Twenty-five of the 103 homes will be constructed during the first of about six phases. Eight additional units will be reserved for development by high-end custom builders, according to Bob Rhein, president of Rhein Interests.
The property on which The Oaks of West Chester will be developed is “exceptionally beautiful” and will be preserved, Rhein said.
“We mapped out every tree six inches or larger and we did as such to save the trees,” he said. “We have a lot of open space within the development, as well.”
Located just off Barret Road, the homes range from 2,259 square feet and 4,082 square feet on about half an acre. Residences will be interspersed along a streetscape filled with cul-de-sac streets and wooded and walk-out lots, according to David Bracht, Midwest region president of Drees Homes.
Oaks of West Chester will feature a clubhouse, swimming pool, park, playground and walking trails to connect to nearby Keehner Park.
Bracht said being “kind of tucked away on the other side of the highway” near the park means having the best of both worlds.
“It’s away from the hustle-bustle but it’s close enough if you want to go shopping, if you’re working in the area or if you want to get on the highway going either way,” he said.
Four of the the 12 Oaks of West Chester homes feature brand new floorplans for Drees, Bracht said. A model home is scheduled to start construction in January and open next spring, he said.
The Oaks property was first rezoned as a residential planned unit development in 2008, giving it a 3-year “time limit” for development, according to township spokeswoman Barb Wilson. Rhein Interests in 2011 applied for a three-year extension and received final development plan approval this year for the first phase of development.
Bracht said the development represents more than half of the $100 million in planned home sales for Drees, which is also developing Belle Meadows in Miami Twp. and The Jockey Club at the Triple Crown community in Union, Ky.
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