Mont Belvieu City Council has approved McGrath Real Estate Group’s proposal to begin developing a 1,400- acre piece of land on the corner of Eagle Drive and FM 565. What’s currently being used as farmland, will become a new master-planned community called Riceland.
Scott Swigert, Interim City Manager, says “The City of Mont Belvieu is excited to partner with McGrath Real Estate Partners to bring the Riceland master-planned community into Mont Belvieu. The vision for Riceland underscores what people love about living in Mont Belvieu; a high-quality high-amenity lifestyle that maintains our hometown feel. This is evident in the priority the developers have placed on working with the City to bring our vision of an authentic downtown, anchored by our new City Hall, into reality.”
The agreement with the Riceland developers will drive major City infrastructure improvements as it begins that will benefit all of our residents. The developer, in partnership with the city, will be building new roads and improving existing roads. Developers are also working closely with Barbers Hill Independent School District to hold out land for them to accommodate any necessary schools.
The walkable downtown features of Riceland will help Mont Belvieu grow to new heights, while also keeping the small town, homegrown community feel that we all know and love. Riceland will become the largest, amenitized masterplanned community in the area with plans of adding 3,800 – 4,000 new homes, a recreation building, a pool, a park system, 30 miles of hike and bike trails, and a large green space that will be used universally to hold a variety of events.
“Riceland will be the premier masterplanned community on the east side of Houston and I think Mont Belvieu is the perfect place for it. The city council and I worked very hard with the developer to ensure that the improvements that will come as a part of Riceland being here benefitted all Mont Belvieu residents – both current and future – while providing high-quality neighborhoods and amenities that will continue to make Mont Belvieu a great place to live,” said Mayor Nick Dixon.
McGrath, in coordination with TBG Partners, Jones Engineering Solutions, LRK, and Trez Capital, anticipates development to begin in March of 2022 with the first residential plat work beginning in the summer.