The little county of the big lake is growing.  Growing so much that it's one of the fastest-growing counties in the entire United States.

Rockwall County, just 128.8 square miles, has been a popular place to live for those interested in the recreational opportunities afforded by Lake Ray Hubbard and the close access to Dallas and the jobs it provides.

But the county just east of Dallas has experienced an uptick as more people are moving into new, large-scale residential developments.  Those new rooftops, in turn, have drawn everything from retailers to hospitals eager to serve the growing population.  And other businesses are expanding or opening in the area, eager to take advantage of good transportation access and a growing work force.

Rockwall was the fourth fastest-growing county in the country with an increase of 7.74% between July 2004 and July 2005, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau in March 2006.  During that time, the county grew from 58,422 to 62,944 residents.  The largest city in the county is county seat Rockwall, and other growing cities include Royse City, Fate and Heath.  Part of nearby Rowlett is located in Rockwall County, and some of the students who live there attend the Rockwall Independent School District.

All but one of the top 10 fastest-growing counties with populations of more than 10,000 were located in the Southwest.  Rockwall was also the third-fastest growing county with populations of more than 10,000 for the period from 2000 to 2005.

The growth is representative of a trend that finds strong growth in suburban areas, with population shifting to the South and the West, according to the census bureau.

Growth Trend

The city of Rockwall has grown to include 30,000 people, but has been growing at a pace 7% to 10% each year for the last 30 years, said city manager Julie Couch.  What has changed is that the other cities, and the county itself, are now growing rapidly as well.

Access to the area improved with the expansion of Interstate 30, which was completed about 10 years ago, and the opening of the President George Bush Turnpike.  When that roadway is extended to the east, likely by 2010, that will also ease access, as will several transportation projects in Rockwall.  Voters approved $45 million in bonds last November for the Highway 205 bypass, a north/south bypass within the city .  Other road projects totaling $80 million are also in the planning stages, Couch said.

“Traffic is the No. 1 complaint that we have,” she said.  “So there is a lot of activity to improve the roads that we have.”

Rockwall has long needed more retail, said J. Gregory Nixon, president and CEO of the Rockwall Economic Development Corp.  The big box retailers have now come to town, with recent openings including Bed, Bath & Beyond, Circuit City and Petsmart.

The Rockwall Technology Park is growing as well.  It began in 2000 with 147 acres and later expanded to include 275 acres overseen by the economic development corporation.  New tenants include EmPhysis Medical Management L.L.C., which operates a headquarters for its health care billing and administrative support services, and Special Products & Manufacturing Inc., which opened in January 2006.  More than 10 growing companies are located in the park, significant for a community of 30,000, Nixon said.

“The driving mission is to add nonresidential tax base,” Nixon said.  “This area is poised for a lot of growth.”

Plan for the Future

To that end, city, school, county and private business leaders work well together to chart the course, said Margie Hooper, Rockwall County Chamber of Commerce president and a Rockwall resident since 1976.  The new Presbyterian hospital and The Harbor projects are examples of ways the city is broadening the tax base, she said.

A partnership that includes Texas Health Resources Corp. is building Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall, a full-service facility planned to open in late 2007.  About 70 physicians from Rockwall, Rowlett and nearby areas, are partners in the 120,000-square-foot project.

Other medical projects in the area include Lakepoint Imaging center, which opened in early 2006, and the Baylor Medical Plaza, which opened in 2005 in the city of Heath.

The growth has been the natural progression as the Metroplex expands, but for a long time, people didn’t realize that Rockwall was just a close 22-mile commute from downtown Dallas, Moore said.

Big Splash

The Harbor project is under construction, capitalizing on its lakeside location to offer a shopping, dining and entertainment option for those in the area.  The first phase of the Whittle Development project includes 120,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space.  It’s about 65% leased and is anchored by a 12-screen Cinemark theater that opened in October and is doing “phenomenal business,” said company president Rob Whittle, who is developing the project with his wife, Sara.  The company has developed communities from custom builders in the area for 25 years.

Five restaurants will open on the waterfront, including Gloria’s, Ruby Tuesdays and Empress of China.  Negotiations are proceeding to add a seafood restaurant and a steakhouse, Whittle said.

The next phase of the development is 100,000 square feet of retail that will begin construction in the spring and a 220-room Hilton hotel, complete with a 25,000-square-foot conference center, he said.  Groundbreaking is planned in 60 days on that project, which will be the only-full service hotel in a 12-mile radius.  An additional 40,000-square-foot office building is also planned for the project, which represents an investment likely to top $80 million.

The city is committing $18.5 million to build a series of gathering spots, including a boardwalk and fountain area and amphitheater.

That’s important to help keep the small-town feel of the rapidly growing area.

“Even though it’s growing, you can still find the small-town feel and rolling terrain that you can’t find in Dallas anymore,” Whittle said.  “It doesn’t feel like you are living in Dallas, and yet 80% of the people work in Dallas.”That’s important to the Harbor project, too, because most people don’t live on the waterfront, yet are drawn to the lake and want to enjoy it.

“We have a strong sense of place on the waterfront.”

Location, Location

Rockwall County’s proximity to the Metroplex has always spelled growth.  But the pace has accelerated in recent years, said County Judge Bill Bell.  The difference is that in the past, homes were built a few at a time.  Now larger developers are building hundreds of homes at the same time.

It’s a challenge to not lose the small-town feel with that type of growth, he said.  “People don’t bond the same way as when it was a small town,” he said.

ltanner@bizjournals.com

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