Waco’s growth stretches into Lacy Lakeview
Only about 8,000 people live in Lacy Lakeview, but the city’s location between two highways keeps it connected to a larger community. Interstate 35 curves around Lacy Lakeview, making it a 10-minute drive down the highway to Waco, a college town with more than 100,000 residents. “You have a small-town feel where everybody knows everybody, but you have the conveniences of the larger town nearby,” says Calvin Hodde, Lacy Lakeview’s city manager. Waco’s population has increased by more than 5,000 people since 2020; some of that growth has spilled over into Lacy Lakeview, where developers are clearing sites for new homes and city officials are in talks with manufacturers and retailers interested in expanding there.
New homes under construction
Most of the community’s roughly 2,000 houses are packed into a narrow band of blocks between New Dallas Highway and Interstate 35. Streets are lined with ranch-style homes occupying small yards dotted with oak and ash trees. Dozens of new homes have been built since 2020, ranging from a row of Craftsman-inspired houses on North Walnut Street to cottages on infill lots. A 100-home subdivision is under development, and there’s potentially more to come, Hodde says. “We’re talking to a developer now who is looking at coming in here and building three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhomes. They’re looking at [prices] being in the $200,000 to $225,000 range.” Most recent home sales vary from $125,000 to $475,000.
Education includes Connally Independent School District, TSTC
Kindergartners can go to Connally Early Childhood Center, which gets a B-plus from Niche. First through third graders can attend Connally Primary School, while fourth and fifth graders take classes at Connally Elementary School. Both get C grades, as does Connally Junior High School. B-minus-rated Connally High restarted its Agricultural Science pathway in 2024 after a 12-year hiatus. Students in the program study topics ranging from agricultural mechanics to floral design.
Lacy Lakeview is next to Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. The sprawling campus includes an airport operated by the college for pilot training and other aviation-related programs. “You have three institutions of higher learning here,” Hodde says, also referring to Baylor University and McLennan Community College, both less than 5 miles away.
Playgrounds and Little League at Lacy Lakeview parks
At Veterans Memorial Park, a walking path winds past a playground and picnic pavilions as it loops around a memorial to Lacy Lakeview’s veterans. The fields at Live Oak Park are unlocked and open for play, as long as they’re not being used by Lakeview Little League’s baseball and softball teams. To take a canoe or kayak down the Brazos River, paddlers can drive 4 miles and launch from the boat ramp at Brazos Park East.
Steaks and gumbo served in town, with big-box shopping nearby
Heitmiller Steakhouse has grilled rib eyes and sirloins since the restaurant opened in Lacy Lakeview in 1988. Black Pot Cajun Cuisine is a newer option that opened in 2024. Locals can pick up groceries in the middle of the community at TJ Grocery. Lakeview United Methodist Church runs a thrift store selling discounted clothes, books and more. Families in need can get vouchers from the church and other local ministries to shop at the store for free. Near the south end of Lacy Lakeview, Walmart is in a commercial area that also includes The Home Depot, chain restaurants and Atwoods, an animal feed store.
I-35 and bus system connect to Waco
Drivers can take an on-ramp to Interstate 35 and cruise 5 miles south to Waco or 80 miles north to Fort Worth. Multiple highways intersect just south of Lacy Lakeview, providing routes across the Waco area. Waco Transit System buses run between Texas State Technical College and downtown Waco. Planes at Waco Regional Airport fly to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. From there, passengers can travel directly to more than 250 destinations.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
