Briar Chapel continues to grow
leaps and bounds in 2013!
HERE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS…
- Briar Chapel celebrated its Five Year Anniversary in October with a hot air balloon media tour. A huge thank you to all the residents who came out in support, particularly the Green Thumb Club and our milestone residents!
- We are on the verge of having 450 residents call Briar Chapel home, with over 50 estimated home closings expected to occur in the next six months.
- The new section of villas, “Boulder Park Villas,” launched in April. Featuring homes built by ForeverHome, LLC and M/I Homes, lawn maintenance is standard. This area is also home to Boulder Park, which features an additional community garden, bocce ball courts, horseshoes, and a fire pit! [Homes By Dickerson has homesites available in this phase as well.]
- This past quarter, three new builders were introduced to the community—Drees Homes, Garman Homes, and Beazer Homes. Alongside David Weekly Homes, they’re building a variety of home styles and sizes in our newest phase. Also located here is Discovery Park, which offers relaxing hammocks, a fossil dig area, outdoor art, and historical features.
- Briar Chapel has had some great events this year. HOA events, such as the July 4th Bash, Fall Festival and the Craft Fair, have had great resident involvement. Briar Chapel marketing events have been equally successful; the Swim for Smiles youth triathlon was a hit and helped raise money for NC Children’s Hospital, and the annual Pepper Festival brought out more than 1,000 folks who enjoyed local food and live music, all in support of The Abundance Foundation. Just a few weeks ago, our annual 6BC Mountain Bike Endurance Race brought out nearly 150 riders.
- Irrigated areas along the parkways as well in the Boulder Park villa section were integrated into a centralized irrigation system using recycled water in an effort to decrease the amount of potable water we utilize from Chatham County.
- Final asphalt paving was concluded on many of the parkways and secondary streets.
- Briar Chapel is now the third best-selling community in the Triangle (as reported by Metrostudy based on 3Q13 annual starts)!
- In the 2013 HBA-Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties Parade of Homes, builder entries in Briar Chapel received two gold, two silver, and three bronze awards!
- Three Newland Communities have consistently ranked in the top 10 and 20 best-selling, master-planned communities in the U.S. (as ranked by RCLCo 2009-2013)
- The next phase of development known as the Great Meadow is well underway. You have likely seen the construction activity for this new phase across from Margaret B. Pollard Middle School over the past several months. A multi-acre linear park programmed for activity will be the focal point of this area and will feature a unique and engaging mix of active and passive recreational amenities. More specific details about these amenities will be forthcoming in early 2014. With homes becoming available in this area in late 2014, you can expect to see a variety of homes similar to the current offerings in Briar Chapel, plus a few new and exciting additions.
- Several storm water ponds in the completed phases of the development are undergoing conversions from sediment control devices to permanent ponds. This process entails the removal of silt from the pond bottom and the re-establishment of the grading for the ponds, including the aquatic plant shelves around the perimeter. Unique plants will be installed along these “shelves” in order to perform the appropriate water quality functions.
- Some mountain biking trail extensions are underway; across from the clubhouse playground, a loop is almost completed. Also, towards the end of this year, a connection along the overhead power line out to 15-501 is planned to be completed.
- This summer, the reclaimed irrigation system began operating. While this irrigation will primarily be used in the highly maintained open spaces, some irrigation will occur throughout the property. During the non-traditional irrigation seasons, the reclaimed water will typically be irrigated in the wooded open spaces off the main parkway.
- 95% of the final lift of asphalt in Phases 4, 5S, and 5N is complete. Based on winter weather and asphalt plant schedules, the remaining work may not be completed until spring. Final punchlist items and encroachment agreements are being reviewed by NCDOT. Full maintenance responsibility by NCDOT will not occur until the punchwork is complete and the encroachment agreements are in place. These items are anticipated to happen by mid-2014.
- Interest by end-users for the commercial properties along the Hwy 15/501 corridor has increased in recent months. The project team is working with local and regional brokers and developers to plan and promote these properties, and the small interior retail site, in the hope of generating some retail and commercial activity soon.
- Briar Chapel’s plan for amenities is comprehensive and will continue to be phased in over time. In addition to the main pool and clubhouse area, the multitudes of neighborhood parks located throughout the community and the Great Meadow linear park which is planned to
be introduced in 2014, the community will feature tennis and sport courts. The location
and timing of these courts will be determined within the next several months. (All plans are subject to change.)
