NEWPORT BEACH, CA-The New Home Co. and Hillwood West, a division of Dallas-based Hillwood, are partnering up to build 79 luxury, single-family, attached townhomes here. Construction is currently underway on the development, named Meridian, the first new for-sale residential project in the Newport Center area next to Fashion Island in more than 20 years and Hillwood West's first venture into the Orange County market.

The joint venture acquired the 4.25-acre property from Host Hotels & Resorts LP, the Bethesda, MD-based owner of the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa, which is adjacent to the site of the soon-to-be-built single-level and two-story residences at Meridian. The new project is immediately adjacent to Fashion Island and will include five individual buildings comprising homes ranging from 2,335 to 3,905 square feet. Prices for the townhomes are expected to begin in the mid-$1 millions.

According to Tom Redwitz, partner and president of New Home, “Those who choose to live here will discover the finest in luxury living with the freedom of a turn-key residence, minimal attention to maintenance and complete privacy and security.”

The development will feature contemporary Mediterranean architecture with expansive windows. Many residences will overlook the fairways of the Newport Beach Country Club.

“As we further establish our Hillwood West presence in Orange County, the timing of Meridian could not be better,” said L.M. Cummings, president of Hillwood West, in a prepared statement. “With the business savvy of Hillwood joining the customer-focused design approach of the New Home Co., and with the internationally recognized appeal of Newport Beach, Meridian will undoubtedly succeed on many different levels.”

As GlobeSt.com reported in August 2012, Hillwood and its chairman Ross Perot, Jr. have continued their commitment to the city of San Bernardino by developing a 1-million-square-foot, multi-hundred-million-dollar Amazon e-commerce center there in addition to owning another nearly 2 million square feet that the firm intends to break ground on shortly in the same area with blue-chip companies interested in the space. Hillwood has also engaged in another 900,000 square feet in the north end of the city, Jim Morris, chief of staff to San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris, told GlobeSt.com at the time.