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Ohio-based residential builder Epcon Communities presented plans Tuesday night to the Zionsville Plan Commission for a 150-home development on the town’s west side.
The proposed Courtyards of Russell Oaks would be built on 97 acres near Russell Lake in the 8900 block of West Oak Street. The homes, with an average price of more than $700,000, would be targeted toward empty nesters over the age of 55.
The development would not restrict people who are younger than 55, but Epcon said in filings with the town that the amenities, covenants, home sizes and other features of the community will be geared toward retirees.
The plan commission voted unanimously to approve a development plan for the Courtyards of Russell Oaks.
“There’s truly a need in the marketplace,” said Dale Pfeifer, who presented the development to the plan commission for Epcon Communities. “Our typical buyer is either an empty nester having lived in Zionsville for years and now they don’t need that big yard. They don’t need that big maintenance. Or they are parents of current Zionsville residents and they’re trailing their kids to be closer to their grandkids.”
Epcon would build 140 homes, while Zionsville-based Kendalwood Realty LLC would construct 10 estate homes overlooking Russell Lake on the northwest side of the community. Kendalwood’s custom-built homes would be priced at more than $1 million.
The single-story homes built by Epcon would be about 2,000 square feet each and have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a 2-1/2 car garage and a private courtyard.
Concept plans also show a park, community trails, an overlook area and an area available for future development. A gas easement runs diagonally through the development area from northeast to southwest.
Residents who live near the proposed development expressed concerns about increased traffic, an emergency vehicle entrance off Russell Lake Drive and the loss of a nature setting.
The Courtyards of Russell Oaks would be Epcon’s first project in Zionsville. The company has communities in Carmel, Fishers, Franklin, West Lafayette and Westfield.
Epcon is based in the Columbus, Ohio, suburb of Dublin and operates a regional office and design center at 11555 N. Meridian St. in Carmel.
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Probably “starts at” $700k… and you wonder why were in a housing shortage.
we’re **
700 K for a 2,000 SF home? They better have top notch finishes to be priced at over $350 per SF
They did indicate that 700K is the average, so I am curious about what you would get for 700K, and what price is the entry level for this community?
Let’s be sure to strip out all the trees, natural contours and wetland protections for Russell Lake. Make them ugly cookie cutter houses with prominent white garage doors, non-native monochromatic saplings and shrubs, and plenty of sod to fertilize, then name the lanes and cul-de-sacs for the nature that was destroyed to build the development. And by all means, don’t add solar panels, on-demand water heaters or other carbon reduction measures.
Exactly. More trees lost so a housing developer can make a profit.