Above All, A Sanctuary…

The Fort Worth Business Press featured our development as follows.  The original article was published in Fort Worth Business Press.

Family feudal
JERI PETERSEN 26.MAR.04

Siratts open 75 private lots for west-side development

The Siratt family, prominent Fort Worth business owners and philanthropists, purchased 143 acres in west Fort Worth last year for a family ranch. Gloria Siratt dreamed of having a big piece of land where she and husband Don, their four children and eight grandchildren could build homes in a family enclave.

However, when friends saw the property, with its spectacular views and diverse terrain, they begged the Siratts to develop it so they could build there, too. Sons Donnie and Colby convinced their mother that unless they developed the land, they would have nothing but gravel roads to their homes. Once she yielded, the family commenced plans on turning the acreage into an exclusive estate development called Montserrat.

Construction is underway on infrastructure, and concrete roads and stone entry gate should be complete in 120 days. Homes should begin going up by May with completion near the end of the year. Montserrat development partners include Don Siratt and sons Donnie and Colby, as well as development director John Zimmerman. Fifteen lots - besides the five the family and Zimmerman have taken - already have been reserved of the 75 available.

Montserrat (mohnd-sehr-aht) is not an exotic twist on the family's name, but the name of a monastery north of Spain that Don and Gloria visited about 10 years ago. The name means “jagged cliffs” - an apt description of the property just west of Loop 820 overlooking Mary's Creek.

Lots on the northwest side sit atop limestone cliffs above the clear stone creek, with views of a lush orchard to the west and the Fort Worth skyline to the east. Views from four southside cul-de-sacs take in pastureland, and in the evenings, Texas sunsets. The lower lots, the smallest in the development at half an acre, are in a heavily wooded area with views of the cliffs and have been the first to sell.

Gloria had eyed the property for about four years as she drove to and from her home just down the road.  It was soon discovered that the land belonged to Texas Wesleyan University, which had purchased it in the mid-1980s with thoughts of building another campus west of Loop 820. Then Gloria began pestering her husband to talk to Wesleyan officials about selling the property. At first, the university wasn't interested, but Don --prodded by Gloria -- kept talking to board members and eventually to the new president, Hal Jeffcoat.

“I was actually surprised that we ever arrived at an agreement,” Don said. “Gloria is the reason we have this land.”

THMC Partners, the Siratt's development company, purchased from Deborah Ryan an additional 77 acres of ranchland west of the Montserrat site as a buffer against adjacent outside development. Don said he is unsure whether he will develop that property.

The Siratts are new to land development; Don has been in the trucking business since founding WDS Partners 35 years ago, and both of his sons work for him. Their first real estate project, Covered Bridge Canyon, off F.M. 1886 and F. M. 1187 Farmer Road in Parker County, is in its third phase. The country community features one-acre lots priced $300,000 to $1 million.

Don, whose primary role in the Parker County development was financial backing, said Donnie learned about the development business and spearheaded the project.

“The experience in the last four or five years out there helped us have the confidence to do this one. If we hadn't already developed that project out there, I wouldn't have taken this on,” Don said. “But I saw how well we have done out there, and I knew we could do it.”

Lots in Montserrat are one-half acre to three acres and are $100,000 to $500,000. Zimmerman said the minimum home size is 3,000 square feet and he expects homes to be priced from $500,000 to $5 million. Almost a third of the property will be green space, including a 17-acre wooded nature park along the creek with foot trails and a two-acre park located high on the cliffs with ponds, outdoor fireplaces and picnic tables.

“Another developer might have come in and crammed 150 houses on small lots,” Donnie said. “We want to leave as much land undisturbed as possible so this is a comfortable, safe place where people are proud to live.”

Plans call for state-of-the art security and wireless technology within the development. In addition, the partners are looking at having a concierge at the gate, offering services such as pet sitting, vacation home care, limousine service and self-defense courses.

Don, Gloria, Donnie, Colby, and daughter Juli will build homes next to each other. Another daughter, Jana, will not build at the site right now, nor will Don's daughter, Tina who lives in San Antonio. Donnie and Juli already have sold their homes and are waiting to build; Don and Gloria's house is on the market, and Colby's soon will be.

“We're a very, very close family,” Gloria said. “We travel together. We see each other on weekends and at least once during the week. The husbands and wives all enjoy each other, and the grandchildren are about the same age. They truly love each other and we enjoy being together. I just cannot wait to be able every morning to walk to my grandbaby's house or if I want, to call them and say, 'Come over to grandma's and have breakfast.'”

Is all this togetherness good?

“[Donnie and Colby] work together every day in the office and I have never, still to this day, heard a cross word. I haven't known if they've ever gone home mad at each other,” Don said. “I like it because I get to see them every day. Not many people are that lucky. Of course, some people, some sons, would think it's unlucky!”

Contact Petersen at jpetersen@bizpress.net.