Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The New Home Trends Institute team continually tracks the most innovative and compelling amenities in today's master-planned communities, and this 2025 edition of our “Latest Master Plan Amenities” Special Feature series showcases standout destinations that demonstrate how developers are pushing the boundaries of community design and lifestyle programming. From sophisticated welcome centers that honor local heritage to challenging hiking trails that build community spirit, these amenities represent more than just recreational offerings—they're the social heartbeats of their neighborhoods that create lasting connections and set communities apart in an increasingly competitive market.

Kinston by McWhinney in Loveland, Colorado
The Kinston Hub

Kinston Hub is the heart of Kinston—Centerra's newest neighborhood on the east side of I-25 in Loveland. This 5,750-square-foot space serves as both a welcome center and café, embodying what Kinston is all about: coming together.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Opened in May 2022, the Hub offers a warm, artful space to gather with the spirit of togetherness shining from the moment you arrive. The Hub includes several outdoor seating nodes for guests and prospective residents to enjoy on a nice day.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The building offers sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains, making it the true centerpiece of Kinston. Designed to echo a classic farmhouse and brick mercantile, the Hub honors Loveland's agrarian history.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Unique details like cattle brands in the floorboards and historic family photos carry the agrarian homage indoors and complement industrial-chic elements. Cozy spots like this fireplace seating area are perfect for conversing and staying a while.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Whether it’s the reason they come or a bonus to their visit, this café gives people a reason to stay. The Hub Café by Fresh Plate serves coffee, beer, and a Colorado-inspired menu.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The gathering room creates a social hub with a pool table and shuffleboard surrounded by flexible seating and built-in entertainment centers

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Outside, native landscaping, gardens, and gathering areas connect seamlessly with the natural terrain.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Blackwood Groves by Bridger Land Group in Bozeman, Montana
The Cottages Basecamp

The Cottages is a build-to-rent neighborhood at Blackwood Groves featuring 160 thoughtfully designed homes clustered around shared open spaces like pocket parks, community gardens, and paseos. The vision of Blackwood Groves was to create a community where it’s easy to walk or bike around, with safe routes to school.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

In early 2025, The Cottages unveiled its own amenity center, called Basecamp, where the planning team's community-focused vision truly comes to life. The design intentionally shifts emphasis away from garages and cars, instead celebrating activated front porches and fostering genuine connections between neighbors. During Montana's snowy winters, residents gather around crackling fire pits while children play safely away from streets, and in warmer seasons, the expansive common lawn becomes a natural magnet that draws neighbors outdoors and together.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The Basecamp clubhouse features a welcoming front porch with steps leading to one of the entrances. The building not only complements the architectural character of the surrounding homes but also creates an atmosphere that feels like a cozy, accessible extension of residents' private living spaces.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The developer wanted to focus on quality over quantity. The priority was to offer high quality interiors over a massive clubhouse. Inside the Basecamp clubhouse, there are several seating areas, a kitchenette, and even private work booths.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The fitness center ensures residents never need to venture off-site for their workout routines. Multi-sliding glass doors allow one wall to completely open up to the outdoors.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Town at Trilith by Trilith in Fayetteville, Georgia
Central Plaza

The Town at Trilith is a mixed-use master plan that weaves together retail, recreation, nature, and socialization all within walking distance of homes that range from micro cottages to custom estates. The Central Plaza provides a flexible platform just outside the Fairway Social that combines interactive artistic elements and whimsical seating options.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

This creative gathering space features a sculpture of hands holding an open book over a screen on one end of the lawn, and a splash pad where kids can play safely on the other end. Charming pockets throughout Trilith, like the Central Plaza, act as a catalyst for social engagement.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Blossom Rock by Brookfield Residential in Apache Junction, Arizona
Ruff Ranch Dog Park

At Blossom Rock, community means connection—to both nature and each other. This applies not only to humans, but their beloved pets as well. Ruff Ranch is part of Blossom Rock at Superstition Vista’s 16-acre public park, Painted Sky Park. This popular amenity draws people in from all over the surrounding East Valley.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Unlike the typical small dog / big dog split we see at many dog parks, Ruff Ranch is divided into three off-leash areas that cater to behavior: Active, Passive, and Reservable (i.e. for training). All three dog zones are securely fenced and include playful tunnels and refreshing water fountains to ensure both pets and people feel right at home.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The Painted Sky Park is a multifaceted hub that is activated to attract any resident. The firepit gathering area provides a social space for dog owners to connect while their pets play, or for residents to make a pit stop during their stroll around the community.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Bocce courts, cornhole, outdoor chess, and table tennis are just a few recreational elements that draw people outdoors at Blossom Rock.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Solterra by Huffines Communities in Mesquite, Texas
The Lookout Treehouse Park

Soaring nearly 40 feet high and wrapped around a 150-year-old red oak, the Lookout Treehouse is a standout feature at Solterra Texas. Built by Nelson Treehouse Masters of Animal Planet, this three-story structure includes a crow's nest with scenic views, a 20-foot covered pavilion, and a 1.5-acre park and creekside play area below.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Inspired by the desire to bring something truly special to residents, the Treehouse is more than just an amenity—it's a social hub.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The perfect setting for birthday parties and beloved HOA events like Red, White & Glow, Ice Cream Socials, and holiday celebrations, the Lookout Treehouse blends nature, imagination, and connection as a place where neighbors come together and memories are made.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

River Islands by The Cambay Group in Lathrop, California
Champions Park

Champions Park is a 15-acre facility designed by Chad Kennedy, co-author of “The Nature of Inclusive Play”, featuring an inclusive playground that accommodates children of varying physical and developmental abilities. The playground covers slightly over half an acre and includes specialized equipment, ramps, railings, and accessible surfacing that provides seamless access from the parking lot to every play component. The design philosophy centers on creating an environment where all children can feel safe and participate fully in play activities.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

The inclusive approach extends beyond the children using the playground to encompass their families as well. Parents and grandparents can actively participate in play rather than observe from the sidelines, making it a truly multigenerational space. Champions Park also includes baseball and softball fields, picnic areas, barbecues, restrooms, and parking.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Rancho Mission Viejo by RMV in Rancho Mission Viejo, California
Boulder Pond & Playground

Boulder Pond is the latest amenity in Rancho Mission Viejo’s Village of Rienda. This outdoor amenity opened in April 2025 and as of May 2025, has had 55,000 visits. The entire site spans over 10 acres, with the pond covering 3.5 acres and featuring a 6-foot lighted waterfall.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

This thoughtfully designed community space includes a playground that supports play for children of all ages. The site also serves as a venue for community events, with the Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo hosting bird watching events.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Boulder Pond is centrally located in Rienda and links perfectly via walkable pathways with adjacent neighborhoods, other village amenities, and the future school site. Just under a mile of paths loop around the pond.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

PACE and RJM designed the project with the goal of creating a central amenity that enhances community connections in a natural environment. In a market where homes are getting smaller and more densely plotted, great community spaces like this become increasingly important.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Verrado by DMB in Buckeye, Arizona
Trail 340 aka Victory Steps

Trail 340 is one of the most recent trails added to the permanent trail system in Verrado. Consisting of 340 steps, it is 500 feet in length (just shy of two football fields) and ascends about 200 feet to some of the most breathtaking views of Phoenix.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Created during COVID when people were looking for ways to stay active, it became a viral sensation, attracting people from across the state seeking to conquer the climb. Many will say this is the most popular and certainly a cost-effective amenity for a community focused on paths and trails, providing tremendous marketing value and an asset to Verrado residents.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Each year on September 11th, the community partners with Buckeye's Fire Department to host a climb honoring the 343 FDNY firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, and 37 Port Authority officers who died at The Twin Towers. In the Twin Towers, there were 1,980 steps—so participants are encouraged to take 3 trips up and down to honor those brave men and women. Proceeds from the event are donated to charities supporting first responders and their families who've been impacted by tragedy on the job.

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Special Feature: Latest Master Plan Amenities (2025 Feature)

Location