Huffines Communities is betting that unique amenities will set its new Solterra Texas master-planned community apart from the half dozen other new developments going up in Mesquite. With features like a Treehouse Masters treehouse, an on-site ballroom, a beer garden, and a water splash pad for dogs, the strategy appears to be working as it was recently named Best Community of the Year by the Dallas Builders Association’s McSAM Awards.
Solterra Texas is a 1,500-acre master-planned community in Mesquite, located about 17 miles east of downtown Dallas. Built on the former Lucas Farms site near the intersection of N. Cartwright Road and Faithon P. Lucas Sr. Boulevard, the community is planned for more than 3,400 single-family homes and townhomes.
Treehouse Masters
A few months ago, we told you about the professional treehouse built there by world-renowned treehouse designer and builder Pete Nelson. The Lookout Treehouse was highlighted by the Dallas Builders Association this year as the best new amenity, the association recently announced. Nelson Treehouse, whose jaw-dropping treehouses are featured on Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters, designed and built the communal space to encourage community interaction. Perched among the trees, it invites residents to explore, unwind, and connect with nature.
“Phil Huffines is a big fan of Nelson Treehouse and Treehouse Masters,” Project Manager Tobias Maloy told CandysDirt.com. “When he envisioned Solterra, he decided that he wanted something a little more special than your typical playscape. This project encourages community interaction with bridges, nets, and climbing features. It centers around one large oak tree and expands throughout the grounds.”
Touring Solterra Texas
Earlier this month, Solterra Texas led Realtors and home builders on a hard hat tour of The Headquarters, a $25 million amenity center that will serve as the community’s social and recreational hub. Huffines Communities has hosted some impressive grand opening events since Solterra Texas’ opened in April 2024, including an eclipse-themed Solfest and a Realtor appreciation event and concert with generous prizes that included a brand new Jeep — both of which also netted Dallas Builders Association McSAM awards this year.
This preview event offered attendees an early glimpse at the impressive amenity package planned for Solterra Texas. The Headquarters spans 20,745 square feet of indoor space and sits on eight acres when factoring in its outdoor amenities.
Indoors, you’ll find traditional amenities that you’d expect, like an impressive 6,000-square-foot fitness center, locker rooms, weight-training area, and dedicated yoga room.
But Solterra’s Headquarters also includes dedicated conference rooms and co-working spaces that residents may use, and on a grander scale, a 3,400-square-foot event ballroom with soaring 30-foot ceilings and an adjacent prep kitchen. The space, which can be reserved by residents, can host up to 372 guests and has ceilings tall enough, it’ll allow a bounce house.
Outdoors, residents can enjoy three resort-style pools complete with private cabanas, as well as a kids’ splash pad. Doggos will have their own splash pad at Solterra Texas’ dedicated dog park. A 3,535-square-foot covered pavilion offers shaded lounge seating with ceiling fans for comfort.
An event lawn extends down to the lake with beach-entry access, creating opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing. Outdoor pickleball courts round out the amenity package, adding even more appeal to this master-planned community.
“Watching The Headquarters go from lines on a blueprint to a real, standing structure is one of the proudest moments I’ve had working with the Huffines Communities team,” Bob Panizo, Director of Construction, said in a release. “We built this place to last — with the community’s needs at the heart of every decision we made, from the foundation to the final finishes.”
The builder lineup includes David Weekly, Direct Residential, Impression Homes, Cadence Homes, First Texas Homes, Lennar Homes, CastleRock Communities, Highland Homes, Shaddock Homes, Coventry Homes, Chesmar Homes, History Maker Homes, and St. Vincent Homes.
More information is available at SolterraTexas.com.
