The site for the event was in Pavilion Park, just across the street from the Nature Center and the new Carlton Landing Academy. Under the shade of the pavilion, tables were covered with an amazing mix of handmade treats and refreshments. Everyone enjoyed the sweet tastes of spring.

The Easter Bunny made an appearance and was a huge hit with the kids. In fact, only had one toddler burst into tears at the sight of the Easter Bunny. Then, like horses in the starting gates, the older kids waited for the Egg Hunt to begin. In a moment, among the blur of pastel colors and unbridled kid energy, our first Egg Hunt was placed in the history books.

We want to wish you all a Happy Easter and hope that, as you enjoy the bloom of spring, you take time to realize the blessings in your own life.

By Grant Humphreys

This week, Jen and I took the kids to Steamboat, Colorado for some time in the mountains. We try to make it out to the Rockies at least once every winter so that the kids can learn to ski and play in the snow. It’s a great time for us all.

Several years ago, we bought into Starwood’s Vacation Ownership program. I want to spend a few minutes telling you about that program – not as an advertisement for Starwood but rather to describe just one of the vacation options that exist today. Back in 2007, we purchased a Starwood fractional ownership unit which cost $36,000 upfront plus about $1,400/year in annual maintenance fees. For that, each year, we get a villa for one week in peak season or two weeks in off-peak season at any one of their 19 resort destinations located mainly in the Rockies, the Southwest, Florida or the Caribbean. The whole program is designed on a points system so we can use the annual points, hold them for next year, or transfer them into a resort exchange network that includes 2,600 resorts in 75 countries. So we have options.

Our 2 bedroom villa for this week is over 1,600 square feet with a high level of finish. Granite countertops are everywhere. Plush beds with high thread count linens and warm duvets make you want to stay in bed. Technology is covered with wireless internet and HD flat-screens in each room with all the movies on demand. We have a fully furnished kitchen so we can stay in if we choose, but with several restaurants within walking distance and a free hotel shuttle to Steamboat Springs, we can go out without any hassle.

The level of service we’ve received is just right for our needs – more than a standard rental home but not that of a hotel unless we request. The villa has one mid-week service where dishes are cleaned, floors are vacuumed and all linens and towels are restocked. There’s no turn-down service unless requested. 24 hours a day, if we need anything – someone to fix a leaky faucet or change the sheets or give us more shampoo – we just push the service button on the phone and our problems are solved.

Our resort’s location is ideal – at the foot of the slopes with ski rental on the ground floor, so no hassle with the ski gear. The workout facility is fully furnished with the latest gear. In the lobby, there’s a lounge where people gather after a day on the slopes. Big chess tables with leather wingback chairs are inviting. I taught Jack, our 8 year old, how to play chess this week. We’ve made it our daily ritual to play a game of chess each afternoon over some hot cocoa.

It is life without hassle. Less time doing the chores and more time making memories. Isn’t that the reason we take a vacation?

The vacation experience I’ve just described is not uncommon in the Rockies. There are literally hundreds of resorts in the Rockies that all provide some version of this product. It’s not uncommon in the Gulf Coast, Florida, the Carolinas, Arizona or California. But it’s hard to find a comparable product in the Oklahoma/North Texas region. The resort product I described above is typically located 500 to 900 miles from your home, and due to the cost and hassle of reaching your destination (going through airport security and renting a car or driving 16 hours) a 4- to 7-day trip is usually required. Unless you have easy access to your own jet, it’s not a weekend getaway.

During the planning process for Carlton Landing, we discussed at length the resort element of the community. Andrés Duany said, “Since Carlton Landing will be a resort community, it has to great. People in the city have very nice homes in very nice subdivisions. They are accustomed to a level of quality that is top shelf. So Carlton Landing must offer that level of quality. Otherwise, people won’t drive two hours. They’ll just stay at home.”

More than ten million people live within a 3-hour drive from Carlton Landing and those people currently have limited options for a weekend getaway. At Carlton Landing, we want to change that. As a lake state, Oklahomans appreciate the lake experience and love spending time in the great outdoors. The natural beauty of southeast Oklahoma competes with any part of the country. What has been missing is the resort quality and level of service delivered at a national scale.

Now, let’s imagine another option. Imagine a summer day in the life of Carlton Landing (this time, told from a Dad’s perspective):

Imagine leaving the office at 4pm on a Friday, picking up your wife and kids, beating the rush hour traffic out of town and driving to Carlton Landing. By the time you reach the town center, your blood pressure has dropped and you’re on ‘vacation mode’. You park at the cabin and check on things inside. Everything is perfect. It’s clean and orderly – just like you expect.

You stroll with your family to a charming restaurant just one block down the street. After a great meal, you hear some live music in the park. Your kids play in the park while you and your wife join some neighbors on their front porch for some laughter and great conversation. It’s great to see good friends again. That night, from the hammock in your backyard, you show your kids all the star constellations they can’t see back home due to the city lights. At some point in the night, you realize that the kids are asleep in your arms and you carry them into bed.

The next morning, after a short trail run through the woods, you pick up a newspaper and hot cup of java from the coffee house down by the lake. You take your cup and paper to the pavilion out over the water and, as the fog lifts and fish stir the still waters of the cove, you watch a heron fly along the shoreline as the day comes to life. Life is stirring back at the cabin and, after a great breakfast on the back porch, it’s time to head out on the water.

A new Cobalt ski boat is waiting for you at the dock. It’s ready to go – charged battery, cleaned throughout, just as you expect from the Carlton Landing Boat Club. You reserved this boat online a couple weeks ago because today is the day you teach your son to ski. After a few tries, he’s up on his feet and grinning from ear to ear. Everyone cheers as he gets back in the boat and you know that today is a day he’ll never forget. You’ve totally forgotten about the hectic week you just had. The deadlines and budget reports are a distant memory. That doesn’t matter right now. Because right now, in this moment, you’re SuperDad. You just taught your son to ski.

The afternoon is full of hiking in the woods, swimming at the pool and playing on the beach. Your wife and daughter go to a cooking demonstration at the chef’s kitchen in the community garden. They bring back some fresh veggies and prepare a great dinner. There’s no set meal time at the lake. Just a great flow of cooking, eating, talking and laughing that lasts for several hours. Life is good.

Between the card games and the James Taylor songs, you see the lightning bugs start to come out. The sun begins to set and you see that a campfire has been started in the firepit at the end of the street. A few neighbors are walking that way to cook s’mores. The kids love campfire night. At some point in the night, as you rest back with your arm around your wife, you hear the crackle of the fire, the sounds of the forest and the laughter of your children. You realize that you’ve forgotten to turn on your cell phone all day and you haven’t even noticed. But you don’t care about that. Voicemail can wait. You’re living in the moment. It’s another day at Carlton Landing.

It’s just Saturday night, but it might as well be 4 days into the perfect family vacation. Tomorrow, you return to civilization. After a great weekend full of laughter and playing outdoors, the kids sleep all the way home. On Monday, you’re re-charged and ready to take on the world.

(Until next weekend, at least.)

In the moments before the event, boys and girls played in a grassy park with red, white and blue balloons. Promptly at four o’clock, the festivities were kicked off by the Canadian High School Drumline. Next was the Pledge of Allegiance, led by the local Eufaula Cub Scouts troop. Following the pledge, an invocation was offered by Pastor J. Ingram of the First Baptist Church, Eufaula.

In facilitating the event, Grant Humphreys, Town Founder of Carlton Landing, told the story of how the Carlton Landing Academy came to be. The planning process for Carlton Landing began in 2008, when internationally renowned urban planner Andrés Duany designed the master plan for the new community. “When Andrés and our team walked this land in 2008, we envisioned a new community and we knew we wanted to have a school in Carlton Landing,” said Humphreys. “We envisioned a school embedded in the community so that kids could walk safely to school, a school that could serve a broader purpose as a center of civic life, learning and culture.”

The Carlton Landing Academy will initially include Pre-K through 5th Grade. The Academy will add additional grades in future years as student demand warrants. As the school is a public school, there is no cost for tuition. Students from outside Carlton Landing or outside Canadian Public School District may attend as space is available. During the 2012-13 school year, openings in the Academy will be limited to the first 60 students. At the time of the groundbreaking event, at least 30 students had already registered.

While introducing Rodney Karch, Superintendent of Canadian Public Schools, Humphreys complimented the academic performance at Canadian. “We are thrilled to partner with Rodney Karch and Canadian Public Schools. With the highest test scores in Pittsburg County and all surrounding counties, Canadian has built a track record of academic excellence. We expect the Carlton Landing Academy to set a new standard and build on that tradition.”

Rodney Karch spoke from an educator’s viewpoint. “We are excited to see the Carlton Landing Academy break ground today. When Kirk and Grant approached us about creating a new school, we thought they were nuts. But they pulled it together and we see today that this school will become a reality. We’re excited to be part of that and expect great things for this new school.”

Following Karch’s comments, Humphreys called for the students who had registered to attend the Academy. As the group of students and their parents received a round of applause, golden shovels were distributed and the crowd made their way to the future site of the Carlton Landing Academy. Moments later, the ground was broken and cheers and applause erupted.

The event drew dozens of people from the local area as well as Oklahoma City and Dallas. An excitement for the new school was shared by all in attendance. “This is a historic day. It’s not every day you get to see a new school break ground. I’m just glad to be able to see it happen.” said Rick Gibbons, Eufaula businessman.

Parents of future students at The Academy were enthusiastic with hope for their children. “Growing up in a small town, I know the importance of a strong community. It’s great to see that same kind of community here today,” said Jen Humphreys, mother of five future students at the Carlton Landing Academy. “This school will be a part of our community. With its location across the street from an organic garden and the new nature center, I’m just so excited for my kids and the students at the Academy to have opportunities to get outside, connect with nature, and see where their food comes from.”

Background on Carlton Landing:

Carlton Landing began in 2008 when the Humphreys engaged Andrés Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk, or “DPZ”, to design a walkable community on the shores of Lake Eufaula. DPZ is known for creating more than 300 communities such as Seaside, Florida and Rosemary Beach. Duany assembled an international team of design professionals to create the master plan for Carlton Landing which covers almost 1,000 acres. The plan includes walkable streets, community pools, parks, a school, retail and restaurant areas and an organic farm. The community will be both “real” and “resort” with a mix of full-time residents and secondary home owners.

For more information about Carlton Landing, visit www.carltonlanding.com or call (888) 619-1889.

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The event was sponsored by the Carlton Landing Community Foundation in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. Participants included representatives from the US Army Corps of Engineers and top state officials in tourism, conservation, wildlife management and outdoor education. The event was facilitated by Brett Mann, a landscape architect and principal of Tulsa based Massey-Mann Associates.

“This event is an important milestone for the creation of the Carlton Landing Nature Center,” says Grant Humphreys, Town Founder of Carlton Landing. “Eufaula Lake and the wooded areas surrounding the shoreline offer a great opportunity for people to connect with nature and enjoy active outdoor recreation. This Nature Center will increase public access to natural education and all types of recreation. It will be a boost to the lake tourism industry and bolster the local economy. We’re excited to see this Nature Center set a national standard for excellence.”

Humphreys believes the Nature Center is a great fit for Carlton Landing. “In many ways, our modern American lifestyle has separated nature from the human experience. But as humans, we are deeply and complexly interconnected to the natural world. The Carlton Landing Nature Center will reveal this truth in fun, interactive and experiential ways so that people see the benefit of a natural and active lifestyle.”

The master plan for the Nature Center divides the land into four areas, each identified by a verb describing that area’s purpose – RECREATE, EDUCATE, EXPLORE and OBSERVE. “Our team’s goal is to develop a plan for the Nature Center that invites people into the outdoors with a variety of education and recreation options. By offering accessible and thought provoking amenities to enhance this beautiful natural setting, Carlton Landing Nature Center will be a destination for families to rediscover and share their connection to the outdoors,” states Brett Mann. “We want the spaces within the Nature Center to provide lasting memories and a renewed sense of awe and respect for nature.”

The ‘RECREATE’ area will provide children and adults with an opportunity to actively connect to nature through a climbing wall, a sports field, a public swim beach and a slackline balancing course. Kayak lessons, an archery range and a single track mountain bike trail will complete the offering of active recreational opportunities.

In ‘EDUCATE’, individuals or groups will learn about nature through wildlife exhibits, outdoor classrooms, science labs and an outdoor amphitheatre. The site for a future facility including conference and exhibit space is located next to a pervious parking area designed to accommodate cars or buses for field trips from surrounding area schools.

Partnered with a new public magnet school, Carlton Landing Academy, located just 100’ to the north, the Nature Center will have a strong educational focus. Students and teachers from Carlton Landing Academy will be able walk directly from their school building into the Nature Center during recess or for an outdoor teaching session.

The ‘EXPLORE’ area is designed to encourage a sense of wonder. Separate trails designed for pedestrians and cyclists will provide access through the natural wooded landscape. The trails will link Carlton Landing to the shoreline as well as places of interest such as an elaborate tree house, a natural playscape area, a butterfly house and a lookout tower. An additional remote swim beach will improve public access to the water and a kayak rental program will allow children and adults to explore the lake habitat directly.

This area will also feature Oklahoma’s first luxury camping experience with constructed tents nestled right on the shore of Lake Eufaula. A luxury camp allows people to enjoy the nature experience without the cost of buying gear or the hassle of setting up camp. Tents will feature queen-sized beds, hardwood floors, complete bathroom facilities and electricity. “Luxury camping is a new product we’re excited to offer at Carlton Landing,” says Grant Humphreys. “We want people to make memories around the campfire and then wake up to the sound of birds singing after a restful night in a plush bed. Since there’s no hauling gear or sleeping on rocks, this is camping without the backache.”

Lastly, the ‘OBSERVE’ area will provide guests and residents of Carlton Landing a quiet place to escape for privacy, solitude and contemplation. The walking and bicycling trails will continue into this natural area with less impact or alteration to the existing landscape. Shaded sitting areas and small picnic pavilions will be located along the paths at scenic lookout points.

With the master plan now conceived, the project will seek the necessary approval in order to become a reality. “Our next step is to create a plan for implementation,” says Humphreys. “We appreciate the Corps’ involvement and their willingness to participate in the master plan discussions. The vision is still in formation and nothing is set in stone yet. We’ll continue to work with the Corps and other public entities as we try to improve public access to the lake and provide enhanced opportunities for public recreation at Lake Eufaula.”

Background on Carlton Landing:

Carlton Landing began in 2008 when the Humphreys engaged Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk, or “DPZ”, to design a walkable community on the shores of Lake Eufaula. DPZ is known for creating more than 300 communities such as Seaside, Florida and Rosemary Beach. Duany assembled an international team of design professionals to create the master plan for Carlton Landing which covers almost 1,000 acres. The plan includes walkable streets, community pools, parks, a school, retail and restaurant areas and an organic farm. The community will be both “real” and “resort” with a mix of full-time residents and secondary home owners.

For more information about Carlton Landing, visit www.carltonlanding.com or call (888) 619-1889.
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By Grant Humphreys, Town Founder

When I was a boy, my favorite hours were those spent in the top of a tree or running in the woods. Though our neighborhood was in the middle of Oklahoma City, there remained a few acres of wooded, undeveloped land, a patch of no man’s land, an island of unbridled nature, that all the kids knew simply as ‘The Pits’. The Pits was a place where BMX bikes would race through the woods at breakneck speeds on a single-track course. Where clandestine meetings would be held in the clearing beyond the view of roads or homes. Where forts were built and foxholes were dug. In The Pits, we were shut off from civilization – in a natural world of our own making.

Over time, I outgrew my BMX bike and forgot about The Pits. Life flew by with cars and college, marriage and kids, a job and a mortgage payment. In all the busyness, any evidence of The Pits disappeared. Cleared away by bulldozers, graded by dirt movers and covered with Bermuda grass for 2-acre lots. At the same time, across the country, the last remnants of the woods were transformed into manicured lawns and the trails and tree houses of a generation of kids were replaced with Nintendo and cell phones. In the name of progress, efficiency and personal accomplishment, we as a society continued to drive away from nature. Days of exploring were exchanged for far away tournaments, hours of screen time and rushing to the next scheduled event. No time for trails. No time for imagination. No time for wonder.

Through the generations, the consequences of de-naturing the American lifestyle have grown more apparent. Most of all, the youngest generation shows our growing disconnect with the natural world. This “nature deficit disorder”, a term coined by author Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods, begins to explain a wide range of physical, emotional and sociological symptoms such as childhood obesity, attention disorders and depression, that plague our society at epidemic proportions.

At Carlton Landing, we believe things can be different. We think kids should have a natural outlet within walking distance of their home. Therefore, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, we are creating the Carlton Landing Nature Center so that kids young and old can reconnect with nature as part of a typical day in Carlton Landing. This Wednesday, nature experts and design professionals from across the state will join representatives from the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, the Department of Tourism and Corps of Engineers to create a master plan for the 40+ acres of wooded land between our neighborhood and Lake Eufaula. The master plan we create, to be unveiled at a public meeting on Wednesday afternoon, will include places for kids and adults to learn and to play, to escape and to explore.

We look forward to introducing you to a special place called the Carlton Landing Nature Center. As a community amenity of Carlton Landing, it will provide special moments for guests and residents to play outdoors, to find solitude on the trail, to cultivate a lifestyle filled with wonder and appreciation of God’s handiwork. More to come soon!

This week, we feature Steve Mouzon. Steve is an architect, urbanist, author, blogger, and photographer from Miami, Florida. He founded the New Urban Guild, which helped foster the Katrina Cottages movement. Steve speaks regularly across the US and abroad on architecture, community design and sustainability issues. You can read his blogs, the Original Green Blog and Useful Stuff. He’s been featured in several national publications including Period Homes, Treehugger and Wall Street Journal.

I called Steve today and asked him a few questions. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: Steve, since your involvement in Carlton Landing began in 2009, what have you found most exciting about the project?

A: The strong commitment to the original vision is the harbinger of greatness for Carlton Landing. From the inital stages of the design process, it’s evident that the development team at Carlton Landing is deeply committed to the original vision. This will allow the community to realize its true potential and not fall by the wayside as another example of opportunity lost. Everyone says all the right things at the very beginning but, because the development cards are typically stacked against us, the built product too easily devolves into something less if not for a commitment to the vision.

Q:   In defining the architecture of Carlton Landing, we decided that the American Farmhouse would be the primary style with Carpenter Gothic, Victorian or Arts & Crafts as supporting styles. Why do you think people feel such a strong connection to these simple traditional architectural styles?

A:   I used to think that folks loved these styles because they hearken back to a simpler time, kind of a reminder of grandma’s house, you might say. And that is true. There is a sense of nostalgia there. But there’s something deeper than that. I think there’s a natural instinct to sense the things that are ‘in tune’ to the certain place. There is a sense of rightness about the architecture of a place, a basic sense of appropriateness. We all need shelter, but we have a deeper yearning for a place that not only protects us from the elements, but will be home. When a place has a sense of longevity and permanence – due in part to the contextual appropriateness of its style – that sense of belonging and ‘being home’ is something we know. It’s a home in which we can live, can love and can find rest.

Q:  For Carlton Landing, you authored a book called ‘The Living Tradition’. This book serves as our design guidelines and communicates the urban standards, architectural standards and landscape standards for Carlton Landing. Talk a little bit about the Living Tradition and why it is so important.

A:  The real heart of the Living Tradition is just four simple words – ‘we do this because’. If everyone understands not only what to do but also why we do it, there is an opportunity for discussion, collaboration and innovation. Throughout human history, we’ve depended on traditions of knowledge to be passed down from generation to generation. This allows the best ideas to be retained as the level of craftsmanship develops. The Living Tradition at Carlton Landing will provide a framework for construction and architecture to evolve over time with the community.

We appreciate Steve’s help in making Carlton Landing a great place. In the next few months, we want to give you a chance to meet Steve personally when he speaks in Oklahoma City. Look for updates as we let you know the date and time.

Rodney Karch, Superintendent of Canadian School District, is excited about the addition. “The first few years of life are critical for a child’s cognitive development and learning,” said Karch. “A well-run prekindergarten program can prepare students for academic achievement. That’s the foundation we want to see at the Carlton Landing Academy.”

Scheduled to open for the 2012-13 school year, the Pre-K through 5^th Grade program will expand annually as student demand warrants and is planned to eventually serve students through 12^th grade. As a public school, students from outside Carlton Landing or outside Canadian Public School District may attend at no tuition rate while space is available.

A new website – www.CarltonLandingAcademy.com – was created to provide public information and simplify the application process. Parents can sign up to receive updates, view frequently asked questions or complete an online registration form for their child. Applications will be processed in the order they are received and those students who receive a spot at the Academy will have a priority position in future years.

The Academy will be located in the heart of Carlton Landing, across the street from a public park and within walking distance from hundreds of planned home sites. This location allows for children to walk to school and for the school facility to serve a broader civic function. “We want Carlton Landing to be a complete community with a great quality of life for its residents,” said Grant Humphreys. “The Carlton Landing Academy will help us accomplish that goal.”

Background on Carlton Landing:

Carlton Landing began in 2008 when the Humphreys engaged Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk, or “DPZ”, to design a walkable community on the shores of Lake Eufaula. DPZ is known for creating more than 300 communities such as Seaside, Florida and Rosemary Beach. Duany assembled an international team of design professionals to create the master plan for Carlton Landing which covers almost 1,000 acres. The plan includes walkable streets, community pools, parks, a school, retail and restaurant areas and an organic farm. The community will be both “real” and “resort” with a mix of full-time residents and secondary home owners.

For more information about Carlton Landing, visit www.CarltonLanding.com or call (888) 619-1889.

Grant Humphreys and Kirk Humphreys, Founders of Carlton Landing, along with Rodney Karch, Superintendent of Canadian Public Schools, will host a public meeting at 3:00pm this Sunday, November 13th. The purpose of the meeting is to present initial plans for the Carlton Landing Academy, a public magnet classical school to be located in Carlton Landing as part of the Canadian Public School District. The meeting will be held at the Meeting House in Carlton Landing. Directional signage will be provided from the community’s main entrance on Highway 9A (located 1.3 miles west of Highway 9). The meeting will consist of a 30 minute presentation followed by a question and answer period. All are welcome to attend.

Scheduled to open in August, 2012, the Carlton Landing Academy will initially include Kindergarten through 5th Grade. The Academy will add additional grades as student demand warrants. As the school is a public school, there is no cost for tuition. Students from outside Carlton Landing or outside Canadian Public School District may attend as space is available. During the 2012-13 school year, openings in the school will be limited to the first 60 students.

The school will be located in the heart of Carlton Landing, across the street from a public park and within walking distance from hundreds of planned home sites. This location allows for children to walk to school and for the school facility to serve a broader civic function. “We want Carlton Landing to be a complete community with a great quality of life for its residents,” said Grant Humphreys. “The Carlton Landing Academy will help us accomplish that goal.”

The architectural design of the Academy will be handled by Carlton Landing’s Town Architect, Jim Hasenbeck, and Tom Low, Director of the Charlotte office of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, the urban planners of Carlton Landing. The original design concept, developed by Tom Low, was called the ‘Learning Cottage’ and offers public schools the ability to expand their school campus in a way that is green, durable and efficient. The Academy will be the first of the Learning Cottages built in the nation.  

“Carlton Landing is an ideal community to introduce the ‘Learning Cottage’ initiative,” said Tom Low. ”It’s is a complete community offering - offering a quality of life for all life stages, starting with the children.” The buildings will feature an Oklahoma vernacular design reminiscent of schoolhouses built in the territorial days.

The Carlton Landing Academy will feature a design vernacular inspired by school houses built originally in Oklahoma Territory. (Concept by Tom Low of DPZ.)

“We look forward to working with Canadian Public Schools in this exciting project,” said Kirk Humphreys. “The district’s academic success under Rodney Karch has been impressive.” According to the 2011 Oklahoma Academic Performance Index, which ranks schools and districts based on standardized test scores, Canadian School District is in the top 10 percent of the state’s school districts and has the highest test scores of any district in Pittsburg County and all surrounding counties. Rodney Karch is pleased with the progress, stating, “This is a team effort. Our teachers are committed to academic excellence. Our students are dedicated to work hard and raise the bar of academic achievement.”

Background on Carlton Landing:

Carlton Landing began in 2008 when the Humphreys engaged Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk, or “DPZ”, to design a walkable community on the shores of Lake Eufaula. DPZ is known for creating more than 300 communities such as Seaside, Florida and Rosemary Beach. Duany assembled an international team of design professionals to create the master plan for Carlton Landing which covers almost 1,000 acres. The plan includes walkable streets, community pools, parks, a school, retail and restaurant areas and an organic farm. The community will be both “real” and “resort” with a mix of full-time residents and secondary home owners.

For more information about Carlton Landing, visit www.carltonlanding.com or call (888) 619-1889.

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A Resort Community Eludes the Down Economy

Despite sluggish real estate conditions across most of the US, the Humphreys Company has been moving ahead on developing a 950-acre resort community on Lake Eufaula, about a two-hour drive east of Oklahoma City.

The project, Carlton Landing, laid out by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. (DPZ) largely in the form of a traditional neighborhood development, got under way in late 2009 with road and utility installation, and advanced to construction of the first 10 houses, plus a community building, in late 2010.

The business strategy, says developer Grant Humphreys, calls for building Carlton Landing’s anticipated 2,500 houses gradually over the next 25 years — responding to conditions as they evolve.

The plan calls for a broad range of housing types and low-cost placemaking techniques. Agriculture is incorporated into the community as a key amenity.

“The unit types that DPZ and Zimmerman-Volk Associates put together are pretty varied,” which should help attract a considerable range of buyers, says Humphreys. Spec house are being built with asking prices of $170,000 to $430,000, on lots ranging from a little over $20,000 to $150,000. Most lots are between $35,000 and $50,000, “attainable for a large portion of the market,” Humphreys points out.

Though the first houses will average about 1,900 square feet, the second group, scheduled to begin construction this Fall, will be a dozen cottages of 700 to 1,500 square feet. Nine of them will form a cottage court — a clustered form of housing that architect Ross Chapin has had success with in Washington State (see April 2011 New Urban News) and that architect Donald Powers has done well with in New England, but which is unfamiliar to people in the Oklahoma-North Texas market.

Among the designers are Bill Harris of Allison Ramsey Architects; Tom Low of DPZ; Jim Hasenbeck; Eric Moser; and Steve Mouzon. Mouzon’s design, called the “Fish Camp” — just 170 sq. ft., plus a porch nearly half that size — will be an outbuilding for one of the cottages. “For a lake getaway, it’s a great idea,” Humphreys says.

The concept of placing houses around a shared open space has also been employed for four of the dwellings currently under construction — courtyard, rear-yard, and duplex units that look onto a common, semi-public space. “Our belief is that the creation of these public realm spaces is a great economic value-builder that costs little,” says the architect of those four, Eric Brown of Beaufort, South Carolina.

Organic farming

“We’ve had 11 acres under cover crop and soil preparation for last 18 months,” with the expectation that it will become an organic farm,” Humphreys says. “My wife, Jen, is the town farmer.”

Pickin' berries with Hank Humphreys

“We’re starting with what we call the ‘greeter farm,’” he explains, “It’s a large garden with raised beds and small plots, to give people a sampling of what we’ll be growing on the farm.” The scale of the two will differ; the farm will be large enough to use a tractor, whereas hand tools will suffice for the garden.

He believes that the character he’s creating in the development — a “downhome, authentic neighborhood feel” in a setting that offers plenty of outdoor activity, including food production — now resonates with buyers more than it did prior to the global economic crisis of 2008.

The first couple to put down a deposit for a house in Carlton Landing — Jeff and Rhonda Davis of Oklahoma City — had expected to buy in the Destin area of the Florida Panhandle, well known for Seaside, Watercolor, and Rosemary Beach, but they discovered the Oklahoma lakeside community and concluded that it would be a better geographic choice.

Before the Davises move in, however, another group of occupants will arrive, says Humphreys. “We’ve got 12 chickens that are excited to be there. They will be the first residents of Carlton Landing.”

“A chicken coop has been designed by Eric Moser,” Humphreys boasts. “It will be the nicest chicken coop this side of the Mississippi.”

Financially, Humphreys is proceeding conservatively: “On the development side, we’re able to move forward without any debt. It’s all private equity. If the market is slow to respond, we cut the grass and come back next year.”

Humphreys moved his family from Oklahoma City to the rural property along Oklahoma’s largest lake about two months ago, and he thinks the time is right for a development geared to second-home buyers from Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Dallas — three areas that have fared better during the downtown than have many other places across the US.

“For home construction, we’ve been able to find great local lenders,” something he attributes to the “good underlying value” of the houses and the development.

“Folks have been in a waiting mode for the past few years,” says Humphreys. But, he avers, “when the product type is appropriate to the market, they’ll respond.”