Homeowners in the Cane Island community near Houston don’t have just one clubhouse for socializing and recreation, they have an entire amenity village, and it’s overseen by a canine “ambassador” named Hub.
Courtesy Cane Island
The complex of six structures is made up of a 3,000-square-foot welcome center, a two-story fitness center, a yoga studio with on-demand instructional videos, a café, and a treehouse with observation deck and fireplace. The most unique building on the property is the glass-enclosed greenhouse conservatory that is open to residents and used for community gatherings.
The village concept is reinforced by the more than 1,000 mature pine and crepe myrtle trees that were planted in and around the amenity buildings, in addition to 13 50-year-old live oaks that were moved from elsewhere on the property. “In the past we’ve done one giant building for our amenity centers,” says Dan Naef, president of development firm Rise Communities. “For Cane Island, we decided to make it look like the trees were already there, and we had to break up the buildings into several structures to accommodate them.”
PROJECT DETAILS
Location Katy, Texas
Developer Rise Communities, Katy
Welcome Center Architect Jackson & McElhaney Architects, Austin, Texas
Welcome Center Builder SpawGlass, Houston
Welcome Center Size 3,000 square feet
Welcome Center Construction Cost $10 million plus
Community Size 11,000 acres
Land Planner RVi, Houston
Landscape Architect AndersonBaron, Dallas
Home Builders CalAtlantic, Coventry Homes, David Weekley Homes, Perry Homes, Shea Homes, Toll Brothers, Trendmaker Homes
One of the newest master planned communities west of Houston, the 1,100-acre neighborhood with homes from the $200s to $2.5 million draws families and empty nesters alike. Its opening in early 2016 coincided with the completion of the $7 million Cane Island Parkway interchange on Houston’s I-10, which gives residents easy access to the city’s Energy Corridor and jobs with multinational firms like BP America and ExxonMobil. At build-out five years from now the community will encompass 2,200 homes.
Even though it’s close to a big city, the vibe at Cane Island is definitely more small town, and residents are crazy for high school football, says Naef. On game nights, the community’s seven entrance fountains run red in honor of the Katy Tigers. Residents also gather for concerts and movie nights on the event lawn, facilitated by a mobile “amenity van,” a Ford 650 pickup truck that pulls a 44-foot-long trailer outfitted with state-of-the-art AV equipment.
Despite the many ways to keep busy, Cane Island’s most popular attraction is Hub, the golden retriever who spends his days at the amenity village. Residents of all ages seek him out, says Naef, and he plays an important role in welcoming new or potential buyers to the neighborhood. It’s special touches like these that make customers feel at home, says Naef.
“Building a community is all about the little things you do, not the bricks and mortar,” he says.
All of the extra touches at Cane Island didn’t come cheap—the amenity van alone cost $2 million—but Naef says they are worth it. “When you spread that cost over thousands of rooftops, I think I’d almost say how do you not offer all these amenities?”