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New Construction with Character

By Cindy Hodnett
HomePlace Writer

It could be said that Prudential Carolinas Realty's Jim McChesney is a firm believer in the statement "If you build it, they will come" when it is applied to creating neighborhoods with outstanding amenities and upscale housing. Initially, McChesney focused his energies on Greenbrier Farm, a luxury-home development in northwestern Forsyth County, and the results were overwhelmingly positive as buyers expressed their approval of the new-construction/natural-beauty housing package.

Today, McChesney is actively involved in the development of another luxury community that has also been enthusiastically embraced by both local and out-of-town buyers. At Brookberry Farm, the third phase of construction is under way, and McChesney said interest is high.

"Brookberry Farm is the well-known estate of Bowman Gray and an important place in Forsyth County," he said. "As a developer, I think it is important to preserve the character of the land, and I wanted Brookberry Farm to represent a wonderful place for people to live. So we included things like meandering streets that blend with the topography of the land and tried to turn what was once a premier farm into a premier neighborhood."

McChesney said that the community swimming pool will also be built in conjunction with the third phase of construction, and he hopes to open the pool between Memorial Day and the second week of June. Visitors to the Brookberry Farm clubhouse are often surprised to see the extensive plans for the pool that include covered seating areas and an adjacent playground and lake house, and McChesney said other community amenities will be added as well.

"We're also going to have tennis courts, the lake house, which is basically a screened-porch area with a fireplace that overlooks the lake and a dock that sticks out over the water," he said. "The third phase is part of a very pretty piece of the farm, and there will be some lakefront lots offered."

Lici Fansler is one of the marketing agents for Brookberry Farm. She explained that the new phase will complement what has already become a cohesive community.

"There is a monthly calendar of events that is e-mailed to all residents," Fansler said. "There are so many groups that get together — a coffee club, a book club, a wine club, Bunco, even poker — and there are neighborhood holiday parties as well. It's a wonderful neighborhood for social activities."

Buyers can begin reserving their lots in the third phase late this month or in early May. McChesney said that many people have started planning the design of their homes, and he thinks the early interest is a strong testament to the neighborhood's appeal.

"We have people who relocate from other parts of Winston-Salem as well as people who move here from out of town, and we have had numerous comments about how friendly the neighborhood is," McChesney said. "People enjoy the variety of architecture, from Walnut Park, our patio-home community, to the diverse designs of the larger homes. An architectural review committee makes sure that every house built is in keeping with the community, and we think the variety and individuality of housing make Brookberry Farm a very neat place to live."

Brookberry Farm at a Glance

Price: High $400,000s to $2 million and up; $330,000–$500,000 (Walnut Park at Brookberry Farm)

Builders: Adams Egloff Avant Properties LLC, Bean Builders Inc., Benchmark Custom Homes Inc., Ken Capron Builders, Chipman Incorporated, John Davis Building & Design Inc., W. Wayne Frye Organization Inc., Kelly Harkey Custom Homes Inc., K.T. Isenhour Custom Homes Inc., Jolley & Son Builders Inc., Homes by Jonathan Lee Inc., Longworth Inc., Morgan Builders Inc., Radford/Burton Homes Inc., Reliable Builders Inc., Tate Rice Homes Inc., Robbins Construction Co. Inc., Greg Robbins Custom Homes Inc., Keith Rogers Homes Inc., Westphalia Construction Co. Inc.

Directions: Take Highway 421 North to a right turn at the Lewisville-Clemmons exit (Styers Ferry Road); turn right on Country Club Road; turn left on Meadowlark Drive; go 1.3 miles and turn left into Brookberry Farm.

Open houses: Today, throughout the community and including Spring Festival entries, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Contact: Lici Fansler, Prudential Carolinas Realty, 336-659-3223