Developers Finagle Infrastructure for New Homes, Shops

However, Mark Powers of Pulte Homes said his company worked out a deal, along with developer Buzz Silverman, to extend a water and sewer line from the nearby Village of Holly into an 818 single and multifamily home development called Riverside Woods, which will also include up to 400,000-sf of retail stores.

No other project will be allowed to tap into the project's water and sewer line for 10 years, Powers told GlobeSt.com."This is the only line extending from the village," Powers said. "Not having any lines has definitely been a limitation. We wouldn't be able to do the project if we didn't have the line in."

He said there's no question the demand for the homes is high. His company plans to build about 140 two-story attached townhomes, with attached garages, and the rest will be various levels of single-family homes on the vacant and former farm land.

"We built a couple projects out here, a hundred or so homes, and they sold quicker than anything we've ever done," Powers said. "North Oakland County is pretty desirable."

Silverman sold the land to Pulte. Powers said he could not divulge the sale price or the possible development cost. He said the homes will range up to 2,900-sf in size and sell for up to $290,000.

Powers said Silverman held on to small slivers of the land, and plans to build shopping centers and retail stores. Silverman also has zoning approval for apartments near the entrance of Riverside Woods on Grange Hall Road.

The development almost surrounds Holly Academy, a charter school, and will feature a bridge leading to the school, Powers said.Construction on the single-family homes will begin soon, he said, and next year will see the development of the townhomes.