Landscape Architect Articles

$1 Billion Master Planned Development for Rowlett, Texas01-13-17 | News

$1 Billion Master Planned Development for Rowlett, Texas

Lifescapes International Selected to Design Landscaping

The Bayside project is on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard one of the largest lakes in north Texas, created by damming the East Fork Trinity River. One interesting addition to the development is building a lagoon of "crystal-clear, turquoise waters, which will dwarf the football field size Bellagio style fountain.
Rendering: Lifescapes International, Newport Beach, Calif.

Kent Donahue and Wilks Development are bringing "beachfront" property to the Dallas suburbs.

The Lake Ray Hubbard region of Rowlett, Texas (pop. 56,199), about 20 miles northeast of Dallas, is the site for "Bayside," a $1 billion, 262-acre master-planned residential (3,000 units) and office development that will include a 700-room resort hotel, restaurants, retail and a 1,000 slip marina. Landscape architecture firm Lifescapes International of Newport Beach, Calif., is slated to design the landscape.

Large man-made lagoons with crystal clear turquoise waters seem to be the next big thing, and Bayside will include the first such lagoon for Texas. Crystal Lagoon of Miami is the company behind this phenomenon, and reports working on "more than 600 projects in different stages of development or negotiation in 60 countries." The Bayside lagoon will include a water front zip-line, electric boats and small cruisers for sailing, a FlowRider surf machine and day beds in the water. The 8-acre lagoon will dwarf the football field long Bellagio style fountain, which will have 250 water nozzles, 29 fire nozzles and two laser-projected video mist screens. Bayside will also offer 25 acres of parks, over four miles of lakefront trails, an open-air trolley, a variety of retail rooftop gardens and "beach zones" (private cabanas, swim-up bars and floating fire pits).

Lifescapes has extensive experience in mixed-use and resort design, including The Grove (L.A.), The Americana at Brand (Glendale, Calif.), Las Vegas resorts (The Mirage, The Bellagio; Wynn Las Vegas; Red Rock Resort & Spa and The Venetian), the Fontainebleau (Miami), the West Zhujiajian Resort (China); the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki (Greece); and the Four Seasons (Macau).

The master-planned community is being developed by Bayside Land Partners, LLC. Construction on the lagoon will begin in March, and is expected to open by Spring 2019.