Sweeny

With a motto of ‘a city with pride’, Sweeny has maintained that spirit over many decades through the efforts of residents to beautify and bring development to the area. “It’s also home to several different industrial and chemical plants, so a lot of people are moving there for the work,” says Meaghan Arceneaux, agent and owner of Mega Realty. “The Phillips 66 refinery keeps Sweeny thriving, and the area is starting to see some growth as a result.”

Home styles in Sweeny are diverse but typically come with a large amount of land. “The farming and ranching business is prominent in that area, so if you’re looking for homes with more property, Sweeny is a great place to start,” Arceneaux says. “A lot of the property is unrestricted, so you can make the area your own.” The smallest lots are closer to the city center and tend to hover around a third to a half-acre. The yards surrounding 1960s ranch homes, bungalows and tri-levels are often enhanced by towering mature trees, and the properties feature paved driveways for off-street parking. Prices for these homes hover around the $215,000 mark. Venturing outward along Sweeny’s backroads, properties become much more expansive. If you’re seeking seclusion or farmland, you can find new traditional and ranch homes sitting on land ranging from two to 12 acres, priced anywhere from $165,000 to $400,000. Buyers can also start with a blank slate for a custom build by purchasing 20 to 40-acre lots for $400,000 to $650,000.

Students are zoned for the Sweeny Independent School District. The elementary, junior high and high school each carry the city’s name and have earned B ratings from Niche. Student involvement is vital at each school, with multiple clubs and student-run organizations like the Bulldog Bistro, a STEM Saturdays program and an AV media club. On Friday nights, you can join neighbors who fill up the stands at Bulldog Stadium to cheer on the high school’s football team.

When class is over, kids can head to one of several community pocket parks scattered throughout the area. At Backyard Park, there are two playgrounds, one wooden and one that is more modern. Grab some friends to play a game of volleyball on the sandy court or go for a stroll along walking trails shaded by oak and pecan trees. The park has also been the site of several back-to-school events featuring everything from a circus to backpack drives. Chick Anderson Park, known to locals as Gazebo Park, and Martin Luther King Park provide several other spots for locals to unwind. The latter features a small playground, basketball court and walking trails. Gazebo Park is often decorated seasonally and was created in 1989 due to the volunteer efforts of people around the community. The pavilion pays homage to Sweeny’s past, dating back to the early 1900s, when a gazebo was a focal point on an island in the San Bernard River near the once bustling railroad tracks.

After a decades-long community effort to expand healthcare in Sweeny, a hospital opened in Sweeny in 1965, and now plans are in the works for a new hospital building. Construction of the new facilities, which sit adjacent to the current hospital, is expected to be completed by January 2024. Hospital leaders say the goal is to expand upon services already provided to the community, which includes a trauma center, emergency room, general surgery and physical therapy.

The city’s most frequented restaurants line North Main Street. Indulge in the buffet offered at Simple Simon’s Pizza, where you can play a game of pool or an arcade game between trips to the pizza line or salad bar. Before catching the Bulldogs high school football team in action, head to Bulldog Café, where pride for the city and the schools is fully displayed through the memorabilia lining the walls. The unassuming local spot is beloved for its Southern dishes like chicken fried steak and fried catfish served with all the fixin’s on paper plates. There is a Family Dollar in the center of town for quick snack runs, but when you need to restock your refrigerator or pantry, you’ll want to stop by Stewart’s Food Store.

Sweeny’s Industrial Park houses hubs for companies like Phillips 66, Apache Oil Company and Chevron Phillips, adding appeal to the city for employees. Sitting less than 4 miles outside the city’s center, residents easily commute to and from work via FM 524 Road. Sweeny is also within 25 miles of Freeport and the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico and a 65-mile drive from downtown Houston along State Highway 288. “You really get that small-town community vibe, where everyone knows everyone,” Arceneaux says. “It’s a place with a lot of potential that’s seen recent growth, with more to come.”