ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997 TAG: 9704180056
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER THE ROANOKE TIMES
There seems to be a positive hunger for new homes in the town of Pulaski.
The lack of available homes which has restricted development in the Pulaski area may finally be easing.
At least two developers are building upper-scale homes within the town of Pulaski, and people are buying them.
The most ambitious project is the Peppers Ferry Meadow subdivision off Virginia 645 (Peppers Ferry Road) in the eastern part of the town, half a mile from the Memorial Square Shopping Center, but far enough away to keep its rural flavor.
Steve Crawford of JSK Construction Inc. of Christiansburg plans a total of 41 homes on the 30-acre tract, on lots ranging from a little more than one-third to three-quarters of an acre. The prices will be in the $120,000 to $175,000 range.
"I'm fairly new to projects of this size," said Crawford, who spent his first eight years in the construction business doing fix-up work on rental properties. But, when someone showed him the view of the property from a hilltop one year ago, he found himself captivated.
"That's what started it all, and then there was a lot of soul-searching," he said, because it was a major investment for him. He is gambling that the demand will be in Pulaski when he gets the homes built.
So far, the gamble has paid off. The first two homes sold so quickly that he was unable to show a completed home until one new owner agreed to delay his closing for a week to allow an open house last month.
"They could have lived anywhere in the New River Valley, and they chose here," said Betsy Mabry, of Mabry & Co. Realtors, which Crawford picked as the exclusive agent for the homes sales. "We've sold them so quickly. We haven't had anything to show anybody."
Another open house will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, as part of American Home Week. A third house is to be completed by then, and two more by the end of May.
"This is a historic event. We've never had a developer who has come into the town and county and built a 'spec' development on this scale," Mabry said. "We have somebody who's willing to come into Pulaski, and bet on Pulaski."
The March open house drew more than 80 people. "So that response tells us that we're on target here. His gut feeling is correct," Mabry said.
"We've had a problem with providing housing, especially for management of new companies coming in," said Barry Matherly, the town's economic development director.
Matherly said industry managers have complained for years about not being able to live closer to their plants in the Pulaski area because of a lack of housing. "The fact that they built two, and they were both sold to management of industries, kind of proves the point," he said.
Matherly said a second subdivision offering upper-scale homes is being developed on the Gov. Floyd Farm property near Critzer Elementary School within the town. Three of the four houses up in that development have already sold, he said.
When not one but two home developers begin building homes in an area just on speculation, Matherly said, it shows confidence that the buyers are there.
"Buyers can get more home for the money because, in Pulaski County, land costs are typically lower," Mabry said. The homes also come with utilities including underground power lines and natural gas.
"I think there's a lot of enthusiasm because nothing like that's happened around here for a while," said Kenneth Anderson who, with his wife, Alene, attended the March open house at the Pepper's Ferry subdivision.
"They're beautiful homes. We went through two of them," he said. He appreciated the fact that "they're not jammed up against each other," he said.
Such upper-scale homes may not do much about the area's need for lower-cost housing, but they are selling. "How are people affording them?" said Anderson. "It's people that have been waiting for homes."
Crawford estimates that his JSK Construction - named for wife Joi and children Steve and Kelsea - can erect 10 to 12 homes a year in the subdivision, if the demand is there. He said he could complete one in less than 90 days, weather permitting.
"We're making all the decisions," he explained. "I'm not waiting for someone to tell me what kind of carpet they want. It's strictly organization and coordinating."
"As we sell each one, one more will start so there should be five to pick from at any time," Mabry said.
The brick and vinyl homes are designed to be largely maintenance free. Crawford said only the doors and shutters will need periodic repainting. The homes also boast ceramic floors, Simonton windows, skylights, Merillat cabinetry, Jacuzzis and 25-year roofs, he said.
Mabry has seen new professionals to the region buying in neighboring localities instead of Pulaski County "because we didn't have the housing." That is one reason she is so enthusiastic about this project.
"When I first started with this, I didn't realize it would have such an impact on the community," Mabry said. "We're here because we see a potential profit. But it's a nice bonus."
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: PAUL DELLINGER THE ROANOKE TIMES. Steve Crawfordby CNBstanding on the hill where he first got the idea of doing a housing
development in this part of the town of Pulaski. color.