned residential development located southwest of East Cartwright Road and both northwest and southeast of Lucas Boulevard, is expected to bring in 3,900 homes. It will also include approximately 600 acres of open space with a pecan orchard, three ponds and The Center amenity area.
The project is expected to bring $1.7 billion of value to the area.
Spradley Farms, a 622-acre development located on FM 2757 between Interstate 20, Union Hill Road and Malloy Bridge Road, will bring in 2,513 homes. It’s expected to add $870 million to the area.
Spradley Farms will include trails, ponds, a central park, linear parks, signature parks, an amenity center and an event lawn.
“We’ve never had a development that focuses on the details, like landscaping and how the residential interacts with each other and with open space and the roads,” Keheley said. “These projects invite residents to interact with their neighbors.”
While these developments will be new to Mesquite they have a presence in other parts of North Texas. Huffines Communities, which is developing Soltera, has a similar development in Wylie called Inspiration.
Spradley Farms developer The Nehemah Company created the Viridian master planned community in Arlington.
“Both developers focus on the quality of the experience,” Keheley said. “They’re new to Mesquite, but they have good track records.”
The price point for these homes will be different than what residents usually see in Mesquite homes. Keheley said the newer homes will range between $300,000 and $450,000, higher than the city’s existing homes that he said average around $200,000.
Keheley said the higher cost will come from the different quality of construction materials and more amenities, though the size of the homes will be comparable to the existing homes.
With that comes more value to the city and the school district.
“This definitely helps us grow,” Keheley said. “The tax base will pay for things that will be required with this growth, such as more police, fire and roads. But this will also help keep the cost to our existing residents at a level that’s maintainable.”
Of course, with the new homes come more students that will impact local school districts. But Mesquite ISD said it’s ready for the growth.
“With the opening of Vanguard High School in August 2021, the planned opening of elementary No. 34 in August 2023 and expanding Gentry Elementary, the district will be in position to handle the expected growth,” said Pete Pape, assistant superintendent for business services. “The district is also developing plans for elementary No. 35 if needed.”
For the city, officials are ready, too.
“We’re a large city with approximately 145,000 people,” Keheley said. “But now we’ll be reaching another tier in the next 15-20 years with the large growth in housing.”
Future residential:
Spradley Farms
Location: FM 2757 between Interstate 20, Union Hill Road and Malloy Bridge Road
Homes: 2,513
Cost: $235,000 to $580,000
Value added: $870 million
School impact: Forney ISD
Timeline: Construction begins in late 2023
Solterra
Location: Southwest of East Cartwright Road and both northwest and southeast of Lucas Boulevard
Homes: 3,900 homes
Cost: $335,000 to $580,000
Value added: $1.7 billion
Timeline: Construction begins in 2023
Caldwell Farms
Location: North of Lasater Road, west of Wynngate Drive
Homes: 296 (233 in Dallas and Seagoville, 33 in Mesquite)
Cost: $300,000
Value added: $11 million
School impact: Achziger Elementary, Woolley Middle and Horn High
Construction: No timeline
Hagan Hill
Location: South of Lumley Road, north of Shannon Road
Homes: 228 homes
Cost: $370,000 to $490,000
Value added: $90 million value added
School impact: Achziger Elementary, Woolley Middle, Horn High
Timeline: Phases 1 and 2 completed, Phase 3 under construction
ValleyBrooke
Location: South of Mesquite Valley Road, east of Smith Elementary
Homes: 235
Cost: $250,000 and up
Value added: $60 million
School impact: Smith Elementary, Berry Middle, Horn High
Timeline: No timeline
*As part of the project the park land to the north will be improved to include 12-foot hike and bike trails, a nature trail, a 6-foot concrete trail and other amenities.
Ridge Ranch
Location: Southwest intersection of E. Cartwright Road and Lawson Road
Homes: 949
Cost: $320,000 to $470,000
Value added: $370 million
Schools impacted: Achziger Elementary, Woolley Middle, Horn High
Timeline: Phase 1 completed, Phase 2 underway
Berkshire Estates
Location: South of FM 2932, north of Evans Road
Homes: 269
Cost: $275,000
Value added: $70 million
Timeline: First homes begin in late 2021
School impact: Forney ISD
Polo Ridge Ranch
Location: South of the intersection of FM 2757 and Mallory Bridge Road
Homes: 1,007
Cost: $285,000 to $475,000
Value added: $362 million
School impact: Forney ISD
Construction: Construction begins late 2022
Trailwind
Homes: 450
Location: Southeast of FM 741, northeast of Heartland Parkway
Cost: $215,000 to $255,000
Value added: $107 million (residential); $28 million (commercial)
School impact: Forney ISD
Timeline: Phase 1 construction underway; Phase 2 grading underway
Trinity Pointe Village
Location: South of Shady Brook Lane, southwest of High County Road
Homes: 470
Cost: $200,000 to $250,000
Value added: $105 million
School impact: Crandall ISD
Timeline: Phase 1 to start in 2023
Cloverleaf
Location: east of Gus Thomasson Road, north of Towne Centere Drive
Homes: 227 townhomes
Cost: $230,000 average
Value added: $52 million
School impact: Tosch Elementary, McDonald Middle, North Mesquite High
Timeline: Construction underway
Iron Horse Village
Location: South of W. Scyene Road, west of Rodeo Center Boulevard
Homes: 336
Cost:$235,000 to $310,000
Value added: $85 million (residential); $31 million (commercial)
School impact: Seabourn Elementary, Frasier Middle West Mesquite High
Timeline: Construction begins this summer