The area of Las Colinas was originally the Carpenter’s Hackberry Creek Ranch, also referred to as "El Ranchito de Las Colinas", or "the little ranch of the hills". Las Colinas was founded in September of 1973 by Ben H. Carpenter.

UNIVERSITY HILLS was the first residential village to be developed in Las Colinas and was originally developed as Northgate I, Northgate II and Northgate III. Norman and Bob Glatter were the first Presidents of Northgate Homes, which built the first of the homes in the neighborhood. It's "fitting" that the first home at the west end of University Hills (Northgate @ Gentry ) is STILL occupied by Mr. Glatter's widow , Kay. ( Glatter Falls in the Urban Center is named for the Glatters).

However, there was at least one home here before there was a Las Colinas. Dick and Lois Short, whose home is on what is now Rochelle Blvd., was actually built by a doctor and his family from Dallas for a week-end retreat in the 1930’s. It was at the end of a "lane" that served a farm house, which is now the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer.

The Office of the Secretary of the State of Texas issued a Certificate of Incorporation to UNIVERSITY HILLS HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION on May 11,1963. Las Colinas is known worldwide for its quality and uniqueness and the same holds true for University Hills. The incorporating Board of Directors consisted of Ben H Carpenter, Wayne Hurd and James Goodson. The organizational meeting of the Directors of UH HOA was held on October 26, 1964 with Robert ( Bob) Glatter : President, Peter (Pete) Jordan : Vice President, Ben Chovanetz : Secretary and Eileen Rucker : Treasurer. (Wayne Hurd was the first President of Las Colinas before he moved to Marble Falls to develop Horseshoe Bay with his cousin)

Today, the residential areas of Las Colinas consists of more than 3000 single-family units and 10,000 multi-family units. Ten separate residential homeowner associations are within the Las Colinas boundaries including Fox Glen, Cottonwood Valley, Hackberry Creek, Windsor Ridge, Mandalay Place, Fairway Vista, University Hills, University Park, Quail Run and Country Club Place Condominium Associations.