If there was ever a man who could live up to the description, “Everything is bigger in Texas,” it was B.F. Phillips Jr. In horse breeding circles Phillips was a legend, and his Phillips Ranch, where master-planned community Phillips Creek Ranch is now located, was the cornerstone of this success.
By Tricia White | Managing Editor
Phillips Creek Ranch sits upon what was formerly the world famous Phillips Ranch, established in 1936 when B.F. Phillips Sr. bought the first 640 acres of land. Over time the Phillips Ranch grew to more than 1,800 acres, spanning from the east side of Lake Lewisville to one mile east of FM 423.
In the late 1940s B.F. Phillips Jr. – the youngest of three sons – took over the ranch and ran the family’s cattle business until he decided to raise quarter horses in the early 1950s. The family’s main ranch house, which was known as “The Big House,” saw the likes of national and international politicians, Hollywood stars, sports figures, and media personalities step through the front door. The Phillips family sold the land in the late 1990s, and today, the Vista Park Welcome Center sits on the former “The Big House” site.
In 2008, Republic Property Group purchased the historic ranch with plans to create a thoughtful, master-planned community that would not only pay homage to the history of the land but create a place that would be of enduring value for generations to come.
Republic Property Group leaves no stone unturned to satisfy its residents, and that begins with finding the right builders. American Legend, Belclaire, Darling, Drees, K. Hovnanian, Lionsgate, Shaddock, Standard Pacific, Toll Brothers and the newest addition, MainVue (see inset article), have played and continue to play a vital role in creating homes that not only hold their value in the marketplace but also in the hearts of the homeowners.
Besides beautiful houses, the amenities in Phillips Creek Ranch make every day feel like a walk in the park – literally. An open-air pavilion is home to free concerts, movie nights and many other exciting community events. Vista Park rises 80 feet above the Phillips Creek Ranch property and features spectacular views – perfect for a family sunset picnic. And the newest feature, currently under construction, is the “Texas Backyard”, located on a beautiful hilltop behind the pool complex with gorgeous live oak trees featuring café lights, horseshoe courts, a sand volleyball court, a bocce ball court, outdoor barbeque grills, walking trails, benches, loveseat swings and a fire pit.
Phillips Creek Ranch is in the Frisco Independent School District, one of the most award-winning and acclaimed districts in the state. With seven Frisco ISD schools either on site or adjacent to the community, Phillips Creek Ranch offers the opportunity for kids to safely walk or bike to school. Plenty of eateries, Frisco’s famous downtown life and Stonebriar Mall are easily accessible, and DFW Airport is only 12 miles down the road.
MainVue Offers Unique, Modern Style Including Outdoor Rooms
MainVue Homes is turning buyers’ heads with its nontraditional clean, modern designs. Their six model homes in Frisco’s Phillips Creek Ranch start at 4,000 square feet and range in price from the high $400,000s to the upper $600,000s. MainVue’s 161 homesites boast an extra dimension of intimacy, nestled into the community’s southwest corner near its own Henley Park.
MainVue uses Italian wood cabinetry in the kitchens, engineered wooden floors and special-order modern fixtures in the bathrooms. The houses feature open floor plans with 10-foot ceilings and huge windows. The models are furnished like the newest high-end hotels. In back, the houses open up through large sliding glass panels to decks with fireplaces. “With the doors open, the outside comes in,” says Peter Hayes, managing director of Henley Properties, MainVue’s parent company. “We design indoor-outdoor spaces — it’s in our DNA.”
“We are always looking for diversity in our builders,” said Republic Property Group co-CEO Jake Wagner. “This is a project we’re most excited about. It’s something you won’t see everywhere.” Republic Property Group, which owns Phillips Creek Ranch, is so pleased with MainVue that they have also chosen them as a new builder in Light Farms, their master-planned community located in Celina.