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Development
Austin

Population boom speculated with 1,700 new homes in Elgin

Trinity Ranch could add more than 5,000 to population of less than 10,000

Green Brick CEO Jed Dolson and Century Communities CEO Dale Francescon (Green Brick, Century Communities, Getty)
Green Brick CEO Jed Dolson and Century Communities CEO Dale Francescon (Green Brick, Century Communities, Getty)

Texas developers are big on small towns right now as they bet on the outward growth in the state’s metro areas. The future Trinity Ranch in rural Central Texas is one for the books.

Details about Trinity Ranch were first sent to The Real Deal in August featuring plans to add about 151 single-family homes to the small town of Elgin. Now its developers, Plano-based Green Brick Partners and Colorado-based Century Communities, are saying the neighborhood will consist of more than 1,700 homes, the Austin Business Journal reported.

Elgin lies on the easternmost edge of the Austin metro area. Its population was 9,784 in 2020, up from 8,135 in 2010, ​​according to U.S. Census data. That growth of 1,649 people over 10 years is less than the total number of homes planned for Trinity Ranch. The town has very little commercial development, aside from an H-E-B and a BBQ joint — both cornerstones of any growing Texas town. It’s estimated that if a family of three moved into each home in Trinity Ranch, it would balloon Elgin’s population by about 5,100.

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Located near the intersection of Route 290 and Swenson Boulevard, the 383-acre site is undeveloped green space. It does not yet have an address, as of the late October announcement.

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In terms of infrastructure, back in June, Elgin City Council approved an amendment to the neighborhood’s development and consent agreement. Green Brick and Century Communities will be footing the bill for a large wastewater treatment facility to support the prospective population, according to city documents.

A media release for the project didn’t mention previously announced plans for Trinity Ranch. It did note that the ambitious development aims to meet a specific demand in the area.

“Inventory of new homes, particularly entry-level homes, continues to be incredibly limited and is exacerbating the issue of access to affordable homeownership,” said Green Brick CEO Jed Dolson. “By expanding our footprint to the Austin market, we seek to alleviate some of these issues through our value-rich, entry-level homes.”

Trinity Ranch is Green Brick’s first venture into the Austin market, whereas Century Communities says it’s already selling homes from the first phase of its Stallion Run neighborhood in Buda.

— Maddy Sperling