Teravalis (formerly Douglas Ranch) in Buckeye, AZ

In the past, we covered Douglas Ranch, which has since rebranded as Teravalis in Buckeye. This change coincides with the latest groundbreaking ceremonies held in October 2022. 

If you’ve been tracking this project, you know it’s been described as big—like, “hold my latte while I build an entire town” kind of big. But what's the latest? Well, we've got fresh updates for you. Spoiler alert: things are finally moving fast, so buckle up.

Latest Developments 

• New Homebuilder Joins the Ranks

Teravalis just cranked up the volume in its master-planned community development by adding another homebuilder, Meritage Homes, to its lineup.  The first village of Teravalis, Floreo, is officially getting extra love with the addition of Meritage Homes to its list of contributors. Meritage joins powerhouses like Brightland Homes, KB Home, Century Communities, Courtland Communities, New Home Co., and Lennar. If this lineup was a basketball team, it’d be straight All-Stars.

Floreo is slated to expand over the next decade with 8,000+ homes (!!) for new residents. And that’s just the beginning, folks. Word on the street is that Floreo’s grand opening is penciled in for October 2025. Start bookmarking your Zillow searches now.

“We’ve got a lot of momentum heading into 2025,” said Charley Freericks, Phoenix Region prez for Howard Hughes. Momentum might be an understatement, Charley—this is more like a freight train of progress. Each homebuilder brings their unique flair to the project, promising modern innovation, energy efficiency, and design as sleek as your favorite TikTok aesthetic.

Teravalis Project Overview, Since the Start...

 The biggest (little city) that could

On a sunny afternoon back on October 28, 2022, about 200 people gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony at what was previously known as Douglas Ranch. But hold up! This wasn’t just any ceremony. It was the launch of Teravalis, a premier master-planned community sprawling over 37,000 acres. If you've been following our Trillium project coverage, you’ll know there were lots of grand promises—jobs, new residents, businesses, and a superhighway to Las Vegas. But it all seemed like pie in the sky until now.

If you've been following our coverage of the Trillium project, you'll likely have read that lots of promises and ideas on Trillium sound pretty decent. Lots of jobs are being created, more new residents and businesses moving to Buckeye, a superhighway to Las Vegas, and much more... But these concepts all seem to sound good with no real action (kinda like the ghost future city of Telosa earmarked possibly for Buckeye). 

Here’s the kicker—the first phase of Teravalis is set for completion by late 2024. That means a whopping 100,000 homes to accommodate at least 300,000 new residents, with the first batch of model homes and amenities ready in a little over a year. Plus, a massive 55 million square feet of commercial space is part of the plan. And yes, the I-11 Freeway Project is still on the table, aiming to make Teravalis the "Land of the Valley."

If you're an Arizona resident (or dreaming of becoming one), Teravalis could redefine community living in the West Valley. For local businesses, this is a golden opportunity to grow alongside a booming new community. Investors? It’s not every day a project of this scale lands in your lap. And for real estate pros, this is territory you definitely want to stake a claim on.

• Environmentally Responsible Planning

They're not just slapping down concrete and hoping for the best. Teravalis is doubling down on sustainable designs. Think eco-friendly infrastructure, water conservation strategies (a biggie in Arizona), and plenty of green spaces.

Because while it’s hot in Arizona, they’re not about to make the community one big heat island.

Shade trees? Check.

Energy-efficient everything? Double-check.

• Commercial Zones and Economic Growth

Beyond the dreamy home designs they've teased us with, Teravalis is getting ready to open up its commercial zones. Local businesses are buzzing with excitement—and for good reason. Shops, restaurants, and office spaces are key highlights. For you investors out there, this could be your chance to stake a claim in what could be Arizona’s next big economic hub.

• Projection Buzz

The chatter about Teravalis remains electric among real estate professionals and community members, with projections that this development could become one of the largest master-planned communities in the country. Basically, it’s like the Beyoncé of real estate projects—ambitious, trend-setting, and designed to leave a lasting legacy.

What will Teravalis look like?

Picture Walt Disney's EPCOT city of the future, but make it real. The recycled plans of Trillium are out the window, replaced by something fresh and new. Parcels of property are currently being sold to select home builders, with lot development set to begin in 2024. These model homes will showcase the potential residential designs for Teravalis.

The Howard Hughes Corporation plays a key role in the overall design. The old Trillium concepts included an elementary school, parks, shopping outlets, and more, but Teravalis promises to be different. Officially, model homes and sample amenities are slated to open in early 2025, perhaps even late 2024.

“In the game of states, people vote with their feet—and Arizona is winning. Since 2015, it has welcomed over 584,000 new residents and we don’t expect that momentum to stop anytime soon. This increases the demand for housing opportunities and Howard Hughes is answering that call.” - Governor Doug Ducey

The overhead view of a completed Teravalis concept has taken on a theme park aesthetic. It does feature many of the original ideas for the old Trillium design and perhaps goes above and beyond that model. You might say that several manmade lakes will be an essential part of this new design.

Where will all the water come from?

Hold up, though—before we start rolling out the red carpet, it’s worth addressing the elephant in the room (or desert): water scarcity. Critics are raising valid concerns about how Teravalis plans to sustain its colossal community amidst Buckeye’s limited water supply. 

The extreme scarcity of water in Buckeye is also a big hurdle for this new project. This is why there have been rumors of abundant sources of groundwater directly below the property at Teravalis. An earlier estimate had stated there is enough water for the first 7,000 homes, yet Teravalis is proposing 100,000 over the next 50 years! So- where is all this water coming from? Worse yet- the potential for underground fissures could dramatically impact the land stability.

In fact, the Sierra Club's Grand Canyon Chapter issued its 2022 report card rating for Arizona's mismanagement of water. The governor was given an "F" rating which addresses these problems involving environmental issues. According to Sandy Bahr, another issue is not just with depleting water that cannot be replaced, it might also be considerably less than expected.

And though the original plans for Trillium have proposed that there is plenty of groundwater available, this new project does not address the water issues. To put this into perspective, Buckeye locals currently use 3.5 billion gallons of water each year for its 115,000 residents. The size of Teravalis would require three times that amount at an average of 10 billion gallons per year.

Current rumors suggest there’s some untapped groundwater, but officials need to be transparent with their estimates. Why? Because Buckeye's current annual water consumption sits at 3.5 billion gallons—but Teravalis’ grand vision? That’ll demand 10 billion gallons per year. Yikes.

Local critics argue that Teravalis is an unsustainable mirage. Despite this, the Howard Hughes Corporation is moving forward with its plans. There are calls for Katie Hobbs to release the Hassayampa Subbasin groundwater model report to disclose the real groundwater situation beneath Teravalis. 

Oh, and don’t even get us started on the unsexy but serious risks of underground fissures impacting land stability. Who knew being a homeowner could get so geological?

The 100-year assured water supply falls short of its initial findings by 15%. And other developments in the area that include the Sun City Festival and Festival ranch projects have cited deficiency letters to the government as to the sustainability of groundwater supplies.

As any resident of Buckeye or those living in the West Valley can agree, water is in short supply as it is. There have been previous plans to mix groundwater into the water from the Colorado River within a canal-type system, but this had failed. Another concept included using water from a water-soaked area of the Gila River which had proven to not be a good idea likewise. Since many residents in Buckeye rely heavily on groundwater, the limitations have only grown into a burden.

What the future may hold for extensive construction of the new Teravalis project is a frightening aspect of political aspirations and moves for expansion. But without a reliable source of water that supports a large community, a desert without water is still just a desert.

Teravalis is shaping up to be Arizona’s next big thing. If you’re a local, looking to invest, or just love geeking out about massive urban developments, this one’s for you.

 AZ Junk Removal is located near this new groundbreaking development in Waddell, AZ.  Stay connected to our updates—we’ll keep you in the loop as this future-forward community continues to rise from the desert sands. Buckle up, Buckeye. The future just moved in. Stay close for more updates as Floreo and the larger Teravalis development roll out. Who knows, by 2025, we might be sipping artisanal cold brew at a Floreo cafe while pretending we can afford one of those 8,000 homes. ☕

What do you think? Is Teravalis the beacon of West Valley progress, or is it an audacious gamble? Drop your hottest takes below ⬇️