Tri Pointe taps “Queer Eye” star for Dripping Springs design

Queer Eye star Bobby Berk lends his native Texan credibility to California-based homebuilder Tri Pointe Homes’ upcoming development in the fast-growing suburb of Dripping Springs, the Austin Business Journal reports.

Tri Pointe enlisted Berk to design a model home for the development, known as Heritage, which will feature 586 homes at full build-out. Just under 300 homes are planned in the initial phase of development.

Tri Pointe and its Ohio-based development partner M/I Homes received their first building permits in late December, and the estimated completion date is early summer.

The 188-acre site near downtown Dripping Springs represents a rare infill development in a city where locating land for new development is difficult.

The town’s population grew dramatically in recent years, rising by more than 224 percent, from 1800 residents to 5800, between 2010 and 2021. This rapid expansion led the city council to pass a one-year development moratorium in the Austin suburb in November 2021. The break gave Dripping Springs time to develop new planning guidelines in the face of high demand.

Berk was born in Houston, and the latest season of his hit Netflix reality show saw its “Fab Five,” bring their talents to Austin. Berk rounds out the star-studded cast as the show’s quintessential design guru, specializing in architectural and interior beautification. Tri Pointe tasked the Texan with bringing his keen sense of style and contemporary aesthetic to Dripping Springs.

The Berk-designed model — “inspired by the Austin landscape” — will be part of “the Arbor” collection, whose homes will range from 1,900-2,900 square feet.

The neighborhood will also have homes ranging from 1,700 to 3,000 square feet.

Pre-sales are expected to begin in late February or early March. The full build-out is expected for a 2026 completion date, but Chelsea Timmons, vice president of community experiences at the Tri Pointe Homes Austin office, said she suspects the development could extend into 2028.

– Brandon Sams