Summerall Homes Makes the News


Sweet Home McClellan: New subdivision awaits discovery By Dan Whisenhunt Anniston Star Staff Writer 06-11-2007 McClellan is Rhonda Griffith's backyard. Griffith moved to her craftsman-style single-level house in McClellan's The Homes at Summerall neighborhood in February. She and her husband built a waterfall in the backyard, a place where foxes, coyotes and turkeys can cool their heels. Griffith can see it from the twin windows in her open-floor kitchen.	Rhonda Griffith and her husband moved into this finished house in The Homes at Summerall subdivision in February. A similiar house, currently being remodeled sits in the background. Photo: Kevin Qualls/The Anniston Star
Across the street, the sandy-brown shell of an empty duplex awaits similar transformation. The Homes at Summerall are a circle of 30 houses, not visible from nearby Summerall Gate road. Initially, their potential as retirement homes wasn't noticed by the Joint Powers Authority redeveloping McClellan. All of the homes were on a list to be demolished until a developer from Jacksonville saw them and decided they were worth saving. “I think the initial idea with the JPA was no one had shown them what the potential was,” Keller Properties owner Mark Keller said. “I had known this style (of homes) was a better fit, given the existing structures.” Keller is a man who likes to say he “gets McClellan.” “This is a great example of what a military base can become,” Keller said, walking through the empty neighborhood. When McClellan was an Army base, military families called these duplexes home. After the Army left they became an eyesore, but their essential elements — a single level and a solid foundation — became the basis for what Keller calls his “sleeper project.” Six of the homes have been sold, and eight are under construction. They've been transformed from duplexes into larger, single-family homes. The two families already at Summerall now are like pioneers living on the edge of an unknown frontier. Griffith has some experience as the founding member of a new subdivision. When she lived at Eagle Pass in Anniston, she was one of the first to move in. “I told Mark you have to take a leap of faith,” Griffith said. “I think we'll just all grow together.”
Keller's philosophy on rebuilding homes is simple; it doesn't have to look gaudy to look good and if making money is the only objective, the product won't mean a thing. Keller admits he got a good deal when the JPA sold him the duplexes for $427,000 but says he's invested more than he intended renovating the homes. The windows are made of Low-E glass, which has reflective properties to keep temperatures low; the concrete slab underneath allows for easy cooling and heating. The water heater is on-demand, which means the customer doesn't pay the heating costs until he or she turns on the faucet for hot water.	The Homes at Summerall have been transformed from duplexes into single-family homes. Photo: Kevin Qualls/The Anniston Star
The walls are insulated with a material derived from recycled newspaper to ward off mold. Keller said if he had to build the homes from scratch, the sales price would easily top $450,000. The Homes at Summerall range from $239,000 to $300,000, depending on the needs of the customer. The floor plans range 2,500 to 3,500 square feet. Most of the people who have bought homes in the neighborhood are relocating from within Calhoun County, including families from McClellan's other high-profile neighborhoods, Cane Creek and Buckner Circle. Keller's target audience is retirees, couples whose children have left home and who appreciate a living space without a single step to climb. Keller says they want the amenities like a door to the master bathroom from the back yard, enormous closets and maple cabinets. “They've always said '40 is the new 20,'” Keller said. “(Baby boomers) are an awesome group to market to.” “Awesome,” is a word one hears frequently when asking Keller about his ongoing projects. He has expressed interest in renovating nearby apartment complexes which are currently off the market because of a lawsuit against the JPA. He wants to turn some of them into fully furnished executive apartments. “My objective at McClellan has always been to build a project that enhances the next project,” Keller said. “It sort of sets the tone for everything going forward.” Annie Davis moved back to Anniston when her home in New Orleans was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. She decided to relocate from her home in Cane Creek to the new subdivision. Keller's workers are building the home now to her specifications. “Really I just like the area,” Davis said. “It's quiet. It's peaceful. I know we might be living there with some construction going on. I don't think it will bother me.”
The Homes at Summerall • Price range: $239,000 to $300,000 • Square feet: Floor plans range from 2,500 to 3,500 square feet • Neighbors: 6 homes have been sold. 8 are under construction • History: Homes once housed military families. Later, they were scheduled for demolition. About Dan Whisenhunt Dan Whisenhunt covers local politics for The Star. Contact Dan Whisenhunt Phone: 256-235-3547 Fax: 256-241-1991 E-mail: dwhisenhunt@annistonstar.com
Reprinted from The Anniston Star (www.annistonstar.com). Used with permission from Consolidated Publishing Co. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.