Gracepoint Homes Opens Model in New Orleans-Styled Marion Development

SHENANDOAH, Texas -- Gracepoint Homes has opened a model home in Marion, a gated community in Shenandoah that is less than a mile from Interstate 45 and minutes from the new Exxon Mobil campus in north Houston.

The model, at 104 McGoey, is the builder’s Madeline plan, a two-story design with multiple outdoor living areas. Highlights of the design include an open common area accented by a broad kitchen island; a cantilevered bay window in the study that overlooks the outdoor dining porch; an upstairs master suite with an expansive master closet that includes a packing station and pocket door access to the utility room; and en suite baths for all bedrooms. The model has more than 3,500 square feet and an additional 700 square feet of outdoor living space. Base price of the design is in the $660,000s.

Gracepoint Homes, the developer of and exclusive builder in Marion, also has started work on five inventory homes, with the first two slated to be complete in September. Work on two more homes begins soon. Pricing in the community, named after the mother of Gracepoint Homes’ president Tom Cox, Jr., starts in the $600,000s. Home designs range from 3,500 to 4,000 square feet.

Planning for the enclave of 44 properties took more than a year as architects and development staff researched the details that give the community its New Orleans ambiance.

“We toured New Orleans, walked the famed Garden District and took thousands of photographs that we later studied to determine which architectural features we wanted to incorporate into Marion’s streetscape,” Cox said.

The result is a picturesque streetscape of homes adorned with decorative wrought-iron balconies, hurricane shutters, painted brick and other details reminiscent of New Orleans’ Garden District.

“We were very precise in selecting the color palette, the wrought-iron patterns and other decorative elements,” Cox said. “Lush landscaping also is an important feature, but one homeowners won’t have to worry about as ongoing yard and exterior maintenance is included.”

Marion’s architecture and location already are attracting buyer attention.

“Sales started in the community as soon as it opened,” said Phil Talamonti, sales representative for Gracepoint Homes. “We’ve had quite a few sales, which is unusual before a model grand opening.”

Shenandoah is adjacent to The Woodlands and Marion is near The Woodlands Town Center, Market Street and The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Children living in Marion will attend Conroe ISD schools located in The Woodlands.

“Marion has another advantage and that’s lower taxes,” Talamonti said. “Purchasing a $500,000 home in Marion as opposed to spending the same amount in The Woodlands will save a homeowner nearly 42 percent on taxes — about $4,000 annually. That’s a pretty big swing.”

For more information, visit www.gracepointhomes.com.