Massive Mixed-Use Project on the way in Texas Hill Country

Developers continue to bank on the Texas Hill Country’s seismic growth.

Fredericksburg Development and Heirloom & Co are moving forward with the Village at Friedën, a 240-acre mixed-use development just south of downtown Fredericksburg between U.S. highways 87 and 290, the Houston Business Journal reported.

The project, first announced in 2019, could feature up to 500 residences — about 220 single-family homes on a 130-acre gated portion, more than 300 apartments and 40 cottages. There will also be a luxury hotel and 85,000 square feet of shops and restaurants.

The first phase includes 80 home sites, half of which have been sold. Construction has started for an additional 25 home sites, a community center, pool and private trail system. The developers expect to make headway on apartments, restaurants, pickleball courts and stores by the end of the year. In total, the Village at Friedën could take another five or 10 years to complete.

Single-family homes will range from more than $700,000 to upwards of $3 million, far exceeding the area’s median sales price of $499,000.

The hotel, dubbed the Artisan, is the “crown jewel” of the project. It’s slated for 108 suites, a 12,000-square-foot wellness center, over 30,000 square feet of private event space, a restaurant and bakery. It will also include a rooftop lounge and a pool with a lazy river and swim-up bar. The 40 “cottages,” built around the Artisan, will receive hotel services.

Fredericksburg, which has a population of roughly 11,000, is about 70 miles northwest of San Antonio and 75 miles west of Austin. Developers are targeting various towns throughout the Hill Country, due to its scenic beauty, abundance of wineries and close proximity to two major cities.

Salt Lake City-based Areté Collective is building a master-planned community in Spicewood called Thomas Ranch. It’s set to include 4,000 residences, a high-end golf course and a town center with restaurants, retail, and entertainment.

Arizona-based DMB Development has plans for a neighborhood of 12,000 to 14,000 homes at a 7,000-acre ranch north of Austin, near towns like Salado and Jarrell. Elsewhere in wine country, Tri Pointe Homes is building a 586-home community in Dripping Springs.

—Quinn Donoghue