Rob Bamford Named General Manager at Cross Creek Ranch

HOUSTON, TX – Rob Bamford, who has developed multiple, award-winning communities spanning more than 73,000 home sites, has been named General Manager of the west Houston master-planned community, Cross Creek Ranch.

A project of Johnson Development Corporation, Cross Creek Ranch ranked as one of the top 20 best-selling master-planned communities in the United States in 2011.   Most recently, the community was recognized as Houston’s 2012 Master Planned Community of the Year by the Greater Houston Builders Association.

A veteran of more than 30 years of single-family land development, Bamford joins Cross Creek Ranch after serving as General Manager for Grand Lakes, the 1,250-acre west Houston master-planned community by Trendmaker Homes and a Gold Award Winner for Best Large Community in the National Association of Home Builders “Best of American Living” Competition.

“Rob is an impressive development professional with a deep understanding of the west Houston market,” says Doug Goff, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Johnson Development.

Bamford joined Trendmaker Homes and Development in 1992 as a Project Manager where he was responsible for all residential development activities in the company’s Houston portfolio. He launched his residential development career in 1983 with EDEN Corporation, the land development subsidiary of General Homes Corporation.

“This is an exciting time for Cross Creek Ranch,” says Bamford.  “The foundation has been laid for a great community.”

Residents in Cross Creek Ranch enjoy resort-style amenities including the Cross Creek Water Park, a large resort-style swimming pool with a 200-foot water slide, a wading pool and spray park.  Cross Creek Ranch also is home to miles of hike-and-bike trails, a fitness center and sports complex with tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball court and playgrounds for all ages.  Plus, several parks are located within walking distance of every neighborhood in the community.

Located in the top-performing area for new home sales in Houston, Cross Creek Ranch currently has close to 700 homes with another 5,000 home sites available for development over the next ten years.  Approximately 200 acres in the community have been set aside for retail, commercial and multi-family.

About Cross Creek Ranch

Cross Creek Ranch is a 3,200-acre master-planned community in Katy, just minutes west of the Grand Parkway off FM 1093.  Recognized as Houston’s 2012 Master-Planned Community of the Year by the Greater Houston Builders Association, Cross Creek Ranch offers resort-style amenities including the Cross Creek Water Park, miles of hike-and-bike trails and a fitness center and sports complex with tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball court and playgrounds for all ages.  Families in the community currently attend schools in the Katy Independent School District and eventually the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.   Cross Creek Ranch is a project of Johnson Development.  For more information, go to www.crosscreektexas.com.

For More Information:
Bernard Kaplan
Kaplan Public Relations
(713) 784-1077

Johnson Development Corp. Acquires West Houston Master-Planned Community Cross Creek Ranch

HOUSTON, TX (April 17, 2012) – Johnson Development Corp. has acquired Cross Creek Ranch, the 3,200-acre master-planned community located minutes west of the Grand Parkway off FM 1093.

Originally designed and developed by Trendmaker Homes, Cross Creek Ranch opened in Spring 2008. In 2011, new home sales in Cross Creek Ranch placed it as one of the top 20 best-selling master-planned communities in the United States. Most recently, the west Houston community was recognized as Houston’s 2012 Master Planned Community of the Year by the Greater Houston Builders Association.

Located in the top-performing area for new home sales in Houston, Cross Creek Ranch currently has close to 700 homes with another 5,000 home sites available for development over the next ten years. Approximately 200 acres in the community have been set aside for retail, commercial and multi-family.

The purchase of the popular master-planned community marks Johnson Development’s entry into the Katy sub-market, an area the Houston-based development company with a 30-year track record has eyed for years.

“We’ve been interested in the Katy area sub-market for quite some time,” notes Johnson Development Corp. President Larry Johnson. “This is an exciting addition to our portfolio of highly amenitized communities.”

The acquisition also comes at a time when master-planned communities nationwide are reporting their strongest sales in three years, according to Robert Charles Lesser & Co., an independent real estate advisory firm. Moreover, Houston currently stands at the top housing market in the United States as measured by new home starts.

Johnson Development’s collection of award-winning master-planned communities includes Sienna Plantation and Riverstone, two of the top best-selling master-planned communities in the United States, as well as Fall Creek, Woodforest, Tuscan Lakes, Edgewater, Silverlake and the new Imperial development in Sugar Land.

Will Holder, president of Trendmaker Homes, says the company will continue to build homes in Cross Creek Ranch. He adds the sale will allow Trendmaker Homes to participate aggressively in other communities in Houston.

“We’re proud of what we started in Cross Creek Ranch and will continue to explore new areas of growth in the Houston area,” says Holder.

Residents in Cross Creek Ranch enjoy a number of resort-style amenities including the Cross Creek Water Park, a large resort-style swimming pool with a 200-foot water slide, a wading pool and spray park. It also is home to miles of hike-and-bike trails and a fitness center and sports complex with tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball court and playgrounds for all ages. Plus, several parks are located within walking distance of every neighborhood in the community.

Builders in Cross Creek Ranch include Ashton Woods Homes, Kickerillo Company, Newmark Homes, Perry Homes, Plantation Homes, Trendmaker Homes and Village Builders.

Families in the community currently attend schools in the Katy Independent School District and eventually in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District as well. In addition, the Cross Creek Ranch Education Foundation will fund enhanced education programs for students of all age groups.

For information about Cross Creek Ranch, go to www.crosscreektexas.com.

About Trendmaker Homes: Established in 1971, Trendmaker Homes has long been recognized as Houston’s premier luxury home builder for generations of Texans. We focus on the needs and desires of our homebuyers. Based on surveys compiled by Woodland O’Brien, a national homebuilder research firm, 99% of our homeowners would recommend us to their family and friends, which ranks Trendmaker in the top 10% of home builders nationally. Our focus is on providing superior quality new homes for Texans who expect nothing less than the best. Visit Trendmaker Homes website for more information about new homes for sale in Houston Texas and surrounding areas: www.trendmakerhomes.com.

About Johnson Development Corp.: The Johnson Development Corp. is a Houston-based, award-winning residential and commercial land development company. For more than three decades, the company has set the standard for successful master-planned communities in Houston, Atlanta and other markets around the country. Its impressive collection of Houston-area communities includes Sienna Plantation, Riverstone, Fall Creek, Woodforest, Tuscan Lakes, Edgewater, Silverlake and the new Imperial development. Johnson Development’s communities in Atlanta include Towne Lake, BridgeMill and Lake Arrowhead. The company also provides outsourced development and construction services for property owners without the management resources or in-house development team to realize the potential of their land positions. For more information on Johnson Development, visit www.johnsondevelopment.com.

How do you “invite green” into your home?

You have moved here for the eco-friendly features, great amenities and being away from the hustle and bustle of the big city life, so now it’s time to “grow your roots” in Cross Creek Ranch.

Join us tonight, April 4, 2012 at 7:00pm in the CCR Community Room next to the Welcome Center for a conversation with the corporate sustainability consultant and CCR resident, Tajana Mesic, as she shares the top seven tips on how to invite more GREEN living into your home and help your family live a HEALTHY and SUSTAINABLE lifestyle while keeping GREEN in your wallet.

There will be light and healthy refreshments, door prizes and a GREEN LIVING tip sheet to take home with you.

Date: April 4, 2012 at 7:00pm in the CCR Community Room

The Easter Bunny Visits Cross Creek Ranch

The Easter Bunny arrived yesterday at CCR. It was fun for all as snow cone machines were running at full blast and children were visiting with the bunny in between the exciting egg hunts.

Click here to view the Eater party photos on Facebook.

A healthy, natural habitat for a wide variety of birds and wildlife.

The restoration of the Flewellen Creek, along with all of our other ecological efforts, contribute to the growth and development of a healthy, natural habitat for a wide variety of birds and wildlife. The reforested areas and meadows provide a shady and protective land-based environment, while the lakes and wetlands are an aquatic haven for various fish, wading birds, frogs and turtles.

Learn more about our environmental restoration efforts here.