Cotton Crossing

How to Buy a New Home in Waco

2009-01-15T10:54:00.001-06:00

Everyone needs to make an informed decision when buying a home. This video offers some great tips on the best way to protect yourself in purchasing a new home.

Mark Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

For more information or to set up an appointment, please call Mark at 254-495-1241 or email at fronteradevelopment@gmail.com.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes
Frontera Development

Cotton Crossing at 09' HOTBA Home Products Show

2008-12-12T20:20:00.001-06:00

Heart of Texas Builders Association 2009

"Home Products Show"

Feb. 7th & 8th at the Heart of Texas Coliseum

Master Planned, Traditional Neighborhood Development, Cotton Crossing will have a booth in the annual Home Products Show put on by the Heart of Texas Builders Association.

The booth will have lot pricing, plats, pictures of existing houses in Cotton Crossing, and example floor plans for potential customers to view.

For more information on Cotton Crossing please call Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241.

Mark P. Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes
Frontera Development
Model Home

Waco New Home Journal "Home Design"

2008-11-20T20:43:00.001-06:00

This is a great video by Marianne Cusato, the nationally acclaimed architect who specializes in maximizing space in small cottage style house plans. Marianne designed the original "Katrina Cottage" which was a wonderful substitue to the FEMA trailers that were being issued to vicitms of Hurricane Katrina.

There are some great design principles that I think that anyone will enjoy who is thinking about building a new home in Waco.

Mark P. Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes
Frontera Development
Model Home

For more information, please call Mark at 254-495-1241 or email him at fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Pick Your Elevation for a "New Home in Waco"

2008-09-29T15:06:00.001-05:00

Front Porch Homes, Waco's premiere "Traditional Builder" features a new program in which you can pick your floor plan or have one custom drawn and then you select the style of house you prefer and we will customize an elevation to match.

The exact same house can be built to your specific taste and distinctive style, with out compromising the integrity of the floor plan.

Currently, Front Porch Homes is building these style of houses in Cotton Crossing, a traditional neighborhood development in Woodway, Texas. Houses typically range in size from 1,600 up to 3,500 sq/ft.

Typically, in a historic neighborhood, there will be a significant mix of architectural designs, that when done properly add to the character and charm of a beautiful neighborhood. Front Porch Homes and Cotton Crossing are striving to replicate that bygone era the "return of the neighborhood" in Waco, Texas.

The Waco Real Estate Market is usually low on options for the buyer who is wanting to downsize, simplify their life, stay in close to center of town and still have a house with character that is also energy efficient and easy to maintain. Cotton Crossing and Front Porch Homes are featuring a new phase that centers around single story house plans that are designed with the active empty nester in mind.

For more information or to schedule an appointment for a consultation, please contact:

Mark P. Felton
Front Porch Homes/Frontera Development
495-1241
fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Mark offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Model Home
Frontera Development

Waco's Cotton Crossing "The Return of the Neighborhood"

2008-09-10T21:09:00.001-05:00

Most people have to drive into a "Historic Neighborhood" to find picket fences, front porches, and sidewalks. Not only are they commonplace in Cotton Crossing, they are mandatory according to the building standards put in place by Mark Felton the developer of the project.

"These are the features that everyone gravitates to in a house. When a magazine is doing an article on something housing related, they don't put your average house in the picture, they find a traditional styled house with character and a big front porch, says Felton."

People want to live in a house that reflects the family that lives inside. They want something with an identity.

Mark Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

For More Information, call Mark at 254-495-1241 or fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Cotton Crossing
Front Porch Homes
Model Home
Frontera Development

Waco's Cotton Crossing to feature "NotSoBig-House Plans"

2008-08-20T20:49:00.002-05:00

Cotton Crossing will be featuring and building smaller houses to cater to the market demand for single story downsized housing in Waco. One of the pioneers of the "smaller house" is the architect and author, Sarah Susanka whose first book, the "Not So Big House" has been through multiple printings and is now considered a must read for anyone wanting to design and build a house on a reduced scale.

"Everyone says they want the big house with every imaginable room and by the time they can afford to build it, their kids move away and go to college and they are left with a wonderful house that they no longer need" says Mark Felton, the developer of Cotton Crossing.

For More Information, contact Mark at 254-495-1241 or fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Cotton Crossing
Model Home at Cotton Crossing
Front Porch Homes
Rancho Lorena
Frontera Development

Wacoan Magazine features Cotton Crossing in Green Building Issue

2008-06-15T13:01:00.001-05:00

Cotton Crossing The Return of the Neighborhood

Mark Felton has been raising the bar for residential construction. His two companies’, Frontera Development and Front Porch Homes, main project is Cotton Crossing, a development centrally-located on the old Western Oaks Golf Course. Cotton Crossing is one of Waco’s newest master planned communities, classified as a Traditional Neighborhood Development. The entire neighborhood is architecturally controlled and uses historic building styles such as Bungalow, Colonial, French Country and more. Cotton Crossing features garden homes with yards maintained by the homeowner’s association, sidewalks, front porches, lakes and walking trails.

Phase II features single-story houses geared toward baby boomers looking to downsize and lower energy bills without sacrificing the look of their home. With ever-increasing energy costs, many customers are asking about Green Building. Standard features include spray foam insulation, tankless water heaters and insulated double pane windows. These products provide significant savings for customers. “I have a three-bedroom, two-bath house that is near completion that will have an average 12-month energy bill of around $60 per month,” said Felton.

Front Porch Homes and Frontera Development are building in Cotton Crossing, Rancho Lorena and Lost Oaks. Front Porch Homes will also accept custom design/build projects around the Waco area. Visit our blog at frontporchhomes.blogspot.com
Cotton Crossingcottoncrossingtx.net 200 Prestwick Woodway254/751-7150

Waco's Cotton Crossing exploring LEED Certification

2008-04-15T17:15:00.001-05:00

Cotton Crossing is not the only group in the Waco area that is going green. The new Waco Chamber of Commerce headquarters is going to be one of the first LEED certified commercial buildings in the area. Below is an interesting article on the new LEED Neighborhood Development standards which, prior to now didn't really exist. It is interesting reading if your are trying to brush up on everything "Green".

This certification is something that we will certainly explore at Cotton Crossing and other projects we are working on. However, we are always trying to utilize the practices of sustainability and green building at all times in the development process.

With the release of the LEED-Neighborhood Development pilot rating system this week, it is clearer than ever that green building design and community form shouldn't go it alone. The most powerful strategy for achieving environmental sustainability is incorporating high-performance buildings in compact, mixed-use neighborhoods that reduce driving by making walking and transit attractive options for commuting and other trips.
A joint venture of the Congress for the New Urbanism, the US Green Building Council, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, LEED-ND acknowledges that more than a third of greenhouse gases and a similar share of other environmental impacts are generated by buildings (primarily heating and cooling them) but another third is generated transporting people and goods to and from those buildings. Through a multi-year research and review process, the LEED-ND partners have identified draft criteria that will guide developments to achieve significant improvements in sustainability on both of these fronts, as well as related ones such as water management and habitat preservation. That pilot version of LEED-ND was released this week and is now available for download (warning: large PDF).
During the pilot phase, the LEED-ND rating system is tested against real world projects in order to improve the system and its applicability in the marketplace. In addition, participants in the pilot program have the opportunity for their development to be among the first projects to be recognized with LEED-ND certification. New Urbanist practitioners -- with their expertise in developing compact, complete, and connected neighborhoods -- can help in the refinement of the LEED-ND rating system by participating in the pilot program.
"Just as other LEED systems have improved building efficiency and energy performance, LEED-ND will reward efficient use of land and the building of complete and walkable communities," said John Norquist, President and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism. "It is helping to reinforce a more complete understanding of sustainability that extends all the way from the individual building to the neighborhood and community."
Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council said the expanded focus on green communities is important. “The future of green building is to think beyond just buildings, by addressing important issues like density development, community infrastructure, resource availability, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. LEED for Neighborhood Development is an important and exciting step towards transforming the marketplace to create a healthy and sustainable future.”

Waco Home Buyers Have New Priorities

2008-04-09T17:35:00.006-05:00

The following article is based on a national survey but is very indicative of trends in the Waco Real Estate marketplace.

Green living, storage, quality materials, outdoor living, and other amenities are listed as important to today's consumer
New data has been compiled by both the National Association of Home Builders and Better Homes and Gardens. The info was presented at the International Builders' Show recently. With the studies showing an interest in green living, outdoor living, and quality, consumers are ready to ask for what they need and want.

Because of recent increases in fuel and building costs, the home buyers' desire for green materials is two fold. On the one hand, these materials are better for the environment. On the other, energy-efficient improvements and appliances will help with long-term home maintenance costs.

Acccording to the Better Homes and Gardens survey, many buyers feel that they would be more apt to buy a new home during rough economic times if the builder was offering additional amenities, discounts, or professional advice. Builders are taking consumer desires to heart, for example, by accomodating modern, busy lifestyles with more functional kitchens, extra living space, storage, and master suites.

Although many people in older homes may dream of a shiny, modern kitchen or another bathroom upstairs, the studies show that buyers are generally happy with the size and quality of new homes' kitchens, as well as with the numbers of bathrooms.

Of course, any home buyer has their own list of "must-have" features they just won't consider living without. The survey found the some of the top items to be:

Laundry rooms
Heavy insulation
Energy-Star rated windows
Fenced yards
Walk-in pantries
Natural stone
Home size and price were also important factors explored by both studies, as well as the materials.

Mark P. Felton, offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer, so if you can't find the home you are looking for, pick your lot and he can build your dream home as well. You can contact him at 254-495-1241.

http://www.cottoncrossingtx.com/
http://www.frontporchhomes.blogspot.com/
http://www.rancholorena.com/

Waco Real Estate Market not 'Gloom & Doom'

2008-04-07T22:43:00.001-05:00

The Waco real estate market is at a slow, but steady pace. And while home value appreciations in Waco might have seemed slow, local real estate players are counting themselves thankful to be in a place somewhat isolated from national housing woes. Even while the national media report large drops in home values and the country hits record-setting foreclosure rates, the stability of the real estate market in Waco should make it a safe place to weather the storm, said Trammell Kelly, a residential specialist with Kelly Realtors. In Texas, fast-growing areas such as the suburbs of Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin have experienced price drops and slowdowns in the market. But the fundamentals of the Texas economy remain strong, making the state a hotbed for job growth and the housing market, said Mark Dotzour, chief economist for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. In January, the real estate center released a report titled "Looming Boom: Texas Through 2030," which says that Texas still is being discovered by the rest of the country. The report estimates an increase of population in Texas of 13.6 million people between 2005 and 2030, 90 percent of which is projected to be located in a triangle between Denton, Houston and San Antonio. Waco lies near the center of that triangle, contributing to local builders' and agents' optimism about the future of the real estate market here. But the conflicting stories that people hear from the national media and local real estate professionals confuse homebuyers and sellers, making them ask more questions before entering the market, said Patricia Meadows, board president of the Waco Association of Realtors. The one indicator that raises concerns for some analysts is the Waco area's high inventory of homes for sale. It would take about nine months to sell all of the houses on the market at the current sales pace, according to data compiled by the real estate center. Experts at the center consider 6.5 months of inventory a balanced market, in which home value appreciation can be expected at an average clip. Anything less is considered a seller's market, and anything more is a buyer's market. Statewide inventory is about six months, Dotzour said, adding that it might be a good time for building activity for residential homes to slow to allow time for houses to come off the market. High inventory can slow the market by pressuring sellers to cut prices, which can affect home values. However, Waco has not been affected substantially by large-volume builders that tend to drive up inventory levels. That might reduce the chance that high inventory will sour the market, Dotzour said.

http://www.wacotrib.com/

Mark P.Felton, offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which build in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena

Waco Board of Realtors awards Cotton Crossing "Most Unique Salsa"

2008-04-07T21:07:00.002-05:00

Mark P. Felton, founder and developer of Cotton Crossing won the "Most Unique Salsa" at the Waco Board of Realtors first annual Margarita and Salsa Contest. This was a new event and fund raiser for the American Home Week festivities that they have every year. The Judges were all local Marines stationed in and around Waco area. Later in the week there will be a "Turkey Fry" the Realtor Golf tournament, Bingo and a hamburger lunch.

The Cotton Crossing Team was happy to come away with a win since there is not much chance of winning anything at the golf tournament.

There were also awards for "Hottest Salsa", which went to the Keller Williams Team (Go Team!). Mark also is a Keller Williams agent as well, so he was rooting on his teammates in their win. First American Title won the "Best Margarita", whom Mark used to work for in Business Development before he went into Real Esate & Construction.

All in all, it was a great night for spicy salsa and smooth margaritas and was a well organized and successful event for the Waco Board of Realtors.

Mark P.Felton, offers buyers & sellers looking for houses in the Waco area a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

http://www.cottoncrossing.net/
http://www.rancholorena.com/
http://www.frontporchhomes.blogspot.com/

Seaside "The Premier New Urbanism Project"

2008-03-31T16:15:00.001-05:00

Seaside is the primary influence I had for Cotton Crossing in its inception. While there are many other notable projects that we will discuss at another time, none is as important to me or the New Urbanist movement as a whole as Seaside. It was the first nationally recognized project that featured the design principles of New Urbanism from top to bottom. Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, better known asDPZ are the visionairies that created Seaside, along with hundreds of other New Urbanist projects around the world. DPZ are also the founders of the Congress for New Urbanism, which coincidentally will be holding its annual national conference in Austin, Tx next week.

If you will notice the picture of the Cotton Crossing Model Home below, you will see that this house could be located anywhere in Seaside and it would fit right in. This obviously is by design. I wanted to capture that timeless feeling of the classic traditional architecture that you see throughout the South and especially on the coastal areas.

You can view the virtual tour of the inside of this house by clicking here.

For more information on New Urbanism, TND's, Cotton Crossing or Green Building, go to http://www.cottoncrossingtx.com/.

Mark P. Felton

254-495-1241, fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Blog Directory

Cotton Crossing Breaks Ground on Phase II

2008-01-05T17:22:00.000-06:00

Press ReleaseContact:

Mark P. Felton II

Phone: (254) 495-1241

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

8 A.M. Central, January 5, 2008

Cotton Crossing Breaks Ground on Phase II

Woodway, TX, January 5, 2008: Frontera Development is proud to announce the official ground breaking for its second phase of Cotton Crossing, a "Traditional Neighborhood Development". The general contract was awarded to JNB Construction and should be completed sometime in mid May 08'.

There will be 21 Garden Home lots available in Phase II, which will also feature a picturesque park that runs through the center of the neighborhood. The park will feature a large pergola and sitting area and will include winding trails and native landscaping.

Pre-sales are underway and there are a number of unique and desirable lots to choose from, including corner lots, oversized lots that back up to a lake and cozy interior lots that back up to the park.

For a copy of the plat, deed restrictions, price list, and or architectural guidelines, Please Contact: Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241

Cotton Crossing featured in the Dwelling

2007-11-07T17:03:00.000-06:00

New Urbanism Makes its Waco Debut
Builder/Developer Mark Felton brings Cotton Crossing to Waco Homebuyers

By Kat Nelson

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

To modern developers, city planners and architects, New Urbanism spells smart growth and is aimed at creating human-scale, walkable, mixed-use communities that are also known as a Traditional Neighborhood DevelopmentTraditional Neighborhood Development (TND).

And now Frontera Development, LLC brings the first TND to the Waco area with their Cotton Crossing community. Located on Western Oaks, Cotton Crossing is on the site that was previously the Western Oaks Country Club and Golf Course. Frontera Development, LLC was founded in 2005 by native Wacoan Mark Felton II.

Mark Felton became interested in the concept after hearing Waco Chamber of Commerce President Jim Vaughan speak about its popularity at a Heart of Texas Builders Association meeting. After researching the subject thoroughly, Felton created Cotton Crossing as a hybrid, in-fill TND community.

“Cotton Crossing is designed to comfortably accommodate residents in different ages and stages of life,” Felton said. “The neighborhood has the look of beautiful, historically-accurate homes. Outside, the homes are finished with James Hardie materials to provide nearly maintenance-free wear. Inside, the homes are packed with the amenities, finishes and technology that buyers want. The exterior details of these elevations also encourage the use of corresponding period details inside the homes.”

In the aftermath of World War II, the nation’s developers began building neighborhoods based on the principles of separate use. This form of development, known as conventional suburban development (CSD) or ‘sprawl,’ has consumed large areas of countryside and vastly increased the levels and necessity of automobile use. As metropolitan areas spread, commuter times soared. It is estimated that the majority of U.S. citizens now live these suburban communities built in the last fifty years.

New Urbanism was pioneered in the 1970s by renowned architect Andres Duany and is among the hottest concepts in today’s’ housing industry. The primary principles of New Urbanism date back to before World War II when families didn’t necessarily have an automobile.

Duany’s firm designed the acclaimed Seaside community in Florida and has co-designed more that 140 cities, towns and neighborhoods worldwide. Across America, there are now more than 650 towns or villages using the principles of New Urbanism.

“One of the most important and significant aspects of a TND community is the re-orientation of social activity and interest in front of the home,” Jim Vaughan said. “TND neighborhoods are designed to create a public room on the front of the home — thus encouraging social interaction and pedestrian traffic. Conventional suburban development — or urban sprawl — orients itself to the backyard of the each home which decreases the likelihood of visiting with your neighbors on an impromptu basis.”

In practical terms, the concept goes far beyond taking what’s old and making it new again. To remain competitive, the developer must create the TND ambiance plus include all the modern living spaces, amenities and technology that consumers demand and competing suburban builders offer.

These new communities incorporate a sensibility toward the regional sense of place and natural environment. A wide range of historic architectural styles increase visual interest, while the extensive use of color, style-and period-appropriate details, texture and pattern create distinctive streetscapes. The street grid is denser and uses increased connectivity, narrower streets and “T” intersections to calm traffic and make walking safer.

Phase one of Cotton Crossing offers garden homes ranging from 1,650 to 3,000 square feet. A homeowner’s association maintains yards and public spaces and property values are enhanced through deed restrictions and an Architectural Control Committee.

Styles at Cotton Crossing range from Southern Colonial, Bungalow, Craftsman, Charlestown and more. The community will have seven picturesque lakes with water frontage lots available. A recreation center will feature a landscaped pool and open air clubhouse complete with a commercial kitchen.

Larger homes will be offered in subsequent phases. Lot prices in the community range from $40,000 to $120,000. There are about 300 home sites within the development that will accommodate homes in varying sizes.

For more information, visit http://www.cottoncrossing.net/.

Frontera Development is a full service real estate development company based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

**The Dwelling is a monthly publication of the Waco Tribune Herald**
http://www.wacotrib.com/

Waco Relocation Guide

2007-06-05T17:51:00.000-05:00

Relocating to Waco ?

Sometimes it can be difficult relocating to a medium size market like Waco when you are trying to gather the information on where to look at numerous places. If you want a "one stop shop" try the Chamber of Commerce Relocation Guide. It has just abut everything a prospective Wacoan could want.

Attractions:
Armstrong Browning Library
Art Center Waco
Bear Habitat
Cameron Park Zoo
Carleen Bright Arboretum
Dr Pepper Museum
Heritage Square Historic Homes
Homestead Heritage
Mammoth Site
Martin Museum of Art
Masonic Grand Lodge
Mayborn Museum Complex
Red Men Museum
Scottish Rite Museum
Suspension Bridge
TCV Winery
Texas Ranger Museum
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Performing Arts:
Baylor Theatre
Bosque River Stage
MCC Theatre
Music in Waco
Waco Civic Theatre
Waco Hippodrome Theater
Waco Symphony
Recreation:
Cameron Park
Cottonwood Creek Golf
Lake Waco
Lake Waco Wetlands
Lions Park
River Bend Park Ballfields
Waco Regional Tennis Center
Waco Water Park

Of course, when it comes to where you are going to live, we are a little biased. You will find that Cotton Crossing is Waco's only "Traditonal Neighborhood Development" that truly gives you the feeling of another time and place. Most people who are moving to Waco are coming from a larger market where they are used to having numerous Master Planned Communities to choose from. Cotton Crossing fills that need and is centrally located in the heart of Waco & Woodway since it was built on top of the old Western Oaks Golf Course.

Mark P.Felton, offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

For More Information, Call Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241 or go to http://www.cottoncrossing.net/

Blog Directory

Waco Real Estate Market in Growth Phase

2007-05-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

The following article was written by Scott Connell of the Waco Chamber of Commerce and is a great highlight of some of the exciting things we have going on in the Waco area.

Waco area seeing excellent growth

Thursday, May 17, 2007

By Scott Connell

Vice president, economic development, with the Waco Chamber of Commerce

Waco has seen tremendous growth, especially in the past two years. From a retail perspective, the developments along Interstate 35 are getting the most attention and investment. The focus is on a few exits around Texas Highway 6 in South Waco and Loop 340 on the North side at Bellmead and Lacy Lakeview. The area also has been experiencing a large amount of investment in health care. Providence Hospital is completing a $50 million expansion and Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center recently broke ground on a new $184 million hospital complex at I-35 and Texas Highway 6.

Population numbers
McLennan County	226,189
City of Waco	120,465
Hewitt	12,987
Bellmead	9,555
Robinson	9,062
Woodway	8,689
Lacy-Lakeview	5,804
McGregor	4,847
China Spring	3,789
Elm Mott	3,113
West	2,711
Mart	2,531
Axtell	2,284
Lorena	1,595
Bruceville-Eddy	1,534
Moody	1,393
Riesel	1,004
Crawford	789
Hallsburg	533
Leroy	333
Ross	234
County demographics

Female	51.4%
Male	48.6%
White	62.0%
Hispanic	20.6%
Black	15.2%
Asian, Indian, Hawaiian	2.2%
High School Grad	76.6%
College Grad	19.1%
These demographics were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest releases, mostly on complete statistics at the end of 2005.

A preview of the future Heritage Square.

There currently are several significant projects underway in Waco. Triliji Group, for example, is completing construction of Legends Crossing, a $50 million, 150-acre mixed use development at the crossroads of Texas Highway 6 and I-35. Stonehenge Development is building a $49 million, 9.4-acre mixed-use development in downtown Waco. Sanderson Farms is completing construction near TSTC of a $70 million chicken hatchery and processing plant, which will employ 1,300 people in the next year. In addition, Caterpillar Logistics has announced the leasing of 975,000 square feet of distribution space at a former General Tire facility near the intersection of I-35 and US 77. Many other projects are underway in the community that together represent more than $321 million in investment and 2,189 new jobs.

The "new-look" Hilton Hotel, a 4-star masterpiece.

Residential development continues to boom in two directions around Lake Waco — south/southwest along U.S. Highway 84 and northwest in the China Spring area. Many of the new residential areas are close to the 70+ employer Texas Central Park, a 3,000-acre business park located between I-35 and U.S. 84. I-35 developments are taking advantage of the regional accessibility of Waco and the traffic on the corridor.

Student housing loft project proposed for Heritage Square.

Retail also is growing along Franklin Avenue. New retailers in the Waco market include Pei Wei Restaurant, Academy Store, Mardel, Rib Crib, Wild West Wings, Dickey’s Bar-B-Q, and a new The Home Depot, which was built in Bellmead. Comfort Inn & Suites and Sleep Inn also are two names that have entered the market. Waco is seeing a lot of second and third stores of some of the major retailers already in the area.

A "birds-eye" view of the future Heritage Square parking area.

The places to watch for future development include downtown Waco, which has been receiving a lot of attention and focus for development; and the I-35 and Texas Highway 6 interchange, including the Central Texas Marketplace and Legends Crossing areas that will likely have more tenants vying for space going forward. The Texas Department of Transportation has a large construction project with fly-overs underway at that intersection. The Robinson and China Spring areas have both seen tremendous residential growth and are expecting significant commercial development as well.

Waco has experienced some of the strongest industrial growth in its history during the past few years. The labor force continues to grow with a relatively low unemployment rate, and the overall market should grow at an accelerated pace in the coming years as more jobs get filled.

Mark P. Felton is a proud member of the Waco Chamber of Commerce and the Waco Real Estate Community. He is actively involved in all aspects of the maket including, residential & commercial construction, development, and real estate brokerage. For more information about Mark or some of his projects please contact him at 254-495-1241.

www.cottoncrossing.net

Cotton Crossing Debuts at HOTBA's Parade of Homes

2006-09-09T22:37:00.000-05:00

Cotton Crossing enters it's first house in the Heart of Texas Builders Association Parade of Homes.

This year the HOTBA is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and Cotton Crossing is proud to be making its debut during such a historic year.

"We feel like the HOTBA Parade of Homes is the single best opportunity for us to show off what we can do to Waco and the surrounding community" Mark P. Felton, Developer of Cotton Crossing & President of Front Porch Homes.

www.200prestwick-cottoncrossing.com

www.300heatherrun-cottoncrossing.com

Builders Guild at Cotton Crossing tours TND's in DFW

2006-08-02T13:49:00.000-05:00

Cotton Crossing "Builders Guild" Tours TND Neighborhoods in the DFW Metroplex with James Hardie Siding & McCoys Lumber Company.

The tour was organized by McCoys and sponsored by James Hardie and took the group through a number of master planned neighborhoods that were built with the principles of New Urbanism in mind. Two of the more noteable developments were Hometown and Providence, which are significantly built out and beautiful traditional neighborhoods.

Hometown is in North Richland Hills and was designed by the famed design firm DPZ. Providence is located in the McKinney area and was developed by the Huffines Group. It has its own school, numerous parks and lakes and already has over 3,000 residents. Both projects exemplify the quality and attention to detail that we are seeking to build in Cotton Crossing.

The tour actually came about so that the builders who were going to be building in the first phase of Cotton Crossing would be able to visualize the finished product. Also, it is always a good opportunity for builders to go and see how other builders in different markets are finishing their product. We were able to view developments that featured properties in the entry level, move-up, and luxury price levels.

After the hard day of touring, James Hardie Siding was nice enough to treat the whole group to a baseball game at the Frisco Rough Riders stadium in their company skybox. Actually, they have more than just a luxury box to watch the game, the stadium is named after the company and is covered entirely with their product. It is reminiscent of an old fashion ball park from the twenties and was a beautiful example of their wonderful materials.

Cotton Crossing Ground Breaking Ceremony

2006-01-20T20:51:00.000-06:00

Press Release
Contact: Mark P. Felton II
Phone: (254) 495-1241

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8 A.M. Central, January 17, 2006

Cotton Crossing Phase I Ground Breaking Ceremony

Woodway, TX, January 17, 2006: Frontera Development L.L.C. has scheduled a ground breaking ceremony for Cotton Crossing, a new master planned “Traditional Neighborhood Development”, on Friday, January 20th at 10:00 A.M.

City Officials, the Media, project participants and investors are invited.

Inquiries for the project should contact Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241. http://www.cottoncrossing.net/

Frontera Development is a full service real estate development company based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus of the company is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of “New Urbanism” and “Traditional Neighborhood Developments”.

(Cotton Crossing Founder, Mark P. Felton speaking with City Manager, Yost Zachary, and City Councilmen, J.B. Owen)

Cotton Crossing Begins

2006-01-16T20:33:00.000-06:00

Press Release
Contact: Mark P. Felton II
Phone: (254) 495-1241

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2 P.M. Central, January 16, 2006

Frontera Development begins Cotton Crossing Phase I

Woodway, TX, January 16, 2006: Frontera Development, L.L.C. proudly announces that construction has commenced on Phase I of Cotton Crossing a new master planned “Traditional Neighborhood Development”. The project will be located in Woodway, TX on the site that was originally Western Oaks Country Club.

The land purchase and development were financed by American Bank and construction of the streets & utilities was awarded to Barnett Contracting.

The initial phase will consist of Twenty Three “zero lot line” lots, several of which have water frontage on a beautiful 1.5 acre lake. There will be a homeowners association to maintain common areas and parks, as well as upkeep and mowing of neighborhood yards. The entire subdivision will be strictly controlled through deed restrictions and an Architectural Control Committee.

A model home will be built to serve as an office for the project as well as a design & sales center for potential customers to utilize in their decision making process. Construction on the model home will begin in early Spring 06’.

Inquiries for the project should contact Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241 or 254-751-7150 or 254-751-7900. http://www.cottoncrossing.net/

Frontera Development is also currently working on Rancho Lorena in Lorena & Lost Oaks in Bosqueville.