The Town of Whitehall has announced the creation of a Builders Guild. Also offered were details on the vision for the community near Middletown.
The Builders Guild includes area builders. Benchmark Builders of Wilmington, will construct neighborhood cottages and courtyard homes. Murphy Homes of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania will build estate and custom homes, and Thompson Communities of West Chester, Pa. will construct a variety of town homes..
The Builders Guild joins The Town of Whitehall’s development team, led by EDiS Co. President Brian DiSabatino. The team has been planning the mixed-use, walkable concept since 2001.
The name Builders Guild comes from the medieval concept of craftsmen joining together for a common goal. It is in keeping with the town’s mission of restoring the concept of town planning to Delaware and create a community in which the master plan and architectural will positively impact the quality of life of its residents, according to a release.
The members of the guild were chosen through a search and interview process for their proven experience in building h quality homes, customer centric reputation and demonstrated strength during difficult markets, acccording to the release.
Town of Whitehall developers solicited a focus group from local community members to critique the town’s housing designs and concepts.
The finished residential plans reflect the significant demand of buyers who want a walkable community, a desire for a variety of styles, energy efficient features, and a sense of place and community.
Focus group member Sue Shimomura said, “It is rewarding to be a part of a community in themaking. The development team has tried very hard to build their sense of community intoeach step in the process. Group members felt they were able to contribute in a meaningful way. It was very refreshing to experience this type of inclusivity.”
The Town of Whitehall’s development team researched and cataloged historical details from Old New Castle, as well as Chesapeake City and Chestertown in Maryland.
They commissioned an extensive pattern book to formulate Federal, Greek Revival and other residential designs that reflect the local area. Whitehall’s pattern book co-authors are Mike Watkins, AIA, the former Town Architect for Kentlands in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Steve Mouzon of Mouzon Design of Miami, Fla.
The Town of Whitehall’s development team also traveled inside and outside of the country to learn from other towns. They cite that the most successful towns have both a sense of place and a sense of community in common.
DiSabatino said, “We welcomed the focus group’s design input and also their constructive criticism. With nearly 4,000 Facebook followers and over 4,000 email addresses, we have been getting a lot of “virtual” advice, so getting it face-to-face from a representative community focus group was extremely helpful and validating.”
Development team member Peter Morrow said, “We are grateful for the feedback. Our desire has been to create something very special in Delaware that will benefit the broader community. Along with the recent approval of an elementary charter school for the site set to open for school year 2016-2017, Mapleton Charter School, the development of a civic building and a coffee shop are being planned. The people who seem to be attracted to The Town of Whitehall are active, engaged and want to keep the community lively.”
Groundbreaking is expected take place in October with the residential plans for The Town of Whitehall to be released during a preview event in November. A sales office and model street will follow and be located within one walkable block of the planned civic building. Information about the Town of Whitehall can be found at www.whitehallde.com. Sales inquiries can be made to info@townofwhitehall.com.
