WYLIE, Texas — This story was originally published by our content partners at the Dallas Business Journal. You can read the original version here.
Collin County continues to grow at a rapid pace and is set to welcome a new residential community in Wylie this October.
The neighborhood, called “Inspiration by Ashton Woods,” will feature 287 single-family homes based around 1506 Emerald Bay, on the banks of Lake Lavon. Amenities include a resort-style swimming pool, fitness center, playgrounds, a dog park and stocked fishing ponds.
Dallas-based Huffines Communities is the developer tasked with building out the infrastructure of the project. The company, one of the largest residential developers in North Texas, delivered the lots to Atlanta-based homebuilder Ashton Woods and Dallas-based First Texas Homes in August, Sue Blankenship, senior vice president at Huffines said.
Both Ashton Woods and Huffines declined to share the cost of development for the project. Homes are priced between $493,000 to $590,000 and range from 2,096 to 2,967 square feet. Inspiration by Ashton Woods is part of Huffines’ broader Inspiration master-planned community, which includes more than 2,000 homes so far, according to a Huffines news release.
“Inspiration is about lifestyle and amenities, and more of a suburban master plan community,” said Kayla Horton, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods. “So I think …[that] interests us as a builder and [we’re] looking at opportunities to continue to expand what our offering looks like in the market.”
The median list price of homes in Wylie, a town nine miles east of Plano with a population of over 62,000 residents, is $483,000, according to Zillow. The median sale price is about $467,000. Zillow’s stats include both existing homes and new builds.
The new community caters to residents who are “design centric” and are interested in customizing their living spaces, said Nikki James, studio manager at Ashton Woods. Residents who prefer a tranquil, suburban lifestyle will enjoy the neighborhood the most.
As one city in Collin County is accelerating its growth, another is choosing to slow its pace. On Sept. 23, city council members in Princeton, a city with a population of over 17,000 residents north of Wylie and east of McKinney, passed a temporary suspension on new residential housing to help slow down growth and better assess its infrastructure, according to a report by WFAA.
Although rapid growth is often a sign of prosperity, city officials in Princeton are concerned that its expansion in recent years has put a significant strain on essential services, including water supply and road infrastructure. The hiatus is expected to last 120 days.
In addition to Inspiration, Ashton Woods recently opened its first community in the Mansfield area in early August. Parkside is a townhome community located at 602 Blue Ridge Drive. This development offers 129 lots with two-story, three-bedroom townhomes priced between $390,000 and $420,000.
Huffines Communities is known for big master-planned, residential-based developments throughout North Texas, including Viridian in Arlington Waterscape in Royse City and Heartland in Forney, in addition to Inspiration.
Huffines had interest from over 12 different builders for the 73-acre Inspiration by Ashton Woods site due to the success of the broader Inspiration community, according to the Huffines news release. No brokers were involved in the transaction and Huffines will stay on the project to fee develop on behalf of the buyers.
“Huffines Communities is excited to announce this partnership with First Texas and Ashton Woods as we believe it will further enhance the appeal of this exceptional master planned community,” Phillip Huffines, co-founder at Huffines Communities, said in a statement. “Inspiration is a great example of our firm’s focus on creating a truly exceptional environment for residents. We are certain that the buyers share our commitment to excellence and will create a truly outstanding living environment that aligns with the vision and values of Inspiration.”
Originally breaking ground in 2014, Inspiration sits on more than 700 acres of land on Lake Lavon and already has seven builders within the development. The community has a luxurious amenity center featuring a lazy river, three pools, and a 3,000-square-foot gym.