ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, April 12, 1996                 TAG: 9604120064
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: A-7  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ELLIOTT SMITH STAFF WRITER 

SUBDIVISION VERY MUCH ON COURSE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON HANGING ROCK ESTATES

Construction has begun on a 100-acre residential subdivision adjacent to the Hanging Rock Golf Course north of Salem, a Richmond developer said Thursday.

Hanging Rock Estates is being designed and developed by Carlton Associates, whose principal, J. Robert Carlton Sr., designed the planned city of Jonathan, Minn.

Hanging Rock Estates will include 250 home sites, built over the project's four phases. The first phase, currently under construction, will have 41 lots initially, with 27 more later, said Victoria Mitchell, the project's marketing consultant. Several lots have already been sold, with prices ranging from $55,000 to $77,000, and the development expects its first house to be occupied by Sept. 1.

The subdivision's custom-built houses will be priced from $200,000 to $300,000.

"We are struggling for luxury as a standard," Mitchell said. "We want these houses to be something special, to be the cream of the crop."

Houses in Hanging Rock Estates will have at least 2,400 square feet of living space along with other quality guidelines, Mitchell said.

"When we put it all together, the homeowners will benefit," she said.

Hanging Rock Estates will be marketed to 25- to 54-year-olds and those who may be considering remodeling their current homes.

"We want people instead of refurbishing their homes to buy a new custom home instead," Mitchell said.

The subdivision's developer is negotiating to provide residents special membership to the adjacent golf course, which will provide prime views from some of the subdivision's houses. The golf course's land is leased from Roanoke College, which may use the land for the college's expansion. According to Mitchell, Roanoke College's use of the land is "possible, but not probable," because the golf course has the option to buy out the lease if it wants.

Hanging Rock Estates will feature extensive landscaping, underground utilities, architecturally designed street lighting, natural gas, curbs, gutters, trails, a swimming pool, and a pond and creek.

"This is a good project," Mitchell said. "It's good for the [building] industry, it's good that the north end of the valley is being built up and that everyone involved is local, which is a benefit."

LENGTH: Medium:   51 lines
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC:  Map by staff: Hanging Rock Estates. color.