As the U.S. economy slowly drags itself out the doldrums, there are signs the housing market in Tomball is also beginning to gain steam.

Two major housing developments, The Reserve at Spring Lake and Pine Country of Tomball, are in various stages of creation and at least a few more developments could be on the way.

According to City Planner Kelly Violette, interest in both residential and commercial projects has increased.

“There has been quite a bit of interest,” she said. “Things are starting to pick up.”

She added that while no official plans have been submitted to the city for review, some developers have expressed interest in multi-family and “age-restricted” housing developments.

Meanwhile, Pine Country of Tomball, located two miles west of SH 249 and FM 2920 on Tomball Cemetery Road, is quickly moving forward with new home openings.

City Engineer Mark McClure said the project’s developer, Russ Brown, has completed the platting process and the development has seen its infrastructure and several roads finished, as well.

Pine Country is expected to include 68 residential lots and four estate lots. According to a Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce Business Development Update, lots are estimated at $40,000-$45,000 each, with home prices varying from $250,000 to $400,000.

The Reserve at Spring Lake is a significantly more ambitious project and one that is behind in its development, at least compared to Pine Country.

Projected as a 232-acre development consisting of 75 one-to-five-acre homes, The Reserve is being headed up by Bob Allen Land Development.

According to McClure, the city has not received an update on the project for about six months after developers were asked to make corrections to a preliminary plat.

“We have not gotten the corrections back in now close to six months,” McClure said.

Allen said his group is “just waiting out the market” before advancing the project further.

“When the market turns, we’ll be ready to go,” he said.

Allen explained that the home builders he has spoken to recently have expressed a “strong interest” in opening homes at some point in The Reserve, particularly for “upper end,” or higher priced homes.

He added that the final plat corrections and plans could be submitted to the city within the next 60 to 75 days.

While the housing market in Tomball certainly is not approaching the levels of three or four years ago, interest in new home projects is beginning to pick up.

According to data released by the City of Tomball Planning Department, the city has approved more single family and duplex building permits in 2010 (11) than it did in 2008 and 2009, combined (8).

Those numbers still don’t come close to those of 2006 and 2005, when the city approved 41 and 42 permits, respectively.

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