PLAY MORE, DRIVE LESS

PLAY MORE, DRIVE LESS

Multifamily developments in Texas offer city lovers the chance to enjoy urban life while living in luxury.
Leah Sanders

Park the car. It’s time to live, work and play all in one area. Developments throughout the United States are popping up with the enticing offer of letting residents enjoy the benefits of living not only near their jobs but also in close proximity to theaters, restaurants, parks and other in-town conveniences. As people continue flocking to downtown areas and looking for housing, the multifamily development industry business is booming — and Texas is no exception. Texas Real Estate Business recently spoke with several companies that are bringing new homes to hot cities in Texas.

Mosaic

Downtown Houston already offers many benefits, but a new one will soon join the city skyline. Mosaic which is owned and being developed by Raleigh, North Carolina-based Phillips Development & Realty (PDR) and Atlanta-based Wood Partners, broke ground last December. It is composed of two high-rise towers, and each 30-story tower will include six stories of parking and 24 residential levels and a total of 788 units.

Located at 5925 Almeda Road off Highway 251, it is minutes from downtown, opposite Hermann Park and within walking-distance to the medical district. For the active young professional, it is the place to be. “The entire development is built around a very active, involved and socially directed way of life,” says Don Phillips, managing director of PDR. “Mosaic is directed at someone who wants to live close to their job and the amenities of Houston, cut down on the time spent in the car in traffic, and spend more time socializing, entertaining and being entertained. That’s really what we offer here.

The developers have crafted amenities that will serve this active lifestyle for city dwellers who desire to do and to see, and the term “Mosaic” indicates the overall experience that the development offers. Motion, for example, is a more than 6,000-square-foot workout facility and includes features such as a Pilates and boxing studio. Mix, a 6,000-square-foot area on the development’s 40,000-square-foot amenity deck, is a socialization area that has billiards, a theater and a party area. The deck is nearly 1 acre in size and includes an infinity edge pool, fire pit, spa and cabanas.

Mosaic’s design fits to the taste of the targeted demographics — professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 years. Ave Bradley, who provided lead design services during the start and expansion of W Hotels, created a modern feel for the common areas, and The Preston Partnership designed units to include floor-to-ceiling windows and stainless steel appliances. Residents will choose from more than 17 loft-style plans, and units range between 767 and 2,912 square feet, averaging 980 square feet.

Residents will also benefit from 25,000 square feet of retail space at Mosaic. The developers have already signed a letter of intent with Yappa, a Houston-based grocery and eatery. It will include a gourmet prepared foods section, a grocery section and a demonstration kitchen. The retail portion will also feature a day spa, dry cleaners and a coffee club/bar.

PDR and Wood Partners chose the location because of the area’s amenities. “The reason this location is so important is that this is an active lifestyle community, and active lifestyles blend perfectly with the outdoor amenities of this project,” says Phillips. Located opposite Hermann Park, Mosaic gives its residents immediate access to green space, an outdoor amphitheater, a golf course and the Houston Zoo, all of which are contained in the park. The Texas Medical Center, Rice University and downtown Houston are easily ac-accessible from the development.

“It’s a very convenient place for our targeted demographic — for people that work in the urban core of Houston, and it is immediately adjacent to some of the finer amenities,” says Phillips. “It’s very accessible, and it’s very livable.”

Construction on Mosaic commenced in December 2005, and completion is scheduled for September 2007.

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