Updated 12/17/2025
Formerly Known As: “Experience a Slice of ‘Great City Life’ in a Grenadier Homes Community”
“The past is always the best teacher. Great cities and villages were already telling us how to do it better.” – John Egnatis, CEO of Grenadier Homes
The Early Inspiration
With parents raised in small villages in Fossacesia, Italy and Xino-Nero, Greece, the two Grenadier Homes’ founders experienced suburban, cul-de-sac living in a unique way. When visiting extended family as young boys on vacation, they saw a different life in European villages than in their larger, North American homes. Those differences stayed with them.
Then, as college graduates, they traveled on their own by backpack and visited many of Europe’s great cities: London, Venice, Rome, Stockholm, Paris, Vienna. Throughout their travels, a distinct view of life appeared – a blend of “great city” and “village life.”
They found key ingredients that create this dynamic and harmonious life energy:
- The “Passeggiata” or “Volta”: The village custom of strolling along sidewalks or pedestrian-friendly streets after dinner to talk about the day’s events with friends, family, and neighbors.
- Casual Gathering Spots: The presence of cafes, trattorias, tavernas, or similar spots for a coffee, drink, or appetizer (Antipasto or Meze).
- Nature and Green Spaces: Lush landscape gardens and perfectly placed pocket parks.
- Pedestrian-Oriented Design: People-friendly pedestrian streets, shade-giving large street trees, and a focus on making the car secondary and people primary.
- Human-Scale Architecture: Buildings and spaces designed at a human scale, using classic, long-life materials.
- Outdoor Living: The inclusion of outdoor gastronomic patios and a general feeling that the place was built for enjoyment outside as well as inside.
- Daily Celebration of Life: A general environment where life is celebrated daily as a habit, not just a weekend privilege.
The Application
In 1991, Grenadier Homes appeared as an urban pioneer in Uptown Dallas, where they learned about New Urbanism and built townhomes and mid-rises.
Nowadays, with these key ingredients witnessed in their travels abroad, they bring “great city” and “village life” to small suburban neighborhoods by focusing on experiences rather than typical measurements like “subdivision,” “floor plan,” and “square footage.” Grenadier is a less arithmetic, more quality design-focused builder, which could be thought of as a “New Suburbanism.”
The Grenadier Homes approach differs from conventional single-use zoning suburban neighborhoods by focusing on human-centric design over car-centric sprawl.
See how they create a more connected community life by visiting both completed and available neighborhoods to get a feeling for the true impact of quality, human-centric design.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What makes a Grenadier Homes community feel more connected and people-focused?
Grenadier communities are designed with people in mind, featuring thoughtfully planned streetscapes, shared green spaces, and inviting gathering areas that encourage connection and everyday enjoyment.
2. Why should you consider a “New Suburbanism” approach in your home search?
Grenadier’s “New Suburbanism” approach focuses on incorporating the community-focused, nature-oriented ways of life from the big cities and small villages of Europe that have been around for centuries. In this day and age when everything is spread out and isolated, this “New Suburbanism” aims to create safe, connected, and healthy neighborhoods in the DFW metroplex.
3. Where can I find a Grenadier Homes community near me?
Explore current Grenadier communities on our website to see where we’re building in the DFW area, or reach out to our team for the latest availability.
