Posted Jun 2, 2023, 3:34 PM
|
![Wattleigh's Avatar](image.php?u=28813&dateline=1237157293) |
FYHA
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Houston - Wichita, KS
Posts: 3,213
|
|
Richmond
Indigo
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...o-17804425.php
Quote:
A 750-home community with car-free zones, a farm and lake is coming to the Houston area
Meristem Communities breaking ground on 235-acre ‘agrihood’ in Fort Bend County
Marissa Luck,
Staff writer
Feb. 28, 2023
Updated: March 1, 2023 5:43 p.m.
Imagine doing many of your errands on foot — from picking up dry cleaning to buying farm-fresh produce — while catching glances of migratory birds swooping over a community farm and lake as you walk a trail back to your house.
That’s the kind of lifestyle developers of a new “agrihood” envision for Fort Bend County, where a 235-acre residential community — with a 42-acre farm and "car-free zones" — is about to rise in the Richmond area.
Houston-based developer Meristem Communities is breaking ground this week on Indigo, a residential community expected to feature 750 homes, including 100 rental homes off Texas 99 and U.S. 90. The first residents are expected next February, with an additional two phases opening over the next two years at 1300 Harlem Road in Richmond. The neighborhood is 26 miles southwest of downtown Houston and 10 miles west of Sugar Land.
Meristem aims to disrupt the typical master-planned community concept by clustering most of the homes together on smaller lots, enabling the developer to dedicate more than half the community to open space and neighborhood trails. Plans call for a 25-acre lake for swimming, fishing and kayaking; miles of trails; and 42 acres of farm and pasture for visitors to meander or buy fresh produce and eggs.
|
Quote:
Meristem Communities is breaking ground on a 235-acre community in Richmond that will feature a large farm. Pictured is an area with cottages, one of several housing types offered in the 750-home residential community called Indigo.
CultivateLAND
|
Quote:
About 400 houses will place the garages on the backside of the house with landscaped alleyways. For many of the houses that enables the homes to overlook parks and green space in the front of the residences, although some houses still have garages in the front in case residents prefer a more traditional style.
CultivateLAND
|
Quote:
Landscape architects at CultivateLAND are working with Meristem Communities to design green spaces and linear parks in front of many of the houses. Architects at DAHLIN are advising on walkability and the design of the community
CultivateLAND
|
Quote:
Townhomes will be one of eight housing types offered in Indigo community in Richmond.
CultivateLAND
|
Quote:
A rendering of "The Barn", a community gathering space and event center with a cafe and market.
CultivateLAND
|
and Indigo Commons
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...l-18094081.php
Quote:
Mixed-use complex coming to Houston-area 'agrihood' breaks the rules of normal strip malls
Marissa Luck
May 12, 2023
Updated: May 12, 2023 9:57 a.m.
A 12-acre mixed-use complex recently broke ground south of Houston where a unique concept promises to give small-business owners more control and flexibility over their real estate destinies.
Houston-based developer Meristem Communities has started work on Indigo Commons — a retail, residential and office complex planned within the 235-acre Indigo master-planned community in Richmond.
The retail would be the commercial anchor of Indigo, a so-called ‘agri-hood’ residential neighborhood with a 42-acre farm, trails and multiple ‘car-free zones,’ according to the developer. Meristem wants to create a collection of local businesses — including mom-and-pop shops, sellers of artisan-type goods, restaurants and a potential brewery — in part by making it easier for smaller businesses to operate in the development.
"We really want to start breaking down all of those labels that people have when they're designing places," said Clayton Garrett, partner at Meristem Communities. "When we were looking at our commercial spaces, we realized we need to be authentic."
Often, retail centers in master-planned communities are dominated by businesses who rent their space rather than owning it, particularly if they are smaller businesses. While some larger businesses do purchase their buildings, ownership can be harder for firms not backed by large institutions, Garrett said. But Meristem wants to give more small businesses the opportunity to own a part of their community.
“We want shopkeepers and merchants to be able to grow their businesses while growing their equity – just as you do when you purchase a home – with no landlords and no rent increases,” added Scott Snodgrass, partner at Meristem Communities. “They deserve to feel confident that the brick and mortar of their legacy can be passed along. It’s an unusual opportunity in our market."
|
Quote:
The 12-acre Indigo Commons is the anchor commercial mixed-use project planned within Indigo, a agri-hood planned in Richmond south of Houston.
CultivateLAND/Meristem Communities
|
Quote:
The vision for Indigo Commons includes a wide variety of small businesses, from specialty food and beverage offerings such as an all-day bakery café and a brewery, to boutique shops and neighborhood services like an insurance provider, nail salon, dry cleaner and a general store. Plenty of outdoor space for gathering and relaxing are also planned throughout.
CultivateLAND/Meristem Communities
|
Quote:
Indigo Commons would include a mix of commercial and retail buildings, including some topped with residential space where business owners could live or lease out.
CultivateLAND/Meristem Communities
|
Quote:
Indigo is expected to feature a 42-acre farm, trails and other outdoor recreational opportunities alongside pedestrian-friendly streets and retail.
CultivateLAND/Meristem Communities
|
|