Venice police stand around a man on a front lawn in Country Club Estates
He was making suicidal statements and was thought to have weapons
but he was taken into custody under the Baker Act and taken to SMH-Venice
VENICE — For Country Club Estates residents
an incident that appeared to be a dramatic arrest was not
Residents watched last Tuesday as a Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office helicopter flew overhead and multiple Venice police officers showed up and took a man into custody on a front lawn in the neighborhood
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— Lehigh Acres is one of many places in Southwest Florida that sees a lot of construction and a lot of people moving to the area
The peace and tranquility of Country Club Estates off Joel Boulevard made Sherry and Tom Dahlheimer buy their home there 26 years ago
"We do like it here because it was quiet and nothing back here to you know look over into our property
but I guess that's something that's coming to an end," Sherry Dahlheimer said
Delisi Inc represents the property owners 12.9 acres that borders the Dahlheimer's backyard
Find previous reporting here.
Lee County approved the company's request to rezone the land for a residential planned development with 258 multi-family units
but I guess we were lucky to have it this long."
Watch Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades report below:
The current design for the six building apartment complex shows one of the 45 foot tall buildings behind her yard. The development plan also calls for a 25 foot buffer and with an eight foot high wall between the complex and existing residences.
Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades first met Dahlheimer in July and her opinion on the development hasn't changed
"Our one concern as it looks like on the plans that it's going to exit out onto Country Club
and I don't know how that's going to work especially if there's no light," she said
Dahlheimer also mentioned that they'll miss the lack of privacy the field behind their yard provides
Rhoades also met with Dahlheimer's neighbor Marlyn Castner who looks forward to the apartments
"This is a great plus for this part of Lehigh
and I see it as a huge success and possibly more to come."
and she hopes to hear more communication as the development progresses
the property owners need to go through the permitting process
Neighbors are celebrating a victory in their battle to protect the Riviera Golf Course from development
A circuit court judge has ruled the property in East Naples must remain a golf course until 2030
While the effect of the ruling may only be to delay development
the neighbors will continue fighting it on other fronts
"We are going to continue to advance our interests
And we are going to continue to do everything we can to make sure that there is not development on that property
which is our floodplain and our safety," said Peter Osinski
and a chairman of its Golf Course Working Group
The Riviera Golf Estates Homeowners Association sued the property's owners for declaratory and injunctive relief in 2022
over their attempts to build homes on the land
purchased the public golf course for $4.8 million in 2005
the course has been closed since April 2022
"This verdict will have significant implications for RGE (Riviera Golf Estates) and the property owners
as well as Collier County's approach to the many legal and regulatory issues related to this land," Osinski said
Other coverage: Collier commissioners reject settlement to save East Naples golf course based on poll
And: Legal settlement could protect an East Naples golf course from development
the homeowners association claimed the property's owners/developers are still bound by a "recorded covenant" that requires the land to be used solely as a golf course
Collier Circuit Judge Lauren Brodie agreed
finding the restrictive covenant continues to run with the land
She determined the covenant remains valid and enforceable – until August 18
That date is based on what the judge determined to be the "root of title," or root deed for the property
The recording of a 1990 deed included a copy of a 1973 deed containing the restrictive covenant as an exhibit
A title transfer in 2000 did not reference the official record books and page numbers for the 1973 or 1990 deeds
Based on Florida's Marketable Record Title Act
Brodie found the 2000 deed couldn't become the root deed
until 30 years after the day of its recording
The act allows most recorded documents to be ignored after that many years
to simplify the purchase and sale of property
"There's no doubt we won a big victory," Osinski said
He described the ruling as more of a "cease fire" in a war that could be far from over
"We see this as a suspension of this operation
He pointed out La Minnesota could appeal the ruling
"We are operating on the assumption that they will," Osinski said
following a one-day bench trial in late December
so there's only a short window for the opposing side to decide whether to take that route
An attorney for La Minnesota could not immediately be reached for comment on the ruling
More: Riviera Golf Club course in East Naples to close April 30; neighbors hope to keep view
The homeowners association didn't get everything it wanted in its legal battle
It also sought to force La Minnesota to operate a golf course
with the property owners objecting to the demands
Brodie affirmed the drainage easements on the property are enforceable
but she didn't agree with the association's contention they couldn't or shouldn't be disturbed
the judge ruled that any future development should be done in "a way that does not adversely affect" the drainage for the Riviera Golf Estates community
That could make development more difficult
so he still views it as a positive outcome for neighbors
It's intertwined with the 18-hole golf course
La Minnesota filed an intent to convert application with Collier County's Planning & Zoning Department
initiating the process needed to change the golf course zoning to residential
brought under Florida's Bert Harris property rights act
La Minnesota claimed they'd been "inordinately burdened" by the county's new rules for rezoning a golf course
They alleged golf course conversion rules adopted in 2017 had burdened "the reasonably foreseeable residential use of the property with new cumbersome processes and new development standards."
La Minnesota asserted the county's requirement for a larger greenway
instead of a traditional buffer to shield its development from the surrounding community would reduce the number of single-family homes it could build on its property from 346 to 104
The developers valued their property losses – equating to 242 homes – at $14.52 million
until the lawsuit filed by the Riviera Golf Estates Homeowners Association in the same court was resolved
La Minnesota agreed to the county's request
the county reasoned the Bert Harris claims would then become "moot," as La Minnesota wouldn't be able to build homes on the site anyway
"There is no longer an ability to apply for the rezone
because the property must stay a golf course
It's only permitted use is a golf course until 2030
He added: "I'm sure the county is a little relieved about that."
The county's policy is not to comment on pending litigation
If La Minnesota's Bert Harris lawsuit is revived
Osinski said his homeowners association intends to intervene
has unearthed information that could cast doubt on the viability of the case
"It is our intention to keep fighting and advocating
That includes advocating for no changes to the golf course conversion rules
County staff has been working to revise them
in part to make them more legally defensible
The current rules have resulted in multiple Bert Harris property rights claims by developers and landowners
Collier commissioners approved a legal settlement that resolved two lawsuits brought by the owners of The Links of Naples golf course over difficulties they faced in trying to develop their property
in part due to uncertainty over the conversion rules
That course sits off U.S. 41 East, not far from Collier Boulevard. The settlement will allow up to 369 homes to be built on the property
the conversion regulations ultimately did not apply
the only Bert Harris suit left is the one involving the Riviera Golf Course
"Our contention to the county is that there is far more downside than upside to changing the regulations at all," Osinski said
"Most of the things you are afraid of have pretty much been resolved
The statute of limitations has run out for other golf course owners to file Bert Harris claims over the conversion rules
he suggested the county could face new claims by hundreds of neighbors
who purchased their homes after the rules were adopted in 2017 and relied on them for protection
the county’s own studies established that residential development of golf courses can reduce neighboring property values by as much as 31%," Osinski said
"By changing these regulations or even eliminating them
they are asking for a whole bunch more problems."
After reviewing the proposed revisions in August
the Collier County Planning Commission sent county staff back to the drawing board
not the surrounding neighbors they're designed to protect
the rules would have been trimmed from nine pages to two
More: Proposed changes to Collier's golf course conversion rules go back to drawing board
County commissioners could consider a revised proposal with fewer changes to the conversion process on March 11
"We are concerned that the board may decide to bypass the planning commission
and possibly do away with the regulations altogether," Osinski said
Representatives from the Country Club Estates Property Owners Association recently presented a check for $1,000 to the Friends of the Rehoboth Beach Public Library to support its 30 Chances to Win daily raffle
Raffle tickets were sold throughout July and August
a winner will receive $100 in gift cards to local businesses and restaurants
Monies raised through the raffle are used to support the Rehoboth Beach Public Library’s collection and programs
And alongside making determinations on liability and damages
the jury also answered what plaintiffs counsel said was an unusual question to find on a verdict sheet in a personal injury case: whether one of the defendants was the decedent's employer
A Philadelphia jury handed up a $9.1 million verdict to the estate of a golf professional who was killed when an oak tree crashed into a cart storage building at the country club where he worked
the jury also answered what plaintiffs counsel said was an unusual question to find on a verdict sheet in a personal injury case: whether one of the defendants was decedent Justin Riegel's employer
Corporate Counsel
New York Law Journal
New Jersey Law Journal
Litigation Daily
National Law Journal
Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit
accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products
18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc
Read More
Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives
24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell
accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment
Read More
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action
11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld
accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls
Read More
a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure
Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit
25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC
accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement
Read More
Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc
26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern
alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase
Read More
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The estate of a well-known family has sold a 222-acre golf course and clubhouse property near Princeton University
in a newly announced deal by Cushman & Wakefield
Brokers with the firm represented the Piasecka Johnson Estate in the transaction at 4519 Province Line Road
the site of what’s known as TPC Jasna Polana Golf Club
paid an undisclosed sum for the private 18-hole course and mansion
Ryan Dowd and Jean-Pierre Hohl represented the seller and procured the buyer
“With its rich history and status as a community staple in Princeton
the Jasna Polana Golf Club garnered significant interest
despite current capital market conditions,” Merin said
“We conducted a thorough sales process that resulted in a strong response from a variety of investors
reflecting the unique value and appeal of this property
“Our team is well equipped to manage the sale of specialty assets
as this marks the fifth golf course our local capital markets team has successfully sold in recent years
in addition to the more than a dozen sales by our wider specialty team across the country
underscoring our capability and dedication to delivering exceptional results for our clients.”
a Polish phrase generally translating to “Bright Meadow,” includes a 46,000-square-foot clubhouse designed by Wallace Harrison and a course designed by Gary Player
Concert Golf Partners noted that the nearly 50-year-old structure originally served as a home to Barbara Piasecka Johnson and J
and was designed to accommodate the famed Piasecka-Johnson art collection
said the clubhouse features a travertine room
event space and a garden with a reflecting pool
private parking and two private lodges with 16 bedrooms for overnight accommodations
from its ties to the Piasecka Johnson family to its role in professional golf as a past host of the PGA Tour Champions and the classic Wonderful World of Golf match between Tom Watson and Hal Sutton,” said Jordan Peace
senior vice president of corporate development at Concert Golf
“We are extremely selective about the clubs we add to our portfolio
and we are honored to be the new stewards of this world class club
Our mission is to preserve and enhance great private clubs
while honoring their culture and traditions in new and exciting ways.”
has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years
Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state
a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ
He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State
Restaurant chain Bojangles has opened along a major commercial corridor in Piscataway as part of a previously announced deal brokered by The Goldstein Group
All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland
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It’s their most alluring pull – a blend of tranquillity with enhanced security
security checkpoints and even security patrols
residents flock to gated communities for the sense of safety they promise
last week’s murder of Barbara Gayle in the Caymanas Country Club Estate has shattered that illusion
exposing the vulnerability even within the most secure enclaves
Caymanas Estate is one of the most secure gated communities in St Catherine
It employs a sophisticated security system with barcodes
and passwords to protect the community from the outside world – and even to separate different sections within the estate
like the one where 77-year-old Gayle lived on Block A in Phase 1
the community has grappled with a number of security breaches
with Gayle’s murder on December 17 being the most horrific incident to date
Her lifeless body was discovered last Tuesday with multiple stab wounds
hours after she was seen on her porch engaging in conversation with an intruder
who a police source said had climbed a wall to enter the community
The Mercedes Benz GLE was found in bushes along Dyke Road on Wednesday
the police said the main suspect in the murder had been arrested
who is in charge of operations in the St Catherine South Police Division
stunned neighbours gathered near Gayle’s home to pay tribute to the community stalwart at a candlelight vigil
“You really come to realise that the only security you have is in Jesus Christ,” said Zoe Simpson
“You live in a gated community and you have this false sense of security that nobody can come in there and harm you
and you are thinking that if you see someone in there
they didn’t jump the wall and come in,” offered another resident and Gayle’s former colleague
“So it would mean they had done their security checks and must be a worker or something
It’s actually very scary,” said the female resident
she has been battling anxiety – checking every window
but you don’t expect someone breaking in and killing someone.”
While residents enter using a personal clicker and visitors must provide identification
some criminals bypass these measures by scaling the perimeter fence or tailgating authorised residents
Similar concerns have been raised in other gated communities
about the lack of proper monitoring of workers
The suspect arrested for Gayle’s murder was known in the community as a part-time worker
residents of Phoenix Park and other gated communities last week raised concerns regarding the systems in place to monitor workmen visiting the communities
have been found to be culprits behind the break-ins
The man arrested for Gayle’s murder was known in Caymanas Estate as a part-time workman
“The issue is that many of the workmen are not formal
So you would employ one company to do a piece of work
but the men who he carries may not be of sound character,” explained Sandra Karr
vice-president of the citizens’ association at Caymanas Estate
adding that the association has been looking at bolstering security initiatives within the community
and that the matter of monitoring workmen is among the major issues
But fixing certain security issues is easier said than done when up to 30 per cent of residents in some communities do not pay their routine maintenance fees
from which security and other community expenditures are met
It remains a sore point for Caymanas Estate residents
“Maybe our loving Barbara would still be here if we were all cooperating
We cannot find the amount of money to pay for the things that we need to do in this complex
The major one is security and security is expensive,” charged Carlton Wilson
resident and retired assistant commissioner of police
we bought into the concept of our oasis and how we are going to keep it together
some people fall out and are not living up to their responsibilities,” he continued
“The truth is that if we were all living up to our responsibilities
we probably would have found the resources to implement the kind of resources that we had set up to implement in this community
but it is simply that we don’t have the money that we want to do because there are some of us who are not cooperating
I hope this will really bring home to some people what is truly at stake here,” Wilson said
hoping the tragedy will be a wake-up call to chart a way forward
developers are responsible for building the perimeter fence and security infrastructure
to cover the costs of ongoing security services
which often include guards – armed and unarmed
stationary and mobile; cameras; and other measures
“Gated communities are the way to go because of the security component
We can understand that sometimes they don’t work out but for the most part there are some very good examples,” said CEAC Solutions Company Limited Managing Director Christopher Burgess
noting there is still a high demand for such houses
“One shining example is Long Mountain in St Andrew ..
it is definitely the way to go based on Jamaica’s current situation,” said Burgess
who is currently constructing ‘smart homes’ gated communities
The Jamaica National Crime Victimisation Survey 2019
conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica and the Ministry of National Security
revealed that the majority of Jamaicans (an estimated 1,899,678 or 90.3 per cent) felt safe in their homes
This was ranked lower than feeling safe at church (97 per cent)
but higher than in personal vehicles (90.0 per cent)
in educational institutions (83.1 per cent)
with ATMs on the street being the location where 56.3 per cent of people reported feeling unsafe
Other locations were cited by 54.2 per cent of respondents
A breakdown of the data showed that more rural Jamaicans (91.3 per cent) felt safe in their homes than urban dwellers (89.4 per cent)
The survey also asked respondents if they had been physically assaulted by anyone
Over half of the victims of physical assault were female (55.9 per cent)
and three out of every five (62.1 per cent) victims lived in urban areas
no further breakdown was provided regarding where the assaults took place
In terms of motor vehicle thefts and vehicle parts
the survey found that the majority (82.9 per cent) occurred within the victims’ home communities
followed by incidents in the parish (12.0 per cent) and in another parish (2.0 per cent)
For most vehicle owners who experienced thefts in their home communities
73.4 per cent reported that the incidents occurred at their homes
A further 10.7 per cent indicated the thefts took place in the street or an open space
4.2 per cent at a stadium or sporting facility
When it came to items stolen from vehicles
the home (42.8 per cent) was also the primary target for criminals
28 per cent of respondents reported that thieves had targeted their homes
31.1 per cent said the criminals had robbed or broken into their houses while someone was present
In 13.2 per cent of the cases where someone was home
the leadership of the St Catherine South Police Division pointed out that gated communities present a challenge for the police to access to carry out their duties
and are often used as havens for organised criminals
police seized more than $38 million when they raided a property in Caribbean Estate
Two persons were arrested and several of their belongings confiscated as part of the operation
There have also been reports of persons renting the homes for Airbnbs
but then using them to scam unsuspecting individuals seeking to rent them
“It has come to our attention that there are elements within gated communities obstructing the police when we attempt to carry out our responsibilities
This not only hinders our ability to serve and protect but also emboldens criminal activities within these areas
which is unacceptable,” said then-divisional commander Senior Superintendent Christopher Phillips
“I want to advise leaders in these communities that this must not happen,” charged Phillips
who noted during the town hall that gated communities are not necessarily safe
and called for cooperation from residents within them
urged residents of Caymanas Estate not to be fearful despite the dastardly murder
“Let us not continue to live in fear from this
Let it allow us to be more resolute and strong
And we must not take this only for a talking thing
We need to keep living for each other,” he said
corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com
View the discussion thread.
There was a sliver of a triangular parcel left over
perhaps in anticipation of a future expansion of the planned Sahara Trailer Park
perhaps because it didn’t fit the site map and circulation pattern
triangular parcel at the west end of the proposed development
The triangular lot was the remnant of a larger
30-acre parcel originally owned by Lee Arenas which was sold to George and Florence Blezard and Roy and Mattie Smith in a transaction
marked “the first time that such land ownership has passed in fee-patent from a member of the Agua Caliente tribe to a purchaser.”
According to the nomination written by architectural historian Steven Vaught on behalf of the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation
operated a chain of liquor stores in California before retiring to Palm Springs in 1947 where he took up residence at Rancho Trailer Park
Smith had been in the car business in Los Angeles and owned a service station before he too
they bought the land in the south of town from Arenas
The Sahara Trailer Park at 1955 South Camino Real would offer 300 units and “featured a club house
television viewing room and swimming pool….”
The Blezards and the Smiths made a lease agreement with developers Philip Jacobs and Bert Randall of the aptly named Philbert Corporation to build out the trailer park
the Philbert Corporation chose master modernists A
Vaught notes the architects created “a distinctly Californian expression of modernism characterized by simple post-and-beam construction
They utilized new building technologies and structural innovations including lightweight post-and-beam construction with preassembled parts
which decreased costs and production time.”
So luxurious were the planned amenities the new park
that the newspaper in 1954 reported “The largest installation of the TV coaxial cable service is called for in contracts signed between the Palm Springs Television corporation and the Sahara Trailer Park now under construction.” The contract called for 140 television “outlets.”
A mere 5% of all housing in Palm Springs in the early 1960s was common area developments
eventually called “condominiums.” Country Club Estates
was one of the very first projects of this kind
Presumably the condominiums also had “television outlets.”
the plan followed in spirit the classic garden apartment design of the type that had gained popularity across the country
in the years leading up to and following World War II
The philosophy behind such apartments had its origins in the 19th century ‘Garden City’ movement
which sought to harmonize the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces.”
The triangular shape of the site was challenging but Jones created “a unique design that would emphasize privacy while maximizing access to garden spaces and mountain views
Jones divided the 30 planned units into nine single-story structures of two and four-unit configurations
This layout promoted the illusion of private homes rather than a monolithic multifamily block
Jones furthered this in the way he varied the two-unit structures between the four-unit version
helping to avoid a ‘cookie cutter’ appearance
He would later refine and enhance the feeling of individuality in the stylistic elements of the units.”
Arranged along the edges of the funny-shaped parcel
the units surrounded an inner garden space with the community swimming pool and large putting green
Other similar complexes including Canyon View Estates and Palm Desert’s Sandpiper were employing similar site plans
low-slung design of the buildings emphasized the soaring mountains beyond
while recessed front entries created shade and a sense of discovery at the front door
Decorative concrete block provided subtle texture to the walls
Carefully marking the procession from outside to in
planting beds created miniature gardens en route to the interior of the units
anticipating the development’s most distinctive feature
fortunate occupants gasped with delight at the atrium enclosed with nothing but glass
An outdoor garden right in the center of your Town House home
Here you can enjoy quiet outdoor privacy in your own park-like paradise!”
The atrium was accessible from the main bedroom and the living room
while a patio space ran the full length of the side of the interior visible through floor-to-ceiling glass panels and sliding glass doors
The garden was annexed to the interior in this manner
two-bath unit or the same with an additional bedroom or den
service bar between the living room and kitchen
roman tub and separate shower in the main bedroom
The model units had interior design by Arthur Elrod
The newspaper summed it up as “Easy Living – Country Club Estates
is the epitome of Palm Springs relaxed way of life.” Sun-seekers could lounge around the 76-foot-long
pentagonal pool and golfers could practice their putting immediately outside their homes or play full rounds in the nearby golf courses
Country Club Estates was featured in the Los Angeles Times Home magazine on Jan
in an article entitled “Desert Condominium Living…A Resort Within a Resort.” But Vaught notes that “in spite of the favorable publicity with an advertising campaign running throughout Southern California newspapers and magazines
and in spite of its connections to such top-flight names as A
Country Club Estates failed in its initial sales offering.”
The complex was eventually taken back by Philbert’s lender
Coachella Valley Savings & Loan and in 1966 the bank started a new sales campaign
Palm Springs Life printed “A Sparkling Seraglio: Green Grounded
Mountain Edged” which described the complex as a “striking new clutch of town-house homes,” with “a whale of a big swimming pool.” The economic downturn that caused slow sales proved temporary and the complex was fully occupied by the end of 1968
remarkably intact and was designated this week by the city council as it was designed by a master architect
retains its integrity and has distinctive features
The complex conjures up a time of “carefree homes” which are “like having a private country club at your front door.” And a private garden inside
Tracy Conrad is president of the Palm Springs Historical Society. The Thanks for the Memories column appears Sundays in The Desert Sun. Write to her at pshstracy@gmail.com
There are so many great places to live in Fort Worth that it helps to have an expert on your side
The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there
providing in-the-know info about your possible new community
Fort Worth is a changing and growing city, and real estate agent Pat Safian has been passionate about helping her clients find their own place in it — just like she once did
Pat lived in several states and countries before her military dad was stationed at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth
which happened to be the city where she finally felt at home
holds an extra-special place in Pat’s heart
She spent nine years there with her then-husband
This neighborhood has also been an area of focus during her 20-year real estate career
So she knows firsthand how distinctive this private community is
With 624 homes built around a beautiful 18-hole golf course
RCCE offers a beautiful setting that includes easy access to the Trinity Trails
“I like that there is only one entrance in and out — and that many of the homes here are custom,” Pat says
While it may feel like a bucolic slice of country living
Ridglea Country Club Estates is conveniently located near some of the best shopping and restaurants in Fort Worth
along with schools and Texas Christian University — and it’s only about 10 minutes from downtown
Pat offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Ridglea Country Club Estates
Where to eat & drinkFor a menu that’s packed with hearty “contemporary ranch” flavors
you can head to Michaels Cuisine before the rodeo or a concert at Dickies Arena
for great Italian dishes; Lucile’s for classic
homey American food; Angelo’s BBQ for the best smoked flavors; and Winslow's Wine Cellar for its excellent bottle selection and wine club
Where to playPat’s go-to place for some down time is Trinity Park for a bike ride or walking the trails
There is an access point just outside the entrance to the Ridglea Country Club Estates
The Shops at Clearfork offer a different kind of relaxation
What to seeJust a few miles west of downtown is the Fort Worth Cultural District
which are all near each other and offer a wide variety of must-see collections and exhibits
Where to live“The majority of homes are traditional
single-story ranch-style properties with a few French Provincials thrown in,” says Pat
The neighborhood also boasts large lots and beautiful
and there are even a handful of condos and townhomes available
Pat Safian works and plays in Ridglea Country Club Estates. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here
Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty
One Fort Worth-area city took the top slot on a new list of "the 100 Best Places to Live in 2025." The list — from relocation marketing platform Livability.com — put Flower Mound at No
1 for its appealing size and affordability
The list was restricted to small and mid-size cities with populations between 75,000-500,000 residents
And it also considered only cities with a median home value of $500,000 or less
Keeping their list centered around "affordability," they considered factors such as average rent and home prices relative to income
And while Flower Mound is listed as No. 1, the site encourages users to create their own ranking based on personal priorities
Flower Mound earned the highest score out of all the cities on the report
with a LivScore totaling 875 out of 1,000 possible points
Flower Mound is 32 miles northeast of Fort Worth, with a population of more than 77,000 residents and a median household income that's well into the six-figures
These affluent residents have median home values of $476,609
the suburb ranked the highest for its health (88)
The report said Flower Mound has a "diverse and robust" economy
bolstered by more than 2,000 locally based businesses in tech
Rheudasil Park is a great place for families to enjoy the outdoors.Town of Flower Mound
Livability's profile of Flower Mound praises its safe neighborhoods
"Local residents (and their pets) have all kinds of fun ways to enjoy the great outdoors thanks to more than 1,000 acres of parkland," the profile says
with amenities galore — including a splash pad
18-hole disc golf course and bronze statues of animals native to the area
Flo-Mo is a repeat award winner: In 2024, the city was found to be the 29th most livable small city in America in a separate study by SmartAsset
Seven other Texas cities were also included in the list of best places to live in the U.S.: Sugar Land (854 points)
The top 10 cities that earned the most points on Livability's list are:
CLICK HERE for High School Football Scores
TX — Details regarding the fatal crash at Bentwood Country Club Estates that claimed the life of a 41-year-old man have been released
was arrested for intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury after Dustin Patino
including a potentially fractured skull and a possible broken rib
According to the San Angelo Police Department
San Angelo police officers were dispatched to the 5500 block of Enclave Court regarding a major motor vehicle crash
Krieger was identified as the driver of a Trojan-EV golf cart
The golf cart was carrying multiple passengers
Officers learned that one of the back passengers
was being treated by EMS medics from the San Angelo Fire Department after being thrown from the vehicle during the crash
Patino was ejected when a safety rail failed during a sharp turn made by Krieger
A sergeant with the San Angelo Police Department reported that Patino suffered a fractured skull and potential internal bleeding
He was transported to Shannon Medical Center for further treatment
Preliminary observations suggested that Krieger had been drinking and was possibly under the influence of alcohol
Investigators interviewed medical professionals at Shannon Medical Center
where Patino was being treated in the emergency room
A doctor indicated that Patino had likely sustained a skull fracture
resulting in additional hemorrhaging and a rib fracture
These injuries were potentially life-threatening
Patino was referred to neurology for further medical intervention
One of the first officers on the scene told investigators that Patino was unconscious and experienced seizures during his initial treatment
A DWI investigation conducted by San Angelo police gathered probable cause to believe that Krieger was intoxicated
leading to her arrest and the pursuit of a breath sample
Investigators inspected the crash site and the Trojan-EV golf cart at the 5500 block of Enclave Court
They noted that a safety rail on a bench seat had broken at the base due to strain
Additional inspection found the golf cart's top speed was 25 miles per hour
Investigators also consulted a member of the San Angelo Police Department’s Motor Division
who observed markings indicating the path of the golf cart in an arc shape
Arrest documents show that officers conducted a Standardized Field Sobriety Test on Krieger
The results indicated 4 out of 6 clues on the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test
7 out of 8 clues on the Walk and Turn Test
and 3 out of 4 clues on the One Leg Stand Test
Subsequent Intoxilyzer testing yielded two samples showing a Blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.150 g/210L
Krieger was arrested and booked into the Tom Green County Jail on June 29
for intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury and was released on June 30
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With temperatures consistently breaking 60 degrees
golf courses throughout the Cape Region are beginning to fill up
Rehoboth Beach Country Club was once located within the city’s limits
On 65 acres of what is now known as Country Club Estates south of Rehoboth Avenue
bordering on Scarborough Avenue down to Silver Lake
Rehoboth Beach Country Club was home to a nine-hole layout from 1925 until 1966
when the current 18-hole championship course and clubhouse were completed on the Rehoboth Bay
the original layout was described as sporty and boasted a clubhouse renovated from an old farmhouse that was part of the original property
Also worth noting from this 1936 aerial photograph taken by Dallin Aerial Surveys is the future location of Rehoboth Elementary on the property with the oval track
which served as a high school and elementary school
A bridge across Silver Lake to what appears to be a green is located very close to the existing Turtle Bridge behind the Rehoboth Elementary property
defaulted on its $3.5 million loan with Northern Trust Bank last year and was at risk of foreclosure
A homeowner in Skyline Country Club Estates is suing her homeowners’ association for forcing its members to help the private club avoid foreclosure
is seeking an injunction to prevent Skyline Country Club Estates Improvement Association from charging her increased homeowners’ association fees to support Skyline Country Club
The association took part in a campaign last year to convince homeowners in the gated community — both those who are members of the country club and those who are not — to agree to higher association fees
Those funds went toward hiring a third-party manager to save the ailing country club
But attorney Roger Wood says the main question is whether the association had the authority to increase fees to benefit a private club
“You’re going to ask a group of (home)owners to essentially become private country club owners,” Wood said
“That’s not what the HOA was originally developed to do
I think any kind of change you would make to the fundamental purpose of the association would require everybody’s 100 percent approval.”
a majority of homeowners voted in favor of a proposal to save the club by using association fees to hire a third-party manager
Supporters said the plan would protect property values — which some said would be at risk if the club foreclosed and sat vacant — and give perks to non-club members
like free monthly dinners and one day a month of free tennis
The complaint says homeowners who are now financially supporting the club do not automatically become club members under the plan
“as might be expected when the association is financially rescuing the club.”
declined to discuss details of the complaint
He said he wasn’t aware of it until he was notified by the Star and he hasn’t read the complaint
The complaint states that the association’s rules don’t allow for the kind of broad action homeowners voted to approve in December
A mandatory increase in fees to benefit a third party would only be legal if an amendment to the homeowners’ association governing documents — known as CC&Rs — empowered the association to levy fees for that purpose
established that such an amendment could only be approved by a unanimous vote of homeowners
something should have been done to bring the CC&Rs into compliance with the purpose they are now raising money for
That purpose was never contemplated by the original drafters of the association’s” governing documents
insisted upon the participation of all homeowners as a condition of managing the club
A 25-year contract — which pays the management firm $164,731 in the first year
rising to nearly $600,000 in Year 3 — required that homeowners’ annual fees increase by 20 percent each year for three years and remain at the heightened level for the following 22 years
Urban’s annual fees would increase from $1,575 to $2,722 by Year 3
Skyline Country Club has operated at a loss since 2007
The club defaulted on its $3.5 million loan with Northern Trust Bank last year and was at risk of foreclosure
according to documents obtained by the Arizona Daily Star
Skyline Country Club had 575 members in early 2013
according to a PowerPoint presentation shown to Skyline Country Club Estates homeowners during a town-hall meeting last year
In the first 10 months of fiscal year 2013
compared with a gain of $345,000 seven years prior
Urban is seeking a ruling to stop the association from increasing her dues to support the private golf club
as well as damages to be determined at trial and attorneys’ fees
The new HOA fees went into effect in April and Urban paid them
“We didn’t want this case to be about her not paying,” he said
“We wanted it to be about the substantive legal issues.”
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Now is the time for the discerning homebuyer to purchase a rare San Marino model residence in the private gated community of Moorpark Country Club Estates
the largest floor plan in the community and one of the very few in Country Club Estates on a lot that is this desirable size and shape
The home offers glorious front views of the pastoral hillsides and backyard views of the glittering city lights and nearby golf course
allowing the new homeowners to enjoy sunrises and sunsets from two unique perspectives
Situated amid a conclave of luxurious homes
The exterior of the home is Mediterranean style
with a distinctive Spanish tile roof and aesthetically pleasing arched windows
It has two two-car garages with epoxy floors and ample storage
The home's driveway is complemented by its manicured front lawn and mature foliage
The entrance leads to a breathtaking entryway
with a dramatic symmetrical double staircase on either side
The stairs are carpeted and feature wooden banisters and wrought iron balusters
the entry has a gorgeous hanging light fixture in a decorative ceiling medallion above the Travertine tile flooring
which has been set in the Versailles pattern
The entry leads to the formal dining room on one side
a formal living room with fireplace and doors to the backyard
A warm and welcoming great room features a fireplace
surround sound and sliding door to the patio
The adjacent kitchen is a gourmet cook’s dream
stainless steel appliances and an island with its own sink and trash compactor
which can be used as an in-law’s or caregiver’s suite
All of the bedrooms in the home have attached full bathrooms
which has a matching wood and wrought iron railing
and offers a wonderful view of the unspoiled hillside setting via the front windows
The master suite has a sitting area with fireplace and wood floors
and a bedroom with incredible backyard views and a large walk-in closet
The attached master bathroom has double sinks
sauna and an additional walk-in closet with built-in cabinetry
Matching the opulence of the interior of the home is its serene backyard
which has pavers set in the Versailles pattern
a covered patio and multiple seating areas with some accessible across the lawn via thoughtfully-placed stepping stones
There are two flagstone fire pits with glass rocks; one near the patio area adjacent to the home and another further back on the property
The barbecue area is perfect for entertaining guests and has a built-in smoker and barbecue
a granite countertop and decorative glass tiles accenting the counter edges
There are also hidden outdoor speakers to accommodate the new homeowners’ musical selections
The home’s other amenities include neutral paint hues throughout
this incredible estate home is priced at $1,450,000
For more information or for a private tour
Rosemary Allison’s website is www.CallRosemary.com
Driving Forces
These homes represent the top sales for the week of August 13-19
Commission Accomplished: New construction in Covington’s Tchefuncta Club Estates sells for over $1.5M
These homes represent the top sales for the week of April 20 –26
These homes represent the top sales for the week of April 13-19
These homes represent the top sales for the week of April 6 –12
These homes represent the top sales for the week of March 30-April 5
These homes represent the top sales for the week of March 23-29
These homes represent the top sales for the week of March 16-22
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Home + Design, Real Estate
by Jessica Ritz | Apr 28
Expanding the scope to look at the top seller in each of the nine cities of Greater Palm Springs illustrates the diversity in styles and building types across the desert communities
From the opulent Madison Club estate that secured the highest sale overall to two lots with ranching roots
Villages-News.com
The parent company for the Water Oak Country Club Estates 55+ community in Lady Lake has been fined $500 after sediment from new construction washed into residents’ yards
The case went before a special magistrate Tuesday morning at Lady Lake Town Hall
Three Water Oak homes were impacted with silt and sand washing into their yards and landscaping
according to information presented by the town’s code enforcement officer in a hearing
It’s happened before and Water Oak is a “repeat offender,” the officer said
Joe Benefield of Atwell Construction spoke on behalf of Water Oak
“We had torrential rainfall three nights in a row,” Benefield said
He said the properties were “all cleaned up” as of Oct
Special Magistrate Joshua Bills imposed a $500 fine on Water Oak and also ordered that administrative costs be paid due to the infraction
All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m
All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled
BUCKHANNON – When people think about celebrating a birthday
items that usually come to mind include presents
with the COVID-19 pandemic and the practice of social or physical distancing
people have had to think of alternative ways of celebrating these milestones
Residents of Country Club Estates in Buckhannon on Tuesday had a neighbor coming up on a large milestone – Lenora Thomason was turning 100 years old – so they worked together to organize a safe way to celebrate the event where everyone could have fun
Lenora Thomason has lived in County Club Estates since 2001
her neighbors gathered for a birthday celebration – one that included a band of children singing ‘Happy Birthday’ along with units from the Buckhannon Fire Department and the Upshur County Animal Control
Also in line were neighbors who decorated their cars
tractors and golf carts as they paraded past Lenora Thompson’s house where she watched from her front porch with her children Charlie Thomason and Katie Thomason Howes
As residents drove and marched past her home
Leading the parade was a representative from one of Buckhannon’s finest
in a fire truck being manned by firefighter Steve Michaels
Michaels said since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
firefighters have been bringing out the trucks to help celebrate birthdays and other milestones
“We have been doing this when people request this because of COVID-19,” Michaels said
“We are always glad to help out in the community.”
Neighbors Ed and Joyce Wilt decorated their vehicle to join in the Birthday Parade to celebrate Lenora turning 100 years old
Ed Wilt said they thought it appropriate to celebrate because ‘you don’t see someone who turns 100 every day.’
“We know her and wanted to come and wish her a Happy 100th Birthday,” Ed Wilt said
“We hope she gets a lot of joy from our parade
I hope they have a Birthday Parade for me when I turn 100!”
Country Club Estates Homeowner’s Association President Steve Collett said he was very excited to have the Happy Birthday Parade
adding that organizers Mary Beth Hinkle and Darissa Shaw did a wonderful job coordinating the event
“It’s quite a fete to know someone who is turning 100 and to live close to them,” Collett said
“We asked our neighbors to walk or drive by in decorated vehicles with signs and balloons and music,” Shaw
and we wanted to do something nice for Lenora while we remained socially distanced
She said she could not see any difference in turning 100 years old
and I am happy to have everyone come and say hello,” she said
Her children said they consider it an honor that the neighbors were parading by to offer well wishes
Lenora’s children are Charlie Thomason and Katie Thomason Howes
and they gathered with Lenora Thomason along with daughter-in-law Sheila Thomason for Tuesday’s parade
Lenora was married to the late Roy Thomason Sr
Lenora Thomason grew up on a farm and her husband Roy Sr
Daughter-in-law Sheila said Lenora was a terrific gardener and farmer
Lenora sat on her porch with a big smile and waved to those passing by
Sheila said Lenora remarked that her 100th birthday was the celebration where she received the most birthday cards
“Never have I had a party or anything that compares to this.”
Sheila said her mother-in-law was ‘tickled pink’ when the neighbors decided to drive by and offer their wishes for a ‘Happy 100th Birthday.’
Folks wishing to send birthday wishes may mail them to Lenora Thomason c/o Sheila Thomason
This website proudly designed and engineered in Buckhannon
Contact us: info@mybuckhannon.com
Privacy Policy * Terms & Conditions * Contest Rules
Two seats on the Deming City Council are up for election on Nov. 7, with early voting opening on Oct. 10. Previously, we wrote about the contest for the District 1 seat
we introduce the candidates for District 4: Alex Valdespino
These are the first contested elections the city council has seen in several years
in a county that has frequently elected and reelected local officers without competition
That remains the case this year with three seats on the Deming Public Schools board — a majority — only drawing a single candidate apiece
On the city council, both contests present an incumbent who was appointed by Mayor Benny Jasso and seeking four-year terms of their own, with each facing a challenger making their first run for office. Jasso is also running for reelection against two opponents
Each of the four council members represents a district in a geographical section of the city
They are paid a monthly stipend of $623.70
and the member elected by the council as mayor pro tem
who presides over official business in the absence of the mayor
7 are both located on the east side of Deming
Alex Valdespino is running for a full term following his appointment in 2022 after the resignation of Victor Cruz
Cruz faced no opponent in his most recent election in 2018
Also running for the seat is Stephen Westenhofer
the retired CEO of Mimbres Memorial Hospital and a resident of the Country Club Estates housing community
Alex Valdespino is seen during a city council meeting
the mayor put out a call for letters of interest before naming an interim councilor
Valdespino was among three residents to present themselves
“When I retired from the police department
I really did miss the part of my job that was working with the community,” he said in an interview
I didn’t so much miss the police stuff — I had enough years of that
I enjoyed it while I did it and was really proud of it —had enough of it
and I knew on city council I could continue that.”
Valdespino tends to limit his commentary and weighs in most vocally on matters of public safety
When an ordinance allowing off-highway vehicles on city roads came before council during the past year
Valdespino spoke far more than is typical for him
asking detailed questions of Deming Police Chief Clint Hogan
about how the department would enforce the rules and assure public safety
Valdespino was one of two councilors to vote against it
“Everybody gets along well and we’re all willing to sit there and listen to each other… I like that
“This group just works really awesome together.”
If voters give him another four years on the council
abandoned houses and commercial properties
he acknowledged that the pace is not always satisfying for residents
He also said he would like to see a westside redevelopment initiative
The city is considering proposals for a service center on property it owns on W
Pine Street near the Interstate 10 access ramps
Steve Westenhofer likens a city’s appearance to a candidate on a job interview
with a single opportunity to make a positive impression
While complimenting the city on a string of projects including road and lighting improvements and new or upgraded parks
Some of them have been here since I moved here.”
Stephen Westenhofer (Mimbres Memorial Hospital)
He counts Deming as the eighth community he’s lived in
and said the couple decided to stay after retirement because they were fond of their home
the local weather and the community most of all
“The generosity per capita in this community was beyond anything I ever experienced before,” he said
Westenhofer has served on the board of his homeowners’ association
and said he was prompted over the years to run for public office but had resisted it until this year
Engaging in politics is “absolutely brand new” to him
but his perspective as the hospital’s former chief executive — a job that required him to recruit physicians and other professionals to move to Deming with their families — informs his run for city council
He addressed economic development as well as housing stock as priorities
education and law enforcement in the community live elsewhere
due in part to a lack of attractive housing and amenities
but he also noted blighted areas and wondered whether their persistence was due to lack of ordinance or a lack of enforcement
have addressed city council in the past about street conditions and drainage from neighboring properties into the neighborhood
and he acknowledged that the residents desired to see a representative on the council
Westenhofer indicated his focus was city-wide and considerate of the future: Westenhofer now sees his son
starting up a business in town and watches his grandchildren grow up here
“I want to try and influence for the betterment of the community,” Westenhofer said
Algernon D’Ammassa can be reached at algernon@demingheadlight.com
LAS CRUCES - Two parcels of the Santa Teresa Country Club — one including the clubhouse and another including an 18-hole golf course — have been sold at auction by the state because of delinquent taxes
A county official said it's a plus the properties sold after years of unpaid taxes
and the move should allow the county to begin collecting taxes on the properties again
who'd held them through two of his companies
April 18 at the Doña Ana County Government Center
has yet to be finalized through a deed filing
More: El Paso nurse opens IV lounge in Montecillo; UTEP poet wins a best book award from Texas Institute of Letters
Doña Ana County Treasurer Eric Rodriguez said he's hopeful the sale will give the country club area a new start after more than a decade of the taxes not being paid on the properties
It opens the door for redevelopment or reinvestment
something that has been difficult with the delinquent tax liens that were on the parcels
"I think the greatest relief is going to be to the residents of Santa Teresa," he said
"I hope that something does get accomplished there."
Santa Teresa residents have complained about the defunct golf course
saying weed growth and lack of maintenance are problems
Roughly 500 homes surround the country club and former golf courses
Rodriguez said the situation has negatively affected homeowners' property values
something he hopes will be improved because of the auctioning of the properties and possible redevelopment
More: El Paso owners selling Interstate Capital to Dallas bank for $100M-plus
The nearly 148-acre Spanish Dagger Golf Course
located north of the country club clubhouse
was auctioned by the state Wednesday for $69,000, according to Rodriguez
the state department of taxation auctioned the clubhouse and affiliated 8.9 acres at 75 Feather Moon Drive for $123,000
Rodriguez said the sale amounts didn't fully cover the delinquent property bills.
it seemed we were not going to collect on them anyways," he said
which contains a portion of what was known as the Yucca Golf Course
also due to delinquent taxes, to a company called Discount Land Exchange
Doña Ana County tax records say that roughly 83-acre lot is now owned by Horizon Growth Properties
A few other properties comprising the country club lands are up-to-date on taxes and are still owned by Greg Collins' companies
Mesilla Bolson Properties LLC and Santa Teresa Country Club LLC
More: District Coffee Co. opens in Downtown El Paso thanks to former 3rd grade teacher
the two properties bought by Yvonne Collins had repeatedly failed to sell at yearly or twice-yearly state auctions
there were two bidders who placed bids on the parcels
Rodriguez said he's optimistic the new owner will begin paying yearly taxes on the two parcels
The revenue helps fund local government and the public schools
"That's my hope: that we start seeing revenues coming in from the golf course going forward," he said
More: Startup incubator has new CEO as former mayor exits; UMC recruiter retires after 33 years
Greg Collins does have two years to challenge Wednesday's sale in state court
according to Tiffany Smyth of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department.
the legal basis for such claims is limited," she said.
Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, dalba@lcsun-news.com or @AlbaSoular on Twitter
2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A luxury private country club estate has entered the market for $7,950,000
the residence known as “Satisfaction in Charlotte” is the most expensive home for sale in the entire city of Charlotte
The listing is marketed exclusively by Ben Bowen of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Lake Norman—Cornelius office
Minutes from Charlotte's premier golf course
the property offers breathtaking views of hole 15 and beyond
The club’s world-class landscaping lends itself to a flourishing setting that surrounds the home
showcases stunning attention to detail and high-end finishes
including state-of-the-art smart home technology
is complemented by a second catering scullery
while the primary suite serves as a sanctuary of indulgence with a private balcony
The property provides an exquisite blend of indoor and outdoor living
Additional features include a screen porch with a fireplace
and pool cabana overlooking the 50-foot pool and hot tub
“This estate is a showcase of grandeur and luxury
offering the discerning buyer an extraordinary experience in the heart of Charlotte
As these proud stewards retire to new horizons
“Satisfaction In Charlotte” eagerly awaits its new owner to continue the legacy of opulence
“We are selling because we are retiring full-time to Florida
We will miss the wonderful neighborhood and hope the new owners enjoy spending time on the screened porch
dining veranda and pool deck entertaining and enjoying the beautiful views
Media Contact:Elise RamerPremier Sotheby’s International Realtyelise.ramer@premiersir.comP: 941.587.0257
Apparently a lot of folks have because by one measure the New Tampa community is the city's most popular neighborhood
listings on Zillow for homes in Cory Lake Isles
Petersburg's Yacht Club Estates and Clearwater's Country Club Estates drew more page views than listings in other parts of Tampa Bay's three largest cities
bordering the Lower Hillsborough River Wilderness Preserve
topped all neighborhoods with a total of 3,948 page views on homes there
"We have a 165-acre ski lake and in my opinion it's the most affordable ski lake community in the Tampa Bay area and certainly the most high-end luxury community in the New Tampa area."
with a median listing price of $559,450 is especially popular with physicians and professors because of its proximity to the University of South Florida
the Moffitt Cancer Center and other area hospitals
RELATED COVERAGE: Which Tampa Bay ZIPs had the priciest, least expensive and most house sales in 2017?
came in second with 3,415 page views followed by Country Club Estates with 3,193 views and a median of $249,900
Zillow's analysis included only neighborhoods with at least 10 active listings in the first part of the year
The most expensive neighborhoods were in Tampa
where homes had a median listing price of $970,300
was the city's second most popular and Culbreath Isles
Parkland Estates in South Tampa came in seventh with a median of $929,900
But Tampa also had two of the most affordable neighborhoods —- # 5 East Ybor ($126,248) and # 9 Palmetto Beach ($139,950)
The priciest neighborhoods on the other side of the bay were Clearwater Beach ($825,000)
Clearwater's fifth most popular; and Yacht Club Estates ($800,00)
The least expensive neighborhood in the three cities: Mission Hills ($74,900)
which ranked ninth in popularity in Clearwater
MORE: Go here for more Business News
No Florida neighborhood made Zillow's list of the 20 most popular nationwide. Among that group were 15 along the West Coast in either California or Washington with the remaining five in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and New York.
"For the most part, these neighborhoods are among the toniest in some of the most expensive cities in the country," Zillow said in a release. "While this doesn't show a likelihood that more people will be buying homes and moving in, it does show how many people wish they could, or are curious about the neighborhood."
The typical for-sale listing in The Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles has received almost 13,000 page views so far this year, compared to 365 page views on the typical U.S. home listing.
Contact Susan Taylor Martin at smartin@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8642. Follow @susanskate
Susan Taylor MartinBay Magazine Correspondent
If you drive through the lands south of the canal in New Castle County
you could be persuaded to believe that the entire state of Delaware is for rent
The Middletown area's housing explosion — and the attendant retail and grocery and restaurant development needed to feed and clothe such a large influx — continues to be one of the biggest single developments that's changing the landscape of Delaware
continues to fill downtown Wilmington with luxury housing
with multiple high rises under construction that will add hundreds of residents to the already dense downtown corridor
The long-debated lands of the Brandywine Country Club may soon become a housing development with hundreds of people
A couple of residential proposals in Sussex County may rival northern Delaware's construction projects in their scope. That county's fast-growing population, and a boom of residential construction permits
show Sussex County will likely be a continued driver of residential growth in the future
Here are some of the biggest housing projects that may shape what Delaware looks like in 2024 and beyond
More: From a pizza hotel to Target to super-Dick's: 12 retail and hotel projects planned in 2024
Sussex residential boom: Which county leads Delaware in housing growth, more than the other counties combined?
It's been more than a year since New Castle County Council approved a rezoning for the proposed housing development at the closed Brandywine Country Club
but construction plans have still not been finalized
told planners the primary item delaying plan submission was working through the variance process and the rezoning process
both of which were required for Capano's current project
It includes more than 300 single-family homes
townhomes and apartments and land to be given to Brandywine School District for an early education center
Working through both the variance process as well as the rezoning process timelines has led to delays
READ MORE: Brandywine Country Club housing plan finally approved. Up next, the school debate.
Buccini/Pollin Group has conducted a remarkable transformation of Wilmington's downtown
constructing more than 1,900 apartments in downtown Wilmington as of October
according to Executive Vice President Michael Hare
well over 500 apartments will likely be added to that tally.In October
Wilmington-based developer BPG broke ground on a new high-rise at the former site of The News Journal at Eighth and Orange streets
it will be a 14-story high-rise called "The Press," named in homage to the historic former News Journal offices
with a glass and metal facade and amenities such as a lounge
The tower will be bordered by a four-story brick residential building with two-story
three-bedroom duplexes and two levels of apartment flats above
the project will have 243 apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom units
In July, the company broke ground on a 61-unit apartment building at 317 N
BPG is also building 355 luxury apartments in a portion of the Nemours building at 1007 N. Orange St. as part of its Market West project
in a massive conversion of the tower's former office space to residential uses
92 were completed last year and are currently renting
The $400 million development on Concord Pike entered its second phase
developer Delle Donne & Associates announced in July
Called Avenue North, the centerpiece of the development is a 12-story office tower that promises top-of-the-line office space
The tower has been under construction for the past year
The project also calls for 12 new buildings and 360 apartments
Early tenants include Brew Haha and Blk Ops Fitness
READ MORE: Reimagining the former AstraZeneca campus. Work underway for retail, offices, apartments
Developer Diamond Port Property has added a little sweetener to its long-embattled plan to build warehouses along vacant riverfront land in Wilmington's Southbridge neighborhood: a large residential complex
The initial warehouse proposal was scuttled at the Wilmington Planning Commission in 2022 when the public body blindsided developers and Southbridge residents by rushing to oppose the community-supported proposal to build warehouses on vacant land along the riverfront and didn’t bother to take public comment
But developers have worked behind the scenes to make the proposal more palatable to city leaders
The latest renderings for the 25 acres situated on South Heald and Lobdell streets along the Christina River remove a warehouse and replace it with residential housing
documents shared with Delaware Online/The News Journal show
hulking over the surrounding Southbridge neighborhood (and
Developers say they intend to present to the city zoning board of adjustment in the future
More: This project added housing to get Wilmington's support. Why it's still not approved
Several hundred apartment units are in Newark's development pipeline
Among the largest projects is The Continental
190-unit apartment building replacing the Continental Court apartments and University Commons townhomes on South Chapel Street
The project will house a total of 635 students and includes an internal parking garage
The developer Tsionas received approval in July
Lang Development has proposed two five-story buildings with 80 combined apartments in the place of the former Burger King at Delaware Avenue and Chapel Street
Lang also wants to add a fifth floor to a previously approved plan for a four-story apartment building at 25 N
the site of the now-closed Chapel Street Players theater
the project would have 28 two-bedroom units
Lang is building a new theater for the Chapel Street Players as part of a project at Creek View Road near the Newark reservoir
Lang is also converting a five-story office building into apartments and constructing a three-story office building and restaurant as part of the project
Construction recently began on a long-planned project at 132 E
the home of the former Margherita's Pizza and an aged stack of apartments
George Danneman plans to build 31 apartments with ground-floor retail space
Another developer in October proposed a five-story mixed-use building with 53 three-bedroom apartments across from the Danneman project at 141 E
had previously received approval for a never-built seven-story project
Lang Development in February received approval to build a five-story apartment building with 54 two-bedroom units
Located at 532 Old Barksdale Road behind the 7-Eleven at South Main Street and Apple Road
the project will replace a Boulden Brothers facility
A neighboring project that would have brought a seven-story apartment building and seven three-story townhomes to South Main Street was sunset in August, according to the city's website
Tsionas in September filed plans for a five-story apartment building with 40 two-bedroom apartments in place of Pat's Pizzeria and Barley Whiskey Bar
The proposal also includes a two-story addition to the apartment building neighboring Pat's at 136 S
calls for a five-story building with 32 three-bedroom units
READ MORE: Student apartment boom continues in Newark. We update current projects and opening dates.
A long-planned project at the former Avon Products distribution facility near Newark is moving forward
The Bear-based Reybold Venture Group has proposed constructing apartments
retail and office space that will use the facade of the Avon building
The apartments will be marketed to non-university students and leased at "market rate," according to Reybold Executive Manager Jerome S
READ MORE: Hotel, restaurants, apartments planned for Avon property near Newark
More than 7,000 homes have been proposed or approved since 2018 in the unincorporated areas of New Castle County surrounding Middletown
Among the largest projects currently seeking approval are Country Club Estates and Carter Farm
developments north of Middletown proposed by subsidiaries of Capano Residential
Country Club Estates would consist of more than 500 single-family homes of various sizes, age-restricted village lots, townhomes and multifamily apartments north of Churchtown Road and just east of the Maryland border. Carter Farm calls for more than 600 units
Other projects include the 114-unit Rausch Farm on Boyds Corner Road east of Summit Bridge Road
just east of the Whispering Woods development
and the mixed-use Plaza at Boyds featuring 300 apartments
restaurants and offices along Route 13 at Greylag Road
Developer Ryan Homes is still building at a 113-home Boyds Corner Farm development on the southwest corner of DuPont Highway and Boyds Corner Road
is under construction off Cedar Lane Road just north of Middletown
At least two large apartment projects are planned in Dover that would bring more than 400 units to the state's capital
Patel College Properties is planning to construct two six-story apartment buildings that would bring a combined 385 units to an area off College Road near the Delaware State University’s University Courtyard Apartments
The buildings would have a combination of studio
The site would have six seven-car parking garages
in addition to parking on the ground level of each building
The Downtown Dover Partnership in September announced an agreement to redevelop what's referred to as "the old Acme site" at 120 S
A conceptual drawing shows a mixed-use structure with apartments of different sizes
a small-scale grocery store and other amenities
READ MORE: Big changes planned for downtown Dover. 6-story building with stores, apartments proposed
Colby Cox's dream for his family's 450-acre plot of land near Milton looks to finally be near breaking ground
The dream is compelling. It involves a thriving Milton, one with perhaps a thousand more families living there. The Granary at Draper Farm mixed-use project
as well as opportunities for new businesses and startup breweries
farmers markets and connections to bike trails
Construction was initially projected to begin in 2023
This date has been moved back to early 2024
as the first round of development district funding is expected to arrive
A 267-unit housing development and an office complex could one day fill the open land at Kings Highway and Gills Neck Road on the outskirts of Lewes
One of the last parcels of farmland around Lewes
proposals for Zwaanendael Farm had been before the Sussex County Council for multiple years before a mixed-use plan received rezoning approval in July
wants to build an office complex next to the Cape Henlopen Medical Center across Kings Highway from Cape Henlopen High School
The offices would be surrounded by a 267-unit residential development backing up to several existing communities including The Moorings
The development would have 114 duplexes and 153 townhomes
The property has been in the Mitchell family for seven generations
He said farming is no longer a viable option and the family has been involved for years in shaping the redevelopment plans to help enhance the area
They previously sold portions of the property for other projects such as the Cape Henlopen Medical Center and Big Oyster Brewery's expansion
"We do have some roots there," Mitchell said
READ MORE: Mixed-use development on outskirts of Lewes; warehouse projects get state money
Big changes are afoot at one of the oldest and greatest icons in the Delaware cheesesteak pantheon
plan to tear down the old building and rebuild their restaurant in a brand new mixed-use complex — expanded
and maybe even with a patio and a sports bar
the steak shop wouldn't have to close for more than a week
At the site of the steak shop and adjacent properties
the Kolliases plan two build a side-by-side pair of three-story mixed-use buildings
with 19 apartments on top and parking at the rear
The upper floors would house 19 apartments
The plans would turn the cheesesteak shop into a new puzzle piece in the fast-developing Claymont neighborhood that Basil Kollias has been working to build as president of the board of the Claymont Renaissance Development Corp
There's the Darley Green residential development across Philadelphia Pike. The new Claymont train station
A host of new development plans at the former steel mill site has so far taken an industrial focus
but could bring as many as 5,000 new residents to the area
according to Claymont Renaissance Development Corp.'s executive director
will be integrated into a whole new Claymont
More: Big plans are afoot for iconic Claymont Steak Shop: A new building, and maybe a sports bar
Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Contact Matthew Korfhage at mkorfhage@delawareonline.com
Home » News » Starkville & Oktibbeha County » Historic rainfall prompts Starkville to examine runoff
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Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch
An image from a video City Engineer Edward Kemp presented during Tuesday's Board of Aldermen meeting shows a storm drain in Country Club Estates backed up with dirt that runoff water has carried from construction sites
Such issues are one of several the city is looking to tackle as it begins considering ways to address stormwater runoff problems
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For those who have kept up with the near two-decades-long controversy about proposals to redevelop the Riviera Golf Estates golf course in East Naples
what happened at the Monday night stakeholder outreach meeting is no surprise.
Pandemonium broke loose when some attendees were asked to leave because the meeting venue’s capacity of 350 had been exceeded.
The resulting tumult of boos and cries of opposition led to a decision to cancel the meeting
"I've never seen anything like this happen before," said Commissioner Penny Taylor
In 2020: Collier asks judge to dismiss suit brought by East Naples golf course owner
2020 column: Asking price for East Naples golf course keeps going up
It was the first of two required outreach meetings that must take place before the application to build homes on the golf course can be formally considered by the Collier County Growth Management Department
which includes the Planning & Zoning Division
hosted by Hole Montes engineering and planning firm representing La Minnesota Riviera LLC
the owner of the 94-acre golf course property
was to discuss an application submitted to the county to allow more than 300 homes to be built on the golf course in the middle of a 55+ community
"They probably thought that we are the kind of community that will just give it a little noise and then back off
and they'd be able to go ahead with their plans
Now they're getting shocked," Riviera homeowners association member Mike Flaherty said
The plan to build homes on the golf course
is one the owners have been attempting since 2005
and one that residents have strongly objected to and continue to successfully stall.
The 62-par public pay-per-play executive golf course winds through the over 55 community of Riviera Golf Estates
a half-and-half mix of nearly 700 manufactured homes and bricks-and-mortar houses
Almost 500 attendees from not just Riviera Golf Estates but also more than a dozen local homeowners associations carried signs pleading with developers to rethink the project laid out in the application
which some say lack enough details for the public to have any kind of meaningful input
"We have no idea how they plan to deal with some of the most significant details such as what kind of residences they plan to build
whether they intend to build a similar +55 community
and what they plan to do with the stormwater management if the entire golf course is dug up," Flaherty said
The Collier County Growth Management Department did not respond as of Wednesday afternoon to questions on whether the county considers the application to be complete.
Discussions between attorney Rich Yovanovich
and those at Monday's stakeholder meeting suggested that he believes the meeting should still count as the first meeting even though it was canceled
The next step would be to move on to the second required stakeholder meeting.
Taylor and Riviera HOA President Tricia Campbell told the Naples Daily News that they believe the sudden cancellation of Monday's meeting means the owners must reschedule it.
Yovanovich has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Campbell added that although residents did not intend to shut down the meeting
she said she hopes the passion expressed by the attendees sent a clear message to the owners that residents are not going to back down without a fight.
"We paid extra money to live this way on the golf course
a nice peaceful quiet existence. The project they are proposing is completely incompatible with our way of life," Campbell told the Napes Daily News
Seventeen years ago local established developer
came to an agreement with a group of five investors with La Minnesota Riviera LLC to buy the land as long as Collier County commissioners agree to rezone the course to accommodate residences
Riviera leaders said they would be up in arms if anything
were planned to take the place of the fairways and greens that have been in their backyards since 1973.
That fury felt by residents then remains today.
The plan was to construct 1,200 to 1,500 affordable housing condominiums on the golf course
as the project was stopped after a group of residents pointed out that a paragraph at the end of the original contract signed when the community was created in 1974 guaranteed the golf course would remain intact in perpetuity.
This prompted the hiring of a law firm to find out how and when that promise was deleted from the contracts
who later confirmed that the original language still applied to the present day
Collier County commissioners approved new rules that made it tougher for developers to turn struggling golf courses into housing developments
The rule change applied to golf clubs such as Golden Gate Country Club
but did not affect Golden Gate Country Club at the time
which applied for a rezone before commissioners put a moratorium on converting golf courses.
In 2017: Collier commissioners approve new rules for developers hoping to convert old golf courses
2016 coverage: Developer to pursue Riviera project
In 2019: Golf course owner seeking residential use sues Collier over rules to apply for rezoning
12 Riviera residents offered to purchase the Riviera Golf Club property. "We got a lawyer to do a contract for the purchase
they said they would not take anything less than 3 million
and we could not afford that" Campbell told the Naples Daily News
Two years later owners of the Riviera Golf Club property offered the property up for sale again
in 2019, La Minnesota Riviera LLC, sued the county claiming that the 2017 rule change puts the property owner in "a classic Catch-22 situation." The suit said the ordinance has accomplished "a taking" of the golf course owner's property because it "has made it impossible to convert it to any other reasonably productive purpose," the complaint continues.
an attorney representing the company said at the time.
In 2020, La Minnesota Riviera LLC voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit
according to application material, the Riviera golf course owners are sticking with the argument that the "course is financially infeasible and has been operating at a loss for the past ten years."
The application goes on to explain that the "goal is to rezone the golf course to permit the highest and best
the financial success of a developer's property is not an issue she prioritizes over the concerns of residents in the County.
"People put their life savings into their homes
in Riviera Golf Estates is a classic example," Taylor said
"To have a golf course in your backyard and suddenly you have a building there is a quality of life detriment
Taylor said Collier County will continue to see similar pushback from residents who oppose the conversion of golf course land to residential developments.
instead of an eye to what our community values
and will try to convert golf courses to residential," she said. "Collier County is not here to support a developer making a profit from his assets
"Our job is to preserve the quality of life and our community and ensure that people who have invested their life savings in their home have a continuing strong investment," she added
Flooding is an especially significant concern for the Riviera community
which was hit hard by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and Irma in 2017
"The development (of the golf course) would have devastating effects on the local stormwater infrastructure
The community sees heavy flooding as do others along Rattlesnake Hammock Road and County Barn Road," said Jacob Winge
president of East Naples Civic and Commerce
According to application documents provided by Hole Montes
the firm has yet to receive an environmental permit for stormwater management.
these golf courses become very important stormwater vehicles because the water can percolate into the grass and the open area
and not into someone's backyard or into their house," Taylor said
They've got ponds and everything to keep the water away from the buildings and the residential
And if you're going to start covering a golf course
Winge said he hopes Monday's meeting sent a clear message.
"We are not going to be intimidated by fancy attorneys
and developers that think that all they need to do is spend a lot of money on that team and it's going to be a walk in the park
because it isn't," Winge said. "Hopefully
I hope it was a big red flashing light that they need to change something and they need to work with us on a proposal coming forward that can be mutually beneficial."
Maine — With a new golf course no longer a part of the proposed plans for Burnt Mill Estates on Hobbs Farm Road
A resident asked either the Wells Planning Board or Mathew Orr, of Sebago Technics
to provide insight into that question during a meeting on Monday night
“Communication has been a little weak,” the resident said
Orr replied that the official removal of the proposed golf course was the only aspect of Burnt Mill Holding Company’s application before the board that evening
would take place as part of the larger residential project
which is not in front of the board this evening,” Orr said
Planning Board Chair Charles Millian pressed Orr further
“So are you telling us there could be plans for future residential development there?” Millian asked.“I’m not aware of any at this time,” Orr replied
While the golf course is being eliminated from the proposal
the plan for 174 new dwelling units on 362 acres of land along Hobbs Farm Road has not changed
Dock Square gridlock: Kennebunkport irked over tour buses putting brakes on traffic
Town Engineer Mike Livingston said other amenities
originally proposed in the area of the golf course
are being consolidated and relocated in a separate plan amendment to redesign the development
The future of the land once marked for 18 holes and more was not the only subject of concern during the Planning Board’s meeting on Oct
Questions regarding a proposed walkway and drainage for the project also persisted – enough so that board members decided
that they needed to take another site walk along the property
“We really need to go out there,” Millian said
The board members will take that site walk on Hobbs Farm Road next Saturday
Growing pains: As concerns rise, Wells weighs steps to slow rate of development
Board members want to see the route along which a new walkway is proposed to be built
According to Town Engineer Mike Livingston
the walkway would start on the northeast side of Hobbs Farm Road and would continue past Little Meadow Court
The path would switch to the other side of the road
The walkway then would continue on that side
Another resident asked why the walkway is proposed to cross Hobbs Farm Road to the other side at one point
especially given that 174 new homes are slated to be built in the area
“Having people crossing back and forth across a road with a 35-mile-per-hour speed limit is not a good idea,” the resident said
“It just sounds like an astronomical amount of future traffic coming down a narrow
Anchor Inn and Cottages plans expansionNew 51-unit hotel pitched in Wells
Livingston explained that the walkway originally was designed to accommodate the golf course
When asked about a traffic study at the site
Livingston replied that two already have been done for the Burnt Mill Estates project – one in 2008
when at first the proposal included the golf course and 85 dwelling units
when that number of units increased to 174
Livingston added that safety was one of the reasons why the Planning Board required that the walkway be a part of the project back in 2015
Hobbs Farm Road is about 21 or 22 feet wide
the walkway is written into the deeds of the property owners along the proposed route
Livingston added that there is about 10 to 12 feet of public right-of-way space along the road
Such land is either owned by the town or covered by the developer’s easement
Homes were built close to the front-yard setback
“I think one of the major misconceptions is that people who bought these lots think they own to the edge of the pavement,” Livingston said
Planning Board members also will look at new drainage measures slated for the project to address stormwater pooling in the area
the board will examine a site slated for a detention pond near one homeowner’s property
The homeowner expressed concern that the pond would encroach upon his yard and come closer to the deck where he and his wife like to sit and relax or grill burgers
He suggested grading measures as an alternative to a pond that takes up more space
would change and limit the use of his property
Residents expressed their concerns during a public hearing that preceded the board’s workshop on the Burnt Mill Estates proposal
The board’s meeting packet also included emails from residents
who expressed similar concerns related to property lines
will turn their attention to the project sometime after the Planning Board’s site walk
Pedestrians make their way along the sidewalk adjacent to the ninth green at Skyline Country Club
Walkers make their way along the sidewalk adjacent to the ninth green at Skyline Country Club
Beyond is one of the the surrounding neighborhoods
Skyline Country Club has fallen on hard financial times
and country club leaders are seeking support from non-members who live in the gated community surrounding the country club
Photo by Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star.
The clubhouse at Skyline Country Club is an imposing
Voters on the bailout plan were warned that a chain-link fence could go up around the clubhouse
Exterior of the clubhouse at Skyline Country Club
Facing declining membership and the threat of foreclosure
Skyline Country Club recently turned to homeowners in the surrounding gated community — Skyline Country Club Estates — to save the private club
according to documents provided to the Arizona Daily Star
The country club defaulted on its $3.5 million loan with Northern Trust bank last year
after losing more than one-quarter of its members since 2006
But the management company required the financial support of homeowners in the gated community as a precondition of its contract
club leaders organized a series of town-hall meetings
and a door-to-door and email information campaign
to persuade homeowners — whether they are country club members or not — to help them pay for the contract
An estimated 45 percent of homeowners are club members
homeowners approved the proposal to raise homeowners association annual fees for the next 25 years and to use the revenue to hire Arnold Palmer Golf Management
“We wanted to bring in world-class management,” said country club board member and Estates homeowner Joan Sweeney
“A country club is a very complicated business
you have dining — there are so many moving parts
very difficult for clubs to be self-managed in this modern world.”
A separate voluntary fundraising campaign raised enough money to reach a settlement agreement with Northern Trust
She declined to provide details on the settlement amount
Country club general manager Lonnie Lister declined to comment on the situation and referred all questions to Sweeney
Lister has been general manager since late 2012
Skyline Country Club likely would have been foreclosed on without the approval of the proposal to increase homeowners association fees
according to emails from supporters of the proposal
The emails and a September 2013 PowerPoint presentation — provided anonymously to the Arizona Daily Star — warned homeowners that Estates property values would take a big hit if the country club closed
The PowerPoint warns of possible outcomes for homeowners: “Chain link fence around clubhouse
About 80 percent of homeowners voted on the proposal
immediate past president of the Skyline Country Club Estates homeowners association
homeowners who aren’t country club members get access to some of the country club’s perks
like monthly dinners and — after two years — one day a month of free tennis
residents get one free round of golf each month
“It does appear to be a little unfair,” said country club member and homeowner Ralph Richard
who has lived in Skyline Country Club Estates for 10 years
said he understands the concerns of nonmembers who feel like they’re being asked to bail out a private club
“There’s a significant number of people out there that are not members of the club
and they’re really not interested in the involvement it takes to get the club back upright again,” he said
Richard said he also wasn’t clear on how Arnold Palmer plans to fix the country club
But longtime resident and club member Robert Morken said the proposal benefits both members and homeowners
“Most people that live here realize the importance of having a healthy golf club
if you’re in a community that’s focused on golf and called Skyline Country Club” Estates
Skyline Country Club’s financial problems were related to the economic recession
the club refinanced its debt with Northern Trust and then went on to expand its banquet facilities
renovate and update its fitness facilities and make other improvements
which was shown to more than 200 Skyline Country Club Estates homeowners during a town-hall meeting
Costly golf memberships are down from 462 in 2006 to 290 in 2013
Country club leaders declined to provide the latest membership or revenue figures
or comment on the figures in the PowerPoint
Club revenues have steadily declined from $6.6 million in 2006 to $5.4 million in 2012
and the country club has been operating at a loss since 2007
the country club had a net loss of $357,000
compared with a gain of $345,000 in fiscal year 2006
The presentation also says the country club’s aging facilities require about $1 million in deferred maintenance
Under the agreement with Arnold Palmer Golf Management
the country club will lease its assets and operations to APGM
“They have a stellar track record of turning clubs around,” she said
partner with Arnold Palmer Golf Management
plus create more family-centered offerings
Tucsonans have more than 40 options to play golf in the area
so the country club has to offer more than that
You have to provide more than just golf to attract the whole family
“The future is extremely bright for Skyline Country Club
The 25-year contract — which pays APGM $164,731 in the first year
annual homeowners association fees will increase from $1,792 to $3,097 by Year 3
Supporters maintain that the increased fees are still in line with
homeowners association fees in other Catalina Foothills neighborhoods
But Estates homeowner and club member Terry Evers
said the fee increase could burden some residents who are no longer working
said it would have been a better investment to turn the ailing club and golf course into an open green space
“I just don’t see that golf courses are making it anywhere around the country,” she said
“If they don’t turn golf membership around
Are they going to come back for more money?”
Estimates showed a park conversion would have been cost-prohibitive
It would have cost the residents more than what it would cost to keep the club open and operating,” she said
would have been a loss to the greater Tucson community
the club was for years a gathering place for celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Mickey Mantle
“There’s just nothing like it in the Southwest,” she said
Some Estates residents say high-pressure tactics played on residents’ fears in the months leading up to the vote
and 70 percent of them have not been repurposed
warns an information packet provided to homeowners along with their ballot and instructions on how to vote on the proposed agreement with Arnold Palmer Golf Management
Arnold Palmer Golf Management’s research shows that home values declined by 20 percent to 30 percent in neighborhoods where a club and golf course have closed
Sweeney said club board members asked a local Realtor from outside the country club community to email residents with her take on Estates property values
“Do not let your beautiful green neighborhood perish,” wrote Robin Sue Kaiserman
“I advise you from a business standpoint to vote yes on all ballot items
save Skyline Country Club Estates and save your own property values,” Kaiserman wrote
Evers — the country club member who voted against the proposal — says she doubts property values would have been permanently hurt
Golf isn’t the main reason people buy homes in Skyline
“They come to Skyline because of the location
the natural setting and beauty of the place
and its proximity to town is wonderful,” she said
An informational meeting on the proposal “was not heavy-handed at all,” she said
“They’re trying to give the neighborhood access to the country club
so we can see how it would benefit us even more.”
Sweeney said the campaign wasn’t meant to pressure homeowners but to fully disclose the effects of closure
“I don’t call that high-pressure — I call that good information
When you’re going to vote on something that impacts a community
you need to have all the facts on the table,” she said
Contact reporter Emily Bregel at ebregel@azstarnet.com or 807-7774
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The 40-acre Santa Rita course closed in 2011
This story is from Texas Monthly’s archives. We have left the text as it was originally published to maintain a clear historical record. Read more here about our archive digitization project.
“Oilman Hugh Roy Cullen had a rather basic request: ‘I want a big white house.’ Staub gave him an English Regency-style mansion with plenty of room for Cullen’s regular round of parties and dances.”
Merry and Bright in Houston’s River Oaks By Hunter Klaus and Stephen Paulsen
The Complete Story of the River Oaks Tank By John Nova Lomax
Price Slashed on Bob Lanier’s River Oaks Mansion By Sonia Smith
Haute Topic By Mimi Swartz
Don’t Mess With River Oaks By Mimi Swartz
if a client had some unusual or particular demands
Seeligson bought some ornate wood paneling in Exeter
and asked Staub to build an entire house around it; Staub hardly broke stride in pulling that one off
He also built a penthouse on top of Houston entrepreneur Jesse Jones’ Lamar Hotel for the express purpose
Woodrow Wilson during her visit to Houston’s 1928 Democratic National Convention
Another extravagant client was Fort Worth’s Amon Carter
who paid him the full fee for designing a house that
he never intended to build—he was merely placating his wife
And then there was the larger-than-life oilman Hugh Roy Cullen
whom Staub remembers as “a big-hearted
rough-and-tumble sort of guy.” Cullen had a rather basic request: “I want a big white house.” Staub gave him an English Regency-style mansion with neoclassical ornament and made sure that there was plenty of room for the hundreds of revelers who attended Cullen’s regular round of parties and dances
Today it is owned by gas magnate Oscar Wyatt
but that there is still a good deal of it left to remember will be made amply clear with this month’s publication by the University of Texas Press of The Architecture of John F
by Houston architect-historian Howard Barnstone
There will be a special tour of five Staub houses on October 13 to benefit the Rice Design alliance
will give anyone with a tankful of gas the opportunity to weigh the impact of Staub’s taste and imagination on Houston’s most expensive neighborhoods
Sixty-one of the 112 houses he designed during his career are in Houston
making it the city that most bears the imprint of his taste
This density alone should encourage serious students of architecture to give Staub some long overdue recognition
who has been nearly forgotten in the midst of the city’s current boom
will place the spotlight on a major chapter in Houston’s social history
Only in the beginning does the Staub story run skew to that of Houston
He was born into a prosperous family in Knoxville
in 1892 and became interested in architecture as a teenager when his mother started going through architecture books while planning a new family home
Staub had picked up a degree in mathematics from the University of Tennessee and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from MIT
all of which were held in rather low esteem by his first employer
the fashionable New York designer of country homes
Lindeberg had learned his trade in the famous firm of McKim
and he generally placed little value on wet-behind-the-ears
But Staub finagled his way into a starting position—at $12 a week—and quickly absorbed Lindeberg’s design sensibility
and a relatively modest scale as opposed to the overblown and garishly encrusted grandiloquence of much of the revival architecture of the time
Staub felt that he had saturated himself with Lindeberg’s teachings by 1921
when he decided to return to Tennessee and accept a partnership in a Knoxville firm
But Lindeberg had just returned from a Houston client’s dinner party
where he had received two additional commissions in the new
exclusive Shadyside residential development
and he asked Staub to postpone his departure long enough to visit the city
and thinking that whatever success he might have in Knoxville would likely be attributed by skeptics to his family’s connections
he made the crucial decision to open Lindeberg’s new office in Houston
Staub characteristically gives himself little credit for the propitious direction his career took
citing a long string of fortunate coincidences as evidence that his life has been particularly favored by kismet
his job with Lindeberg had come about through a chance introduction
and then there was a celebrated World War I incident for which he was awarded the Navy Cross
Staub had enlisted in the Naval Reserve Flying Corps because
he wasn’t big enough for the Army Air Corps
He claims he could barely fly the plane he was copiloting on patrols over the North Sea
but happened to be taking an infrequent turn at the controls when he spotted a German submarine
Staub naturally sank the sub on his first try
He tells this story with a certain amount of self-deprecation
which reveals a good deal about his character
Staub was shrewd enough to realize that he was the right person in the right place at the right time when he began his Houston career
Houston had been experiencing an embarrassment of riches
and local oil society had even stratified into two groups (which Barnstone aptly categorizes as the Wildcatters and the Best Oil Money)
who supplied much of the embarrassment that went along with the riches
deported themselves as raucously and recklessly as one would expect of legendary independent Texas oilmen
They were often tied to the wealth of the emerging big oil corporations; they played polo or went yachting on the weekends and usually sent their children to the best Eastern schools; through marriage they consolidated easily with Houston’s non-oil social and financial establishment; and most important—where Staub’s future was concerned—their tastes were polite and restrained
The BOM had some farsighted ideas about where and how they wanted to live
Modern Houston’s unzoned chaos is nothing new
and shortly after the turn of the century a number of the city’s affluent residents got involved in informal city planning within their own enclaves
private neighborhood communities that were “zoned” by the device of deed restrictions limiting land use to residential development
The first large-scale project was oilman Joseph S
Cullinan was followed into Shadyside by stockbroker Hugo V
all of whom were Lindeberg’s clients
These men typified a growing nationwide trend away from the pomp and pretentiousness of vast country estates and ersatz palaces toward a preference for small
restricted neighborhoods and a relatively discreet style of living
Lindeberg and Staub were well prepared to usher them into the new era of refined elegance
Shadyside set an example that was followed in subsequent developments like West Eleventh Place on what is now Bissonnet
The brainchild of Mike Hogg and Hugh Potter
River Oaks was first envisioned as a comparatively small two-hundredacre project until Mike’s older brother
a man with expansive ideas about the city of Houston
thought in terms of more than a thousand acres—“Why not make this thing really big
something the city can be proud of?”—and set out with his brother to acquire the land
They bought up the original River Oaks Country Club Estates (a golf club with a planned 180-acre subdivision just south of the golf course) and hundreds of additional acres of surrounding land
(known as River Oaks Corporation after 1927)
with 1100 acres available for residential development
Staub’s fortunes were also becoming deeply involved with the River Oaks area
His self-effacing manner and his sense of social propriety had endeared him to Houston’s elite
and both Womack and Farish had been delighted with his work for them
When Staub had finished his Shadyside projects they asked about his prospects
we’ll get you a job in River Oaks,” agreed Womack and Farish
both big stockholders in the first Country Club Estates
“We want to keep you here.” Staub was commissioned to design the clubhouse
and bought one of the lots for his own home
“Staub could scale up a Breton cottage or pare down a Palladian villa
but his houses always stood out for what they were—elegant suburban homes
Then Staub met Will Hogg at a dinner party to introduce the new corporation’s officers to the original River Oaks Country Club Estates property owners
whom today he remembers as “the greatest civic-minded man Houston ever had,” highly persuasive
and he agreed to design two houses for the development on speculation
But River Oaks wasn’t an overnight success
it suffered initially from a prestige problem
since some of the lots were allocated for middle-income homes
River Oaks was considered to be too far away from town and was separated from the center of the city by a slum
when in 1926 Miss Ima Hogg asked Staub to design a home (which came to be known as Bayou Bend) for her and her brothers
Named for the curve in Buffalo Bayou that cradles it
symbolized the Hoggs’ determination to make River Oaks the city’s premier residential neighborhood
It worked; River Oaks received a big boost in status
and Staub was on his way to becoming the residential architect in Houston
owning a Staub house was the logical accompaniment to owning one’s own oil company or bank
(Today it is almost necessary to own a bank to afford a Staub house in River Oaks
because their market value is often more than $1 million each
the same houses cost an average of $62,000.) Money matters aside
Staub obviously feels that the people who commissioned his houses were special
“I wasn’t terribly original,” he says
“and I’m not sure that I was any good.”
he says that his wife got him most of his jobs—“all of the other wives just fell in love with her.” Staub suggests that he was like a good family physician whose reputation was passed along by word of mouth; he can see himself as a diligent and competent professional but would never compare his career to that of a brilliant innovator
and his solutions to the problems of style
and his clients’ idiosyncrasies were nothing less than inspired
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Staub’s houses is their extraordinary visual qualities
which result largely from his desire to make his architecture intriguingly rich in historical allusions but constrained by the canons of good taste
“I never designed show houses,” he says
in what constitutes for him a major polemic on his design theories
“My taste could be defined as refined simplicity.” It was this penchant for simplicity that allowed Staub to range over a vast span of architectural history yet nearly always come up with buildings that seem original and uncontrived
Staub could scale up a Breton cottage or pare down a Palladian villa to suit his clients’ tastes
not Disneyland copies of medieval castles or Renaissance palaces
Staub borrowed elements from myriad sources
He was fascinated by the sophisticated but often arbitrary eclecticism of minor European buildings and frequently picked up ideas from favorite reference books like The Smaller Houses and Gardens of Versailles and Small Houses of the Late Georgian Period
Staub might mix styles like a chef trying to come up with a perfect meal from several different types of cuisine—Chinese Chippendale trim on a New England colonial-style house
for example—but his intuitive synthesis of details usually came off with panache
Staub never got carried away with ornamental exuberance at the expense of design clarity and immaculate proportions
and his architecture could be described as perfectly seasoned
with just enough spice to add interest but not so much that the basic ingredients are obscured
Staub’s houses are also as functionally exacting as they are visually refined
He realized that he was designing in twentieth-century Houston
not in the eighteenth-century English countryside
and he came up with some ingenious solutions to the problems of relatively small lots
(He didn’t start designing air-conditioned homes until the early thirties.) Each commission began with a walking tour of the site and a careful study of topographic maps
after which Staub would begin laying out the ground plan
His paramount concerns at this point were to place the major rooms facing the southeast
where they could catch the prevailing summer breezes
The particular orientation of each site forced Staub to come up with a variety of solutions and compromises
but the ideal Staub house usually featured a rather novel layout
The building lot would be on the south side of the street and the facade and formal entrance of the house would face north
where the home’s occupants and visitors could come and go without creating what Staub (and most of his clients) considered to be an unsightly row of cars parked in front of the house
and bathrooms were placed against the street facade
to insulate the main rooms from traffic noise
The bedrooms and living rooms then had an unobstructed southern exposure (Staub often used oversized triple-hung and casement windows to maximize ventilation) and usually looked out onto a carefully landscaped
Staub’s plan gave his clients a sense of pastoral romanticism and comfort in a practical suburban setting
From the standpoint of Staub’s career
his most important client was Miss Ima and his most important commission Bayou Bend
Miss Ima wanted a house with New Orleans ironwork
and she asked both Staub and Birdsall Briscoe
who was Staub’s friendly competitor for the most exclusive clients (of whom there were more than enough to go around)
Briscoe just didn’t get around to doing his sketches
breaking the plan into three adjoining wings that essentially provided living quarters for Miss Ima
Staub and Miss Ima went to New Orleans to buy the ironwork railing for the balcony; the living room floorboards and a mantelpiece were salvaged from old Massachusetts houses; and Staub brought a painter from New York to execute a gold and white chinoiserie mural for the lavish dining room
Miss Ima dubbed the style “Latin colonial.” This New Orleans–inspired design became a favorite of Staub’s
who thought that the similarity between Houston’s and New Orleans’ climates dictated some of the same architectural solutions
Today a host of young vanguard architects are trying for the same direct
honest approach and clearly resolved but inventive eclecticism that Staub practiced
Most of them have probably never heard of Staub
but they very likely will in the coming months
Staub seems ripe for a revival and a certain vogue
but that thought doesn’t interest him at all
He is already uncomfortable with the attention he has been receiving
“I’ve been a very spoiled man,” he says of a lifetime of personal and professional satisfaction
The only doubt that troubles him now is the certainty that time will continue to work its mischief
carrying him farther away from the memories he cherishes
allowing himself an uncharacteristic note of disconsolation when he talks about recent visits to some of his houses
“Don’t go back to them!” he says in self-admonition
“Too much has changed.” But again Staub is being too hard on himself
and as long as they stand they will be reminders of Houston’s most graceful era
2023 at 11:50 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Shutterstock)WALL
NJ - An Asbury Park man fled the scene of an assault at a trailer park to seek help at the Allaire Country Club Estates Saturday morning
Four people were arrested at a trailer park across the highway from the estates
Authorities said a 46-year-old Asbury Park man knocked on the door of a Love Lane residence and told the homeowner he had been assaulted while at trailer at the Garden State Trailer Park
Police responded and the on-scene investigation led officers to the trailer park where they located four people and "a host of different narcotics to include heroin
The incident is being investigated by Detective Devin Corso and Patrolman James Yannazzone
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By Staff on March 31, 2017No Comment
Through a press release the Killearn Homes Association (KHA) has announced it has approved a settlement agreement with Killearn Country Club (KCC)
KHA states “the agreement results in preserving Killearn Estates as a golf course community” and “prevents the remaining 18 holes of KCC from being redeveloped into residential lots for a minimum of fifty years.”
told TR that “the most important part of the agreement is the protection it affords Killearn Estates
We will remain a golf course community for at least fifty years.”
The agreement states that KHA will not oppose the rezoning request currently before the Tallahassee City Commission on the condition that Palmetto (the owner of the country club) meets certain protective and restrictive covenants
The covenants address the proposed residential development on what were holes 7,8 & 9 of the “North Nine” golf course
the development will consist of 133 homes and 14 townhomes that “shall be substantially similar to the homes located in the Greens of Killearn.”
Tallahassee Reports wrote about this proposed development here
The covenants also addresses the conservation easement that will be made up of holes 2 thru 6 of the “North Nine.” Palmetto will be the owner of the easement and will be required to maintain the green space
the owner of the Conservation Area will be required
and at its sole costs and expense and at no expense of KHA
to keep the existing grass cut no less than every four (4) weeks
or more often if needed to keep the Conservation Area walkable and in an ascetically pleasing condition…”
The agreement also requires Palmetto to place $4,000,000 in escrow to be spent on country club improvements with the “primary focus” on a new clubhouse
who signed a contract to purchase and build the residential development on the “North Nine”
described the process that would take place if the City Commission approves the rezoning application on April 4th
applications for various permits will be submitted for the residential development
Palmetto will hire engineers and architects to complete plans for a clubhouse
After permits are approved and clubhouse plans are completed
an escrow account of $4,000,000 will be set up
TR is told the funds will be out of the control of Palmetto and must be spent on the clubhouse improvement
Permits for the residential development should be in hand by January 1
2018 and the construction of the infrastructure for the residential development will begin and should be completed in approximately 10 months
the first homes would be built by the end of 2018 and the clubhouse construction should be near completion
Burnette did tell TR that the timing outlined above could be impacted by a lawsuit that has yet to be resolved
This report is a summary of the major points of a detailed 30 page agreement. For more details, the agreement can be read here
Killearn Country Club, Killearn Golf Course, Killearn Homeowners Association
Killearn Homeowners Association Signs Agreement with Killearn Country Club Owner added by Staff on March 31, 2017View all posts by Staff →
By Staff on August 16, 202310 Comments
The redevelopment of the the Killearn Country Club will not only include a redesigned golf course and new amenities
the Killearn Country Club will be renamed The Killearn Club
The press release notes that the new look will “pay homage to the Club’s 50-year history and roots in Tallahassee and Celtic heritage
The look includes a signature logomark inspired by the Club’s legacy and its newly reimagined future.”
“We promised our members and the Tallahassee community that we would bring forth an entirely new facility that recognizes the past while creating an outstanding experience never before offered in this area,” said the club’s owner
The press release also provided details about a new 9-hole course called The Clover
The Clover will be built in the northeast part of the property
Construction of The Clover is expected to begin in early 2024
The goal is to create a course that is fun
The renovation will restore this area of the property – which at one time was slated for a housing development and a passive environmental green space -as an active golf course
The press release also indicated that the 18-hole Championship Course is expected to open in April 2024
Information about memberships will be released before the course reopens
the construction of the all-new clubhouse complex
New Course & Reopening Date for Championship Course
and visitors are one step closer to an entirely new country club experience as Killearn Country Club announces a new name
The new course will complement the reopening of the 18-hole Championship Course
and plans for new tennis and pickleball courts
“We are pleased to announce that Killearn Country Club & Inn will become The Killearn Club
and that the land once designated for housing by a previous owner will now become a new 9-hole course called The Clover,” he added
Plans are to open the 18- hole Championship Course in April 2024
The Killearn Club name and look pay homage to the Club’s 50-year history and roots in Tallahassee and Celtic heritage
The look includes a signature logomark inspired by the Club’s legacy and its newly reimagined future
will be built in the northeast part of the property
The Clover’s designer is golf course architect Chris Wilczynski
whose master plan guides overall renovations
MacCurrach Golf Construction will return to build the new 9-hole course with irrigation designer Aqua Turf International
Killearn residents and members remember the Narrows as the area former property owners once designated for housing
The renovation will restore this area as an active golf course
the renovation team successfully applied to bring back Open Space zoning on more than 260 acres of the property
That decision helped reverse the former owners’ plan to use parts of the course for new home sites
Opening date for redesigned 18-hole Championship Course
The 18-hole Championship Course is expected to open in April 2024
Membership information will be available through the project website
The project is approaching the one-year mark since closing for renovations on September 6
Visitors to the area can already see glimpses of the redesigned 18-hole Championship Course and the progress of turfgrass growth
The course will be a major draw for golfers
with fairways that wind through the rolling landscape of the Red Hills and greens framed by stately live oaks and tall pines
Construction of the all-new clubhouse complex
The new structure will replace the former clubhouse and inn
which were demolished in December of last year
was designed around an 18-hole championship golf course
The club was the centerpiece of Killearn Estates
a suburban development that was the first of its kind in Tallahassee
The club became a social hotspot for many of Tallahassee’s influential citizens and a sporting destination for the country’s best golfers
the Club was home to the PGA’s Tallahassee Open
and other top golfers played in these tournaments
the club’s then-owner made a controversial decision to close the North Course (Narrows) and sell part of the property to a residential developer
Club members and Killearn residents objected and began a multi-year battle to preserve the golf course
The residential development never materialized
and in 2020 a group of club members incorporated as Killearn Golf Properties and raised private funds to buy the club
These new owners set out to repair aging facilities and stabilize the club’s finances
Killearn Golf Properties sold the property to David Cummings
Cummings is leading the multi-million dollar renovation
which includes redesigning the 18-hole Championship Course and practice facilities
Renowned golf course architect Chris Wilczynski
authored the master plan for new golf facilities
The renovation is expected to strengthen home values and help preserve the integrity and character of Killearn neighborhoods
Cummings and team are making behind-the-scenes improvements as well
beyond elevating the golf experience and building brand-new amenities
they are renovating the course in a way that will better manage rainwater and improve drainage
The coming restoration of the property marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the storied club
which suffered significantly in past years from aging facilities and deferred maintenance
David Cummings is an Atlanta-based tech entrepreneur who has founded ten companies employing thousands of people
David is also the founder of the Atlanta Tech Village — the United States’ 4th largest tech hub — and the largest investor in Calendly
he was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year winner and one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans by the Atlanta Business Chronicle
David graduated from Tallahassee’s Lincoln High School and grew up playing golf at Killearn Country Club
Killearn Country Club Announces New Name, Opening Date added by Staff on August 16, 2023View all posts by Staff →
I want to know what about the veterans who served in all branches of the military what do we get we don’t have a lot of funds and because of the government we have children that would love to play golf and swim and do other events
Is there a membership as a killearn estates resident to use facility for golf — AMOUNT please
a pool club house tennis court lodging dining
I can’t wait for this new Killearn Club to open
@August — if the message board here was a bit more robust I’d tag your comment with a like
Have one anyway — “LIKE”
I caddied for Fred Funk in one of those golf tournaments
he gave me his bag at the end of the tournament
I remember going to one of the PGA’s with my Dad when I was about 12
I hope to see the PGA and the LPGA return in the future
When you write a Golf Advisor course review now through December 31
your review will be entered into Golf Advisor’s Rate to Escape: Maui Sweepstakes for a chance to win a five-star trip to Maui
One Grand Prize winner and guest will travel in an AVIS rental car for six nights/ seven days of accommodations with the latest gear from OGIO to play on the finest fairways in Maui
We’re also giving away 12 Golf Advisor Swag bags to lucky reviewers
Did watching this weekend's ZOZO Championship at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks
whet your appetite for living the luxurious LA life
The Great One has put his house inside the gates up for sale
the only NHL player to ever have his number retired league-wide
All it will cost you to live amongst greatness is a cool $22.9 million
Here's the listing from THE AGENCY: