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Berkeley County bears the brunt of big local developments
By Rachel Pleasant
Staff Writer
During the next few decades, thousands of homes will be built in Berkeley County, and with each scoop of dirt and every newly paved road, the face of this county will change.
Here is a look at the biggest subdivisions currently seeking approval or underway in Berkeley.
The Parks of Berkeley
Somehow the word “big” doesn’t really cut it when it comes to The Parks at Berkeley.
With about 13,000 residential units, The Parks is better described as huge.
Located in the northeast corner of the county at the intersection of Interstate 26 and Highway 17A, The Parks of Berkeley is being developed by Charlotte, N.C.-based Crescent Resources LLC, a land management, real estate and development company formed by Duke Energy more than 40 years ago.
The Parks, which recently received an initial rezoning approval from the Berkeley County Council, will be built following a 30-year schedule.
The community will include an estimated 6,150 single-family homes, 1,480 townhouses, 3,300 multifamily homes and 2,350 residential units in a “village district” that will include commercial and retail space.
About a quarter of the land, formerly owned by MeadWestvaco, will be conserved as green space, and a park and trail system will connect neighborhoods in the community with schools and commercial sites.
As part of the development process, a connector road will be constructed through the community, connecting Interstate 26 and Highway 176.
Cane Bay Plantation
When a developer is working with 50 acres, there is not much room to be creative, said Ben Gramling III, president of Gramling Brothers Real Estate & Development, the group behind Cane Bay Plantation, off Highway 176 in Berkeley County.
But when a developer has 2,000 uninterrupted acres of land to work with—as is the case for Gramling—it opens up all sorts of possibilities.
In the case of Cane Bay, one of those possibilities was being able to donate land for school sites.
In all, Gramling donated 200 acres for an elementary, middle and high school.
The development will also include a commercial area and a series of trails, making it possible for a resident to walk the kids to school and ride a bike to run errands.
“When you have all those things close by, it makes a big difference. Instead of having to drive 10 miles to get to the school, everything is self-contained,” Gramling said, adding a large portion of the property will be conserved as green space, perfect for children to play “pickup games.”
Cane Bay, to be built on land formerly owned by MeadWestvaco, will include 5,000 residential units, and like The Parks of Berkeley, Cane Bay’s neighbor, those units will include everything from townhouses to larger, more expensive homes.
Gramling pegged the price range at between $120,000 to $300,000 and up.
Cane Bay will take about 20 years to complete.
Gramling estimates more than 10,000 people will live in the community.
Foxbank Plantation
Foxbank Plantation is notably smaller than some of its neighboring communities in Berkeley County, but with the total buildout between 1,850 and 2,000 residential units, it still dwarfs many communities currently underway.
Located at the corner of Highway 52 and Cypress Gardens Road, Foxbank Plantation is being developed by the Greenville-based Randolph Group.
The Randolph Group has sold some of its first lots to builders, infrastructure is in and home construction will begin shortly.
Homes will include single-family detached units, single-family attached units and townhouses. Prices will range from a little less than $120,000 and hit a high of about $300,000.
Of the 725 acres, formerly a family holding, there is also space set aside for an elementary school, office and retail space, and expanses of open green space. There will also be a 65-acre lake that will be available for use by all residents.
“It’s heavy on lifestyle,” said Jeff Randolph, manager of the Randolph Group. “There’s lots of open space and amenities rather than a piece of property divided into six pieces. It’s all integrated.”
Randolph estimates the project will take between seven and 10 years to complete, and approximately 8,000 people will live in the community when finished.
Spring Grove Plantation
Like other large developments slated for the area, Spring Grove Plantation, on 477 acres at the intersection of Cypress Gardens Road and Old Highway 52, also promises that a grocery store, a dry cleaner and other conveniences will be built within its borders.
It is a trend in residential development buyers are likely to see a lot more of, said Steve Pendley, CEO of Spring Grove Development.
“It’s something more developers are paying more attention to now. Instead of building without the foresight to infrastructure and transportation, we’re taking a stronger look at mixed-use and being self-supporting without the need of mass transit.”
Approved for a maximum of 1,240 homes, Pendley said Spring Grove will likely include about 1,200 units when finished, which will include townhouses, starter homes and custom homes.
Spring Grove will also include a pool and clubhouse, and a baseball and football field.
Spring Grove was in the planning stages for two years, construction began six months ago and Pendley said it will take another five or six years to complete. Currently, home prices range from about $140,000 to $250,000.
Pendley estimates about 2,700 people will live in the community when it is complete.
Rachel Pleasant is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail her at rpleasant@charlestonbusiness.com.
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