OxfordPress.com

With city council backing plans for a new development within Southpointe Crossing on U.S. 27, Oxford residents are set to see even more options for housing.

Hoping to strike a contrast to typical subdivisions, local architect Scott Webb is working with the 4-Leaf Development company to craft a truly unique community just outside of town.

Webb said he hopes to begin construction on the development as early as this summer, possibly allowing people to move into the condominiums in time for the holidays next year.

"Our last comprehensive plan targeted (Southpointe Crossing) as an area of possible expansion in the future," Webb said. "The plan is to provide a variety of single family houses in different price ranges, so that everyone will be able to benefit from this gorgeous piece of land."

Webb said he made an effort to preserve as much of the natural aesthetic of the area as possible, including more than 46 percent of woods and open space. A total of 90 separate units will fill the remainder of the 39 acres, with the condominiums centered around a pond near the center of the parcel.

"We felt that the property was so beautiful and we didn't want to overdevelop it," Webb said. Whereas some developers aim to cram as many homes into a given area as possible, Webb said he and 4-Leaf felt there was a lot of value in maintaining the natural setting.

The project is set to take place in two separate phases, with 46 units making up the southern portion of the property going up first. Council ruled that the second phase, 44 additional units on the northern side of the property, must be completed within five years or the approval would become null-and-void.

Running deeply through the entire proposal is the concept of "new urbanism," a return to a more historical type of town planning seen Uptown and in Stuart Square. By pushing buildings closer to roads, placing garages behind the condos and porches on the front, Webb hopes to create neighborhoods with a real sense of community rather than churning out typical subdivisions.

"We really hope it feels more like the Mile Square than a subdivision," Webb said. "New urbanism is a growing trend in architecture, moving toward sort of a European style."

Although council members approved the proposed development 6-1, they did include a condition requiring a second entrance to the development be constructed at some point in order to help alleviate congestion on Southpointe Boulevard.

Though Webb said pricing details have yet to be hammered out, he did say that the developers intend to have a wide range of different units available. With variations in terms of the size of the condo, the number of bedrooms and overall style, prospective residents certainly won't be short on options.

"I think it's ideal to have this lush, natural landscape surrounding you and at the same time be very close to town," Webb said. "It's going to the best of both worlds."