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An Ohio-based residential builder’s plan for a 362-home development for empty nesters on Zionsville’s west side has moved one step forward.
Members of the Zionsville Plan Commission on Monday unanimously voted to give a positive recommendation for the Courtyards of Heritage Trail, which is being planned by Epcon Communities on 180 acres at the intersection of Whitestown Road and South County Road 800 East. The proposal will next move to the Zionsville Town Council, which will either approve or deny the project.
If approved, site development would take about seven years and consist of three phases of about 120 houses each with total buildout taking about a decade. Each phase would have its own amenity area, including a swimming pool and a clubhouse.
About 26 acres of the property would be provided to the town for a public park and/or sports-related activities. The project would also include a 10-foot-wide multiuse path along Whitestown Road and South C.R. 800 East that would connect to internal sidewalks and the Big 4 Rail Trail along East C.R. 400 South.
“This isn’t just more housing in Zionsville,” Epcon Director of Land Acquisition Dale Pfeifer told Plan Commission members. “It’s about responsible economic growth, the right housing for the right people at the right time. It strengthens Zionsville’s ability to retain and attract the important 55-plus demographic without forcing more conventional subdivisions that are far more impactful [on the surrounding area].”
The Courtyards of Heritage Trail would be Epcon’s eighth and largest Courtyard community in the metropolitan area as the company develops its brand in central Indiana. Currently, Epcon has built or is developing The Courtyards of Russell Oaks in Zionsville, The Courtyards of Westfield, The Courtyards of Towne Run and The Courtyards of Cielo Run in Westfield, The Courtyards of Carmel, The Courtyards of Hazel Dell in Noblesville, and The Courtyards of Fishers.
The communities offer ranch-style houses with open floor plans ranging from about 1,500 to 4,000 square feet, individual private courtyards and two-car garages. Amenities in each neighborhood include a clubhouse, swimming pool, fitness center, pickleball courts, walking trails and community gardens. Yard maintenance is managed by a homeowners’ association.
“This product may not be for everyone, but it’s a product that’s needed to create variation in homes and options for people to age in place,” Plan Commission member Brad Johnson said at Monday’s meeting.
Epcon, founded in 1986 by Ed Bacome and Phil Fankhauser, has focused on the 55-plus demographic from the beginning. The company found an initial niche by building two- and three-bedroom ranch condominiums. Indiana Regional President Robyn Crawford told IBJ last year that it was after the housing downturn in the late 2000s that the company started to put a focus on courtyard communities—a concept and design Epcon has copyrighted.
Epcon, headquartered in the Columbus, Ohio suburb of Dublin, opened a regional corporate office and design center in 2021 at 11555 N. Meridian St. in Carmel. The company began selling lots at its first community in Carmel in September 2021, followed by the 120-lot Courtyards of Westfield the following month.
In 2023, The Courtyards of Fishers opened with 50 lots, and Epcon last year began selling lots in Zionsville at The Courtyards of Russell Oaks, which will have 140 houses. The 40-lot Courtyards of Towne Run opened earlier this year adjacent to The Courtyards of Westfield.
The Courtyards of Hazel Dell will have 111 houses, while The Courtyards of Cielo Ranch will have 80 lots.
Home prices in Epcon’s Courtyard communities typically range from $450,000 to $1 million.
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