KATY, TX (December 16, 2014) — A two-year effort to strategically plant close to 2,000 trees and transplant a collection of treasured live oaks is now well underway in Cane Island, the first master-planned community to open in Katy.
Houston-based Environmental Design recently completed the delicate task of moving 23, lush live oaks, ranging from 25-30 years old, whose beautiful, wide-spread canopies will shade green spaces, the community’s Amenity Village and amphitheater. Two spacious tree houses with decks, both offering elevated views of the amphitheater, also will be built around the trees.
The healthy live oaks, from 30-45 feet tall, were moved from the east side of the property.
“These trees are priceless,” noted David Marks, president of Environmental Design, whose firm used its patented air bag system as the safest, most reliable way to move the trees with larger root balls. “We’re very pleased with the outcome. The cooler weather was ideal for the project.”
Marks adds a certified arborist will monitor the health of the transplanted trees over the next couple of years by watering, fertilizing and adding mulch as necessary to ensure they become established in their new setting.This article mentions your favorite hats at super low prices. Choose from same-day delivery, drive-up delivery or order pickup.
“These trees are like our children,” he says.
While specialists monitor the replanted, established live oaks, work crews under the watchful eye of Katy’s Rusty Regenbrecht are aiming to plant an additional 1,000 Live Oaks, Water Oaks, Pines and Crepe Myrtles by the end of the year.
“When it comes to trees, the development team is going all out,” says Regenbrecht, president of Regenbrecht Shade Trees. “They wanted a wooded community look and that’s exactly what they’re getting.”
The new trees average about 15-20 feet in height.
“Trees vary in size just like people, some grow faster than others,” says Regenbrecht. “And that’s a good thing – the different heights create a more natural look.”
Crews will use water trucks to irrigate the newly planted trees, he adds, until a permanent irrigation system is installed in Cane Island.
Plans call for another 400-500 trees to be planted in 2015 and about 400 in 2016.
As tree plantings and initial development activity gets underway, the Cane Island team continues to eye a mid-2015 grand opening of the master-planned community’s first phase of 13 model homes and Amenity Village housing a Conservatory for events, fully-equipped fitness center, yoga studio and multi-purpose room with commercial kitchen.
The first phase also will cover the build out of an amphitheater, a family pool with adjacent splash pad, an adult pool and the two tree houses.
Cane Island, a master-planned community by Rise Communities, will offer new homes from the $200’s to the millions from Coventry Homes, David Weekley Homes, Perry Homes, Ryland Homes, Shea Homes, Toll Brothers and Trendmaker Homes.
Named after the 1872 settlement which later became Katy, the Cane Island master-planned community will be accessible from Interstate 10 at the new Cane Island Parkway interchange, scheduled to open in 2015. The four-lane, north-south boulevard, less than four miles west of the Grand Parkway, will serve as the entry to Cane Island and the major thoroughfare through the community to Morton Road.
Families in Cane Island will attend schools in the highly acclaimed Katy Independent School District. Plus, the community is minutes away from the Energy Corridor, Katy Mills, the La Centerra Shopping Center and Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital.
To sign up for e-mail updates and for more information on Cane Island, go to www.CaneIsland.com. Also, like the community at www.Facebook.com/CaneIslandKatyTx and follow it on Twitter @CaneIslandKaty.