Building an Agri-hood: When the Development Revolves Around the Farm

Indigo, a new community outside of Houston, is a different type of residential development. Led by farmers, the project will be anchored by a 42-acre working farm.

The goal is to have 750 residential homes, commercial and public areas, even a lake—all centered around a 42-acre working farm.

After a few months of grading and readying the area, they broke ground at Indigo two weeks ago. This summer, the water and sewer lines will get installed, along with the critical infrastructure and paving. Then, in the fall, builders will start on the homes, with the grand opening currently scheduled for early 2024.

But it’s the 42-acre production farm that will anchor the community. Six acres will be devoted to vegetable production, with community plots and farmer’s markets. The other 36 acres will house livestock, both broiler chickens and hens, and traditional row crops, with some fun additions such as watermelon thrown in. If this sounds like a big undertaking, it is.

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The 235-acre community will offer more than 50% open space, and include 750 homes, a 42-acre farm, a 25-acre lake, car-free zones, a brewery, an event center, and some dwellings with front doors that open to parks rather than streets.

The developers hope to create a place for people, not cars. Its town center, Indigo Commons, will feature about 70K SF of mixed-use commercial development, with 85% of homes built within a quarter-mile of it.

Garrett and Snodgrass operate another company, Agmenity, that offers consulting, design, installation and management services for agricultural amenities. Agmenity’s portfolio includes work on Johnson Development Corp.’s Jordan Ranch in the Katy-Fulshear area and Harvest Green, a master-planned community also in the Richmond area.

Indigo sits on property the two men own and previously used as farmland at Texas 99 and U.S. 90. It expects to welcome its first residents in February 2024.