ClearWater Express Car Wash - Katy TX (Morton Rd)

A new 4,457-square-foot car wash facility is under construction at 24650 Morton Ranch Rd in Katy, Texas. The project, filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) as ClearWater Express Car Wash - Katy TX (Morton Rd), is a private development estimated at $2,500,000. This specific build represents a significant investment in the Harris County commercial landscape, with a cost per square foot of $561.

Project Scope and Design

Terral Hill is the owner of record for this new construction project, which is privately funded on private land. The design firm of record is APDG Architects, and Jeffrey A Gutknecht serves as the registered accessibility specialist. The scope explicitly covers the creation of a new car wash facility, distinguishing it from renovations or alterations common in the area. The project was registered with TDLR in February 2025, and plan review was completed in the same month.

The scheduled construction window spans from May 2025 to November 2025, a duration of 184 days. This timeline is close to the county median of 221 days for similar new construction filings. While the estimated cost is above the Harris County median of $750,000 for this type of work, the size of 4,457 square feet is smaller than the median new construction size of 9,000 square feet in the region.

Current Status and Context

TDLR completed plan review in February 2025 and construction was scheduled to finish in November 2025; TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection, so the current state of the site is not confirmed in the public record. The completion date on the filing has passed, but the lack of a final inspection record means the public database does not verify that the building is finished or operational. The status remains Review Complete, indicating that the regulatory review phase is done, but the physical completion status is not publicly confirmed via the TDLR registry.

Terral Hill has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $7,250,000, including locations in Eagle Pass, Uvalde, McAllen, Brownsville, and Granbury. This Katy project adds to a portfolio of similar car wash facilities. The area has a population of about 62,264 people, with a median household income of $113,388 according to U.S. Census ACS 2023 estimates.