The West Hip-O and the adjacent East Hip-O were once a larger 16,500 acre ranch purchased by The Nature Conservancy and resold to conservation buyers who donated Conservation Easements allowing ranching, hunting and recreation, while prohibiting further subdivision. Across the highway is a protected ranch community called Marfa Ranch Ltd that covers 11,000 acres all protected from further subdivision by conservation easements. With several large ranches nearby and the conservation easements next door this area is Marfas most exclusive protected ranch neighborhood.

The the ranch improvements were completed after two and a half years of construction with a headquarters complex designed by the famous Austin architectural firm of Dick Clark. This building site was carefully picked out to capture the Area Mountains, sweeping grasslands, and the riparian woodlands of Big Trestle Draw. This unique construction and design takes advantage of the Marfa landscape and climate literally bringing the outdoor inside and the inside outdoors.