Marquette starts 300-home rental community in the Woodlands

Marquette Companies has started construction on a single-family rental community near The Woodlands, adding to the built-to-rent craze that’s permeated the Houston area. 

The 22-acre development is called the Sylvan. It will have 300 homes at 1941 Sawdust Road, west of Interstate 45, the Houston Chronicle reported. The first batch of homes are expected to be completed in January 2025.

This is the first built-to-rent community for Marquette, an Illinois-based apartment developer.

The rise of the built-to-rent sector in Houston has prompted developers to cater to renters seeking the perks of single-family living. Numerous rental communities have emerged across the region, such as Wingspan in Bridgeland, Balcara at Meridiana, Willow at Marvida and Willow at Sierra Vista. Apartment giant Greystar is also getting in the game with plans for a rental community in Katy.

Marquette is betting on increased demand for built-to-rent in the suburbs.

“When given the choice between a standalone home and vertical living, we feel renters will push to live in their own space,” Marquette’s Chris Yuko told the outlet.  “We feel this appeals to both your traditional renters and the emerging renter-by-choice market segment.” 

Rents at the Sylvan are expected to range from $1,750 to $3,500 per month. As of August, the average single-family rental rate was $2,344 per month, up roughly 1.5 percent year-over-year, according to the Houston Association of Realtors.

The Sylvan’s single-family dwellings will comprise three- and four-bedroom floor plans with private yards and garages. The townhomes will feature two and three-bedroom floor plans with access to private outdoor spaces and attached garages, and the apartment units will range from one to three bedrooms. There will be amenities like a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, spa, fire pits and walking trails.

Marquette, founded by Nick Ryan, was inspired to integrate the landscape into construction, as it retained 50 trees on site, including three live oaks that were over 100 years old. For trees that couldn’t be saved, Marquette has partnered with local woodworkers to make use of them as community furniture. 

—Quinn Donoghue 

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