DALLAS-Developers have begun construction east of Dallas on a 2,500-acre community that will eventually have almost 30,000 residents. Hillwood Residential and Mabrey & Partners LLC are building the 8,000-home Heartland development on Interstate 20 near Crandall. The sprawling residential project will be ready for its first homeowners by next summer. "We are essentially creating a city from scratch," said developer Jim Mabrey, who began working on the concept almost three years ago. "This project is probably a 15- or 20-year development."
Or maybe sooner. Builders have already contracted to purchase the first 1,600 lots - including lots in neighborhoods that aren't ready to be started. The first 500 home lots, which are under construction, have been sold to builders D.R. Horton, Horizon, Lennar and NuHome. Houses in the project initially will range from near $90,000 to more than $180,000.
Heartland will have seven residential villages, room for shops and commercial space, seven public schools and 400 acres of open space. Plans call for walking trails, parks, gr! eenbelts and a 32-acre lake. "The amenities are going in on day one," said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential, the development partner in the project.
Hillwood - headed by Dallas businessman Ross Perot Jr. - has developed about a dozen home communities in the Dallas area. "This will be our largest residential project," Mr. Balda said. Hillwood's biggest community so far has been a 3,500-home residential development in North Fort Worth. Hillwood is managing the development and marketing of Heartland in partnership with Mabrey, which owns the land.
