By: BOB LANG
Originally Published on: 8/25/01
Page: G 4
Subheadline: Custom homes ready for
purchase in Back Bay Village
Photo Information: BRAD NETTLES/STAFF- A
community walkway meanders through trees in
Back Bay Village. (75547)
Most homes are elevated and have
drive-under garages. (75546)
Light reflects off the polished wooden
steps. (75549)
There is no shortage of cupboard space
in this kitchen. (75551)
Water shoots up from a pond fountain.
The community gazebo is one of
several such structures in the
neighborhood. (75550)
Oak trees line the entrance way of Back
Bay Village. (75553)
There is also a Post and Courier map and
an Info box.
Of The Post and Courier
MOUNT PLEASANT-With all the development
that has occurred east of the Cooper in recent years, there
aren't many quiet, uncongested areas left in which to buy or
build a new home.
Back Bay Village is one of the few
available options that's away from all the hubbub.
Tucked in the woods on the marsh side of
Rifle Range Road behind the town's waterworks facility, this
custom-home community offers upscale living in a serene, peaceful
setting.
The neighborhood features 57 lots - most
are a third of an acre or more - with three ponds and plenty of
green space. Sidewalks and walking paths run throughout.
Fountains gurgle in the ponds. A community sightseeing stand
gives residents impressive views of the marsh.
The developer, Ed Goldberg of Atlanta,
said the layout of Back Bay Village is his vision of what a
neighborhood in the South should be.
"Big porches, sidewalks on both
sides of the street, walking trails - they all help create a
sense of community among residents," said Goldberg, adding
that he plans to build his own home in the neighborhood and move
here soon.
"This is a place where people will
be able to relax and slow down, yet still have easy access to
shopping centers and downtown Charleston," he said.
Buyers can choose a lot and their own
builder or go with one of six custom builders working in the
neighborhood. A third option is to choose a home already under
construction. About a dozen homes are being built.
All the marshfront lots are sold, but a
number of interior and pond lots are still available. Prices
range from $65,900 to $75,000.
Home prices range from about $350,000 to
more than $700,000. All homes must be at least 2,500 square feet
and meet the approval of an architectural review board.
"Architecturally, we're trying to
capture a coastal Carolina/historic theme," Goldberg said.
"We want it to feel like Old Mount Pleasant."
Most homes under construction are being
built on posts with drive-under garages, but Goldberg said some
homes away from the marsh could be built on crawl space. Exterior
siding materials are limited to brick, cement fiberboard and
stucco.
Advanced building techniques are
encouraged in the neighborhood. Some homes will have elevators.
Goldberg said that at least one house is being built with walls
made of insulated concrete forms instead of wooden beams. Such
houses are more energy-efficient and storm-resistant than
wooden-frame houses, he said.
Common features on homes going up in the
neighborhood include large porches, working shutters, heavy
landscaping, upscale appliances, 9-foot or higher ceilings (on
the first floor), fireplace, extensive molding, built-in
bookcases, solid-surface countertops and hardwood floors.
"These are well-built houses that
are loaded with extra features," said Hammond Rauers,
on-site agent with Prudential Carolina Real Estate. "These
builders are doing some stunning work."
Goldberg said he expects the
neighborhood will attract a wide range of buyers, particularly
young professionals and empty nesters.
Families with young children, he said,
will like the fact that the neighborhood is in one of the best
school districts in the Lowcountry and that a town playground is
practically in the community's backyard.
"Why anyone would choose another
neighborhood in this price range is beyond me," Goldberg
said. "Here, you can avoid the hassles of (U.S. Highway) 17,
you're close to the beaches at Sullivan's Island and Isle of
Palms, you have easy access to Coleman Boulevard and the Towne
Centre, and you can still get to a golf course by 5
o'clock."
To get to Back Bay Village, turn off of
Rifle Range Road onto Hale Road (located across the street from
McAlister-Smith Funeral Home). The entrance to the community is
near the end of Hale Road.
An open house is scheduled for today and
Sunday.
Bob Lang covers automotive and real
estate news. Contact him at 937-5594 or at blang@postandcourier.com.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Back Bay Village
DEVELOPER
Ed Goldberg
BUILDER
Multiple custom builders are involved
MARKETING AGENCY
Prudential Carolina Real Estate
MORE INFO
Phone: 696-0123
Open house: Today and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5
p.m. both days
TOTAL LOTS
57
PRICES
Lots: $65,900 to $75,000 (all interior)
Homes: About $350,000 to about $750,000
SQUARE FOOTAGE
2,500 to about 5,000
TYPICAL HOME FEATURES
Large porch
Hardwood floors
9-foot ceilings
Extensive molding
Upgraded appliances
2-car garage
PROPERTY TAXES
$3,038 on a $500,000 owner-occupied home
AREA ATTRACTIONS
Wal-Mart, Towne Centre, Boone Hall,
Mount Pleasant parks and playgrounds, beaches, numerous grocery
stores and restaurants within two miles.
DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON
7 miles
SCHOOLS
WHITESIDES ELEMENTARY
Grades K-5; 849-2838; enrollment, 592;
certified staff, 39; PACT results, 47.7 percent of fifth graders
scored above basic on the English/language arts portion, 33.7
percent scored above basic on the math portion.
MOULTRIE MIDDLE
Grades 6-8; 849-2819; enrollment, 753;
certified staff, 45; PACT results, 50.2 percent of eighth graders
scored above basic on the English/language arts portion, 46.0
percent scored above basic on the math portion.
WANDO HIGH
Grades 9-12; 849-2830; enrollment,
2,079; certified staff, 121; SAT results, 508 verbal, 496 math.
The 1,004 combined score is higher than the state average (966)
but lower than the national average (1,019).
HOUSING TRENDS IN SOUTHERN MOUNT
PLEASANT
Area includes parts of Mount Pleasant
south of S.C. Highway 41.
Number of sales in fourth quarter of
2000: 206 (down from 221 in the fourth quarter of 1999).
Average sales price in fourth quarter of
2000: $254,200 (up from $199,200 in fourth quarter of 1999).
Median sales price in fourth quarter of
2000: $205,000 (up from $178,000 in the fourth quarter of 1999).