A major development is moving forward in Denton as Johnson Development, based in Houston, has partnered with The Cole Ranch Company and Denton Range to advance the long-anticipated Cole Ranch project. The 3,100-acre master-planned community, which has been in planning for decades, will be located west of Interstate-35W and just south of Denton Enterprise Airport.
The project is expected to include 4,365 single-family homes, with sales projected to begin in 2027. Details regarding builders and pricing have not yet been disclosed.
Johnson Development CEO Michael Smith stated that the company has made updates to the original plan by increasing open-space and recreational features. Approximately 1,200 acres—about 40 percent of the site—will remain green space. Plans also call for 26 miles of trails along Hickory Creek, two lakes, two amenity centers, a 50-acre city park, and a 55-acre business park.
For civic use, around 206 acres are set aside for schools within Denton ISD: two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. Another 156 acres are designated for commercial purposes.
Denton Range is managed by Silvestri Investments and is an investor in the project. Johnson Development already operates other communities in North Texas such as Viridian in Arlington and Trinity Falls in McKinney.
The Cole Ranch property has been owned by the Cole family since the 1930s when Miner Thomas “M.T.” Cole ran it as a ranch. Jennifer Alexander, his great-granddaughter, said: “The family sought a partner that would honor the history and the beauty of the area.”
The Texas Legislature approved a municipal management district for this site in 2019. Earlier this year, Denton City Council adjusted zoning on more than 300 acres from light industrial to residential and mixed-use development to support community-focused growth.
Cole Ranch is situated just south of Hillwood’s Landmark project—a neighboring large-scale development also planned for Denton.
