Breathtaking Scenery Is Backdrop for Residential Development
livability, real estate, residential development,
While other regions across the country are seeing a decline in new residential development, Douglas County, with quality neighborhoods such as The Meadows and Crystal Valley Ranch, is among the fastest-growing Colorado areas.
At the top of the “why” list is The Meadows, a 4,000-acre planned community zoned to accommodate almost 11,000 single- and multi-family homes.
“Castle Rock is a great place to raise a family,” says Jim Riley, president of Castle Rock Development Company, the developer of The Meadows. “Our development has a really good connection to the historic downtown area of Castle Rock, and we’re basically 10 to 15 miles from the major job employment center of Denver.”
While new home construction within The Meadows is down from years past, Riley says they still have about 75 percent of the building permits issued in Castle Rock. “I think we’ll get to about 200 new home sales this year,” he says. “We’re the No. 1 community sales group in all of the metro Denver area.”
The first-time homebuyer program has helped keep sales going, Riley says, but it’s the premier amenities, scenic area and quality of home construction that continue to bring new homeowners to The Meadows.
Although homeowners are not limited to a specific type of design, a design team reviews every house and siting plan, encouraging different styles. The development, currently with about 4,500 homes, is about 35 percent complete.
At the heart of this community is The Grange, a facility that hosts dance lessons, cooking classes, lectures and theater productions, and offers outdoor activities with its elaborate water features.
“We have a series of landmark events that are tied to the seasons,” Riley says. Joining the list of activities that includes the Pumpkin Chunkin’ and Easter Eggstravaganza is the celebration of Chinese New Year, which has featured fireworks in the middle of winter.
Approximately 1,100 acres have been designated for parks, trails and schools. “We have about 12 miles of all kinds of trails, with both hard and soft surfaces, that are good for walking and mountain-biking,” Riley says.
“The scenery with the mountains is spectacular.”
On the development horizon are Town Center, a 30,000-square-foot retail and office development, plus a grocery store, bank and health care facilities. “We will have a full mix of retail options to provide the appropriate services for the neighborhood,” Riley says.
Crystal Valley Ranch is a 1,500-acre development that features 70 miles of awe-inspiring views of the Rocky Mountains. With its easy access to I-25, it is close to shopping, fine dining, golf and horse-boarding facilities, and emphasizes nature as the focal point and basis of the overall planning design of its home sites.
