Caldwell Cos. has broken ground on a 2,300-acre master-planned community called The Highlands in Montgomery County, north of Houston.

The Highlands will include about 4,000 single-family homes from a wide swath of homebuilders, as well as a 300-acre nature preserve and a sandy beach area along the San Jacinto River. The community will be located west of FM 1314 along the Grand Parkway.

The project will also have master-planned community amenities, including an 18-hole golf course and clubhouse called Highland Pines, scenic hiking and biking trails, a waterpark and lazy river, on-site fitness, tennis and pickleball courts, an event lawn, and a pavilion for live music and other performances.

Development of The Highlands is underway and a soft opening is slated for late fall 2021, while a grand opening is planned for mid-2022.

The master-planned community also plans for a new on-site elementary school, zoned to New Caney Independent School District, which will open in fall 2024. In addition, there will be active-adult homes within the community, specifically designed for residents aged 55 years and above.

Caldwell Cos. said in a press release that the community has been inspired by the thick forestation of the site and is reminiscent of a national park.

“The topography of this site is what really sets it apart,” Caldwell Cos. Vice President of Land Development Peter Barnhart said. “We wanted to be good stewards of the natural resources and the densely treed setting has greatly inspired the development direction of the community. Even the streets are named after national parks.”

Single-family house prices at The Highlands will start around $290K.

Montgomery County is home to several other master-planned communities, including Howard Hughes Corp.'s The Woodlands and Signorelli Cos.' Valley Ranch.