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I've been keeping my eye on the Rubicon Realty page, and it was recently updated with this nugget: "Rubicon continues to work on the Phase IV development at The Crossing at Telfair. The recent execution of a ground Lease with Chuy's Mexican Restaurant has created a buzz in the market recognizing The Crossing at Telfair as one of the premier developments in the greater Houston area." Link: http://rubiconrealty.com/development Chuy's was also discussed during a December meeting of Sugar Land's Planning & Zoning Commission. Sounds like a sticking point was a palapa roof and a neon sign. Link: http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/city_hall/city_secretary/agendas/FY2013/121112pz/4a.pdf Does anybody have any additional info on this? Does "execution of a ground lease" make it a done deal?

I went to visit some family friends in Telfair over the weekend and drove through some of the neighborhoods. I came away very impressed with this development. First off, I personally don't like the trend of building houses on all the available land, but at least the houses look pretty nice and not totally cookie cutter (in my opinion). Next, knowing this development was built on prison land and agricultural land they have done an exceptional good job landscaping streetscapes and green space. I was most impressed with the drainage basins or whatever you want to call them. They made them look very natural with the wetland grasses that were planted along the banks, the lack of fake colored water, lack of concrete, and lack of water works. I saw at least 5 egrets, not geese or ducks, but egrets along the banks. Also, they had some nice trails that really blended in with the drainage basins. The streetscapes were very nice and given 10 years, all the trees planted will make a very positive effect on the whole area. Finally, I am not sure whether or not it is HOA enforced of the newness of the development, but almost every single house was immaculately landscaped. From what I understand Telfair is a bit more pricey, but given how it's developed and its proximity to 59, seems like its worth it. And no I am not a real estate agent, just giving my opinion.

A long time ago there was discussion about a new FBISD high school in Telfair. I thought that idea was discarded, but someone recently told me that it will happen. Does anyone know for sure and if so, what is the time frame?

Just drove down HWY 6 by Telfair looks like the Hilton Inn just opened up and A Fadi's Mediterranean grill is about to break ground....that should be good for sugar land.

Hey guys and girls, i love both places and i need help to pick one for my next home! riverstone or telfair? thanks!!

does the noise of aircraft and train bother you? i really don

Question for any telfair residents.... I am building in Telfair and my builder said that newland has stated that only oak trees can be planted in the front yard. is that correct? I wanted magnolias in the front. They said I would have to get a release from the developer and HOA...

Another Telfair question. the current sections remaining are the ones just east of the model home park and a few lots in the custom home section. If you go to the website there are tracts listed for future expansion, but so far none of the developers have mentioned when these section will be open for development. anyone know what type of lots these will be? 70', 80' or 90'? I know a few of the builders like Perry and trendmaker look like they are getting ready to focus more on the Alinia developement...just wanted to know if anyone had any insight. thanks again.

All the builders are giving substantial incentives and price reductions in Telfair Phase II. 3-4 months ago, same builders did not have time to meet us. now they are giving great discounts. What am I missing in this picture? We are looking to buy a house in Telfair.

The intersection at HWY 6 & HWY 90 is now open! Hwy 6 now has a bridge over University (in front of Sams), HWY 90, and the train track. This will be a HUGE time saver for thousands of drivers that drive thru this intersection every day. Plus the infrastructure is now ready for the Telfair retail, mixed use development planned for the SW corner of the intersection.

Does anyone know if Telfair has a community website yet? I have googled, but can't find it. Seems like all the other neighborhoods do - I guess maybe it hasn't registered with the search engines yet. If anyone knows of one, please pass it on! thx!

Does anyone know when homes in Telfair will be available to purchase? I am very interested in the area. My husband wants to live closer to Hwy 6, he thinks it is a better investment, but I like the layout of Telfair. I saw that they released the builders, but they gave no info on how or when to purchase.

Just wanted to get some takes on what you guys think about the Telfair subdivsion being so close to the Sugar Land airport. It's inevitable that there will be an extreme amount of air traffic there soon with Sugar Land growing so rapidly. Also heard that Fed-Ex will be flying cargo planes out of there pretty soon. I'm a Realtor in the Greatwood area and also plan on marketing the Telfair area. Feedback would be great and any input is appreciated! Joel Pond

From the February 28, 2005 print edition Residential Real Estate Beat Newland to transform prison land into Telfair Allison Wollam Houston Business Journal Newland Communities broke ground this week on a 2,018-acre master-planned community located on the former site of a state prison. The community is named Telfair, after one of the oldest oak-lined squares dotting downtown Savannah, Ga. The Texas version of Telfair is located in Sugar Land on Highway 59 South, with the main entrance at University Boulevard, just south of Highway 6. Occupying one of the last large tracts remaining open for development in Sugar Land, Telfair is located on prison farm land that San Diego-based Newland purchased from the state in 2002. Telfair will contain 4,000 to 4,500 homes once it is completely built out in 2011. Lots in the first phase are expected to be delivered to home builders late this year, with the first homes scheduled for completion in Spring 2006. The community will feature a village center designed to blend a variety of housing styles with civic buildings and commercial establishments, such as shops and restaurants. The Telfair master plan devotes 417 acres to recreational amenities, including a 70-acre lake and park system that will meander through the community. A City of Sugar Land regional park will span another 70 acres. In addition, Telfair will have three major recreation centers offering swimming pools, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts and sports fields. Each of the major internal roadways in Telfair will have an arched bridge designed to resemble the historic suspension bridges around Savannah. The community will be highlighted by a 16-acre site surrounding the 1939 Central State Farm prison building. Newland is currently studying ways to preserve the former dormitory for potential civic or commercial uses. Travis Stone, senior vice president of operations for Newland, says Telfair is significant for Sugar Land because it houses one of the city's few historic buildings. In addition, Telfair is an infill project which is surrounded by completed master-planned communities and amenities such as First Colony Mall and Sugar Land Town Center. "Given these circumstances, we wanted to raise the bar and create a truly unique and highly livable community at Telfair, one that would quickly offer a very established sense of place for homeowners," says Stone. The Telfair master plan also includes 390 acres designated as commercial space, with most of the commercial acreage fronting Highway 59 and Highway 6. The City of Sugar Land has an option to purchase a 95-acre tract in Telfair. The land will likely be used to accommodate industry and research centers associated with the Texas Energy Center. Telfair marks Newland's most recent development in the Sugar Land area. Newland is also the developer of Greatwood, a 2,050-acre master-planned community located just south of Telfair at Highway 59 and the Grand Parkway. Memorial mansion hits the sales block A popular Memorial mansion that has hosted such famous faces as Jayne Mansfield, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Stefanie Powers is on the market. The estate of independent oilman Johnny Mitchell and his wife Alleyne, both of whom are deceased, is selling the couple's 10,681-square foot Mediterranean-style home. The house was originally designed by architect John Staub in 1962 with a 1964 addition by George Paul. The Mitchell estate is being offered for sale by Agatha Brann of John Daugherty, Realtors. The asking price has been set at $6 million. The home, located at 215 Carnarvon Drive, has five full bedrooms, 11 and 1/2 baths, 12-foot ceilings and marble floors. Located on the bayou in Bayou Woods Estates the mansion also offers a guest home, an entertainment pavilion, a rectangular pool and lighted tennis court. Mitchell, the son of a Greek immigrant, came to prominence as an independent oilman with his brother, George Mitchell, when they founded what became Mitchell Energy and Development, one of the nation's largest independent oil companies. GHBA schools members on value of higher education The Greater Houston Builders' Association has joined the University of Phoenix to create more educational opportunities for participating residential home builders. In an agreement signed earlier this month, GHBA worked with University of Phoenix-Houston to arrange for the transfer of certain credits from the organizations' continuing education programs toward undergraduate degrees from the university. Erik Cofield, GHBA director of education, says the Houston organization is the first home builders' association in the nation to offer college credit for its courses. Under the new agreement, 119 courses will be articulated for a total of 121 college credit hours. awollam@bizjournals.com

They're finally releasing some details on Newland's development of the former state prison tracts! http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/3053187 ------------------------------------------------------ Community to rise where inmates toiled Developer wants Sugar Land project to have the tree-rich charm of Savannah By NANCY SARNOFF Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle A swath of Fort Bend County land that was once farmed by hundreds of Texas prisoners is set to become Sugar Land's newest master-planned community. Newland Communities broke ground this week on the 2,018-acre development, which it says will be modeled after historic Savannah, Ga., with its landscaped neighborhood squares, shady liveoak trees, colorful gardens and fountains. The project, dubbed Telfair, is named after one of the oldest oak-lined squares in downtown Savannah. Scores of shade trees and flowerswill be planted for almost year-round displays of color, said Travis Stone, senior vice president of operations for Newland. "I think we have somewhat similar climates," Stone said. "We don't have 100-year-old oak trees with Spanish moss hanging out of them, but we're going to plant them so maybe in the future that does happen." The property is on U.S. 59 at University Boulevard just south of Texas 6. Newland purchased the former prison farmland from the state for about $37.5 million in 2003. Along with large subdivisions of single-family homes, Telfair will have a series of pedestrian-friendly "traditional neighborhood developments" that will blend a variety of housing styles with shops, restaurants and civic venues. Anchoring the development will be a 16-acre traditional neighborhood surrounding the 1939 Central State Farm prison building, a Greek Revival-style structure that served as a dormitory during the site's early farming era. Newland is studying ways to preserve the building for civic or commercial uses. The San Diego-based company's other Houston projects include Greatwood, Cinco Ranch, Seven Meadows, Grayson Lakes, Eagle Springs and Summerwood. Complete in 2011 Newland hasn't identified the builders that will be involved in the project, but it expects the first homes to be completed in the spring of 2006. If all goes as planned, Telfair will have up to 4,500 homes when it's completed in 2011. The land is surrounded by such neighborhoods as Greatwood, First Colony and New Territory. Housing analyst Mike Inselmann of Houston-based Metrostudy said Telfair's Savannah theme will help set it apart. "There are lots of communities along the highway, so differentiation is really important," he said. Recreation in mind The developer has set aside more than 400 acres for lakes, parks and recreational centers with swimming pools, tennis courts and playgrounds. Some 390 acres fronting U.S. 59 and Texas 6 have been designated for commercial uses. Stone said medical groups, grocery stores and other retailers have already expressed an interest in this development. The city of Sugar Land plans to buy 95 acres south of U.S. 59 and adjacent to the University of Houston System-Sugar Land for the Texas Energy Center, a proposed research center that will focus on clean energy and deep-water drilling. Telfair, which was annexed by Sugar Land, is in the Fort Bend Independent School District. The master plan reserves almost 100 acres for three proposed school sites, including two elementary schools and one high school campus. Another parcel on block There has been a spate of recent developments in Sugar Land. Sugar Land Town Square, a Main Street-type project has been rapidly developing,and First Colony Mall hasbeen undergoing an expan-sion. Last week, Imperial Sugar announced plans to sell its former sugar refinery site to a group wanting to develop aproject mixing condominiums, single-family homes and retail space on the 160-acreparcel. And the state plans to auction off a tract nearby that's nearly as large as Telfair. On Tuesday, the Texas General Land Office will open sealed bids for 1,942 acres of land near the Grand Parkway and the proposed extension of West Bellfort. "Sugar Land's a good address," Stone said. "I think it has gotten to a point in its maturity that it can support a lot of what's going on."