After recently acquiring 1,860 acres in Houston last month, Oxland Group has announced plans to develop Two Step Farm, a master-planned community with music and farming-oriented amenities. The first phase, named The Homestead, will deliver 1,100 lots with eight distinct lot sizes for sale and single-family rentals.
“In a community named Two Step Farm, music is at its heart,” says Tom Woliver, co-president of Oxland Group. “Our team has created communities across the country, and we’ve seen the power of music bringing people together. That, and the natural beauty of the land, drove our vision to express the true Texas spirit at Two Step.”
Phase one’s contemporary take on a rural town will include music venues, nature, and a goat farm. An actual working farmstead, The Goat Farm will be the home of a herd of goats that will work to clear invasive species in certain areas throughout the year to restore indigenous vegetation to create a healthier ecosystem.
“The property has a beautiful forest, but there are also a lot of invasive plants. What we found successful in our other master-planned community of Painted Tree in McKinney, Texas, is the use of goats as a sustainable way to restore the forest to its original ecosystem,” Woliver says. “It’s a term known as ‘goatscaping.’ It’s an interesting concept that has created its own following.”
Located north of Farm-to-Market 1488, between Interstate 45 and the new Aggie Expressway (Texas Highway 249), the master plan will border Cooks Branch Conservancy. Two Step Farm will retain much of its existing trees and aim to restore forest areas. “We are surrounded by big nature, and we embrace and celebrate that heritage. If we are planting trees instead of preserving, then we’re not doing our jobs,” says Woliver.
In addition to The Goat Farm, The Homestead will offer The General Store, a hub for specialty food and drinks while also serving as a visitor center, and The Dance Hall, an intentional place for people to gather and engage.
“The Dance Hall will be a simpler kind of music venue that can feature local musicians,” Woliver explains. “Furthermore, we’re investigating a couple philanthropic ties to bring local music educational programs into the community. It is a little early on in programming and design to say exactly what the music scene will be, but we will have a variety of music venues to host small and large groups of music lovers. The thought being that Two Step Farm could be the incubator for music culture and scene.”
A community pool will be tucked in the neighborhood with easy access for residents, while a main trail will weave through the community for walkers, runners, and bikers.
The model home village will front the visitor center and provide a convenient way to showcase the housing options. Home designs will reflect the architectural styles of Texana Farmhouse, Contemporary European, Acadian, Craftsman, and Texas Modern. Future housing options include townhomes and an active-adult enclave.
Future amenity plans include The Great Hall for larger events, a splash pad on the town green, an amphitheater, and mixed-use retail. An existing golf course is being evaluated for opportunities to create a community-centric golf experience, Oxland notes.
The developer is expecting to break ground on a new mile-and-a-half-long road, Two Step Boulevard, and the community in 2024. Phase one builders’ model homes are anticipated to open in early 2025 with a grand opening planned for late 2025.
