North of Forney, a new 1,100‑acre master‑planned community called Meraki is starting to turn open land into future cul‑de‑sacs, as Dallas‑area growth keeps marching east. Developer Tellus Group is planning roughly 2,700 homes arranged around two lakes, with hundreds of acres of preserved open space plus a web of parks and trails. Westfield Homes says it has already closed on lots in the neighborhood and expects to start construction in the coming weeks, with some homes projected to be move‑in ready by summer 2026.
According to the community’s website, Meraki is about 21 miles east of downtown Dallas and is being developed by Tellus Group, the firm behind Windsong Ranch and Mosaic. Meraki lays out a conceptual master plan that features neighborhood amenity centers, trails and a future on‑site elementary school.
The project has already drawn outside capital. The Dallas Business Journal reported that Tellus closed a $45 million construction loan with First Continental to pay for early infrastructure and amenity work. Trade coverage also describes a multi‑phase schedule running into the 2030s as the developer rolls out roads, utilities and school parcels. DFW Agent reviewed financing details tied to the initial buildout and early timing.
Builders, pricing and timeline
Westfield Homes says it expects to begin building inside Meraki in the coming weeks, with sales for its single‑ and two‑story plans planned to start later this year. In a statement quoted by the Houston Chronicle, Westfield Co‑CEO Jackson Su said, “Meraki is exactly the kind of community Westfield Homes was built for, master‑planned, amenity‑rich, and positioned in a market with real long‑term demand.” The same Chronicle report notes that Westfield’s planned floor sizes will range from about 1,700 to more than 2,100 square feet, with starting prices in the low $300,000s.
On its own site, Westfield Homes lists Meraki among its featured communities and highlights standard features such as EV‑ready wiring and energy‑efficient finishes. Westfield will build alongside other names on the Meraki roster. The development’s builders page lists American Legend, Bloomfield, Highland and Perry among the partners, and Meraki shows a range of floor plans and price bands depending on the builder.
Amenities and schools
Listing pages and the community master plan outline a heavy amenities package. Meraki is expected to include two lakes, a lakeside amenity center with a resort‑style pool, multiple playgrounds and hundreds of acres of connected parks and trails. Early listings on Redfin emphasize the preserved open space and the outdoor‑living focus built into the layout.
The neighborhood is slated to be served by Forney ISD. Tellus has also reserved a site within the community for a future on‑site elementary school, a campus that is planned for later phases of the buildout.
What it means for Forney
Kaufman County has been one of the fastest‑growing counties in Texas in recent years, which helps explain why developers are lining up along the eastern edge of the Dallas metro. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau show strong population gains in the county. Local planning documents place Meraki near FM 548 at Mann Road, a stretch that has been tagged for future road work.
On its capital projects pages, the City of Forney notes that Meraki’s Phase 1 will include roughly 400 homes and that the planned widening of FM 548 has no construction start date yet. Those details are expected to influence traffic patterns, school planning and utility capacity as the community builds out over the next several years.
Sales and next steps
Westfield says sales for its Meraki homes are expected to begin later this year, with model‑home openings and quick‑delivery inventory to follow as construction ramps up. Reporting from the Houston Chronicle outlines the builder’s early timeline, while builders’ sales pages and listing services are already inviting buyers to sign up for priority lists and updates.
In the near term, expect permit filings, road work and the first infrastructure crews to start appearing on site as the paper master plan turns into pavement, pipes and foundations.
As North Texas continues to stretch outward, Meraki represents another big bet on demand for amenity‑rich suburbs, one that will reshape miles of open land outside central Forney and add housing choices aimed at buyers priced out of the inner ring. Keeping an eye on builders’ sales calendars and local planning documents this spring and summer will show when the first model homes and move‑ins actually arrive.
