A roughly 1,074-acre master-planned neighborhood is on the way to the north side of FM 1960 in the Dayton area, large enough on paper to eventually hold more than 3,000 homes. Developers say the community, marketed as Arabella Crossing and referenced in some broker materials as Arabella Reserves, will feature parks, walking trails and commercial space along FM 1960. Phase I is expected to roll out a substantial first wave of lots that will set the tone for a much larger buildout along the corridor.
Who bought the land
Connor Investment Real Estate acquired the site and is holding it for a long-term residential buildout under Paul Hayden Development. In a statement to Realty News Report, Paul Garza, CEO of Paul Hayden Developments, said, "Arabella Crossing will set a new standard for quality, amenities, and access along FM 1960." Realty News Report described the tract as the largest contiguous parcel between the Grand Parkway and Dayton, underscoring how unusual this amount of assembled land is along the highway.
Deal on paper
Brokerage filings show the purchase covered about 1,073.9 acres on FM 1960 in Dayton. Junction Commercial Real Estate reports that Reed Vestal, John Erck and Quade Towers represented Connor Investment Real Estate, while Tommy LeBlanc and John-Michael Kamel of MLB Commercial Real Estate represented the seller. According to Junction Commercial Real Estate, Phase I is slated to deliver more than 1,000 lots across 40-, 45- and 55-foot product lines, with walking trails, parks and landscaped open space built into the early stages.
What the plan includes
The project’s land plan reserves space for mixed-use development along FM 1960, including commercial nodes fronting the highway and a designated site for an elementary school. According to Realty News Report, firms such as Elevation Engineering and META Planning & Design are working on the Arabella Crossing concept, and developers say the community will offer extensive walking trails and landscaped green space. The initial neighborhoods planned for Phase I are expected to establish the housing mix and public-realm standards that later stages of the buildout will follow.
Why developers are eyeing FM 1960
Developers have been buying large tracts around the Houston region as single-family construction remains active and demand for lots stays high. The Kinder Institute at Rice University reports the Houston metro led the nation in housing permit activity in 2023 and that permitting remained brisk into 2024, with more than 45,000 single-family permits recorded through October. That steady pipeline is one reason investors pursued a contiguous parcel between the Grand Parkway and Dayton.
What comes next
With the deed transferred, the project now moves into the technical phase: entitlements, engineering, infrastructure work and builder outreach before any homes reach the market. Actual timing will hinge on permitting, utility work and market demand, and developers have not yet released a public construction schedule. Nearby residents and local officials will be watching for engineering plans, zoning filings and early pre-sales activity that will mark the first concrete steps toward the new community.
