Antiquity offers easy living

Developers and residents say the Antiquity subdivision will transform downtown Cornelius while likely making it a prominent destination community.

Positioned to be built around the Charlotte Area Transit System's planned extension of the North Corridor Commuter Rail into the Lake Norman area, it is being touted as the town's first transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly development.

A project 10 years in the making, it is expected to be completed and fully occupied within the next five years, regardless of how the commuter rail line project evolves.

Currently about 20 percent of all lots are occupied while the other 80 percent of the development has roads and infrastructure in place. No commercial development is underway, but the subdivision is expected to house coffee shops, restaurants and other retail shops driven by consumer services. The estimated project value could exceed $250 million when finished, developer Joe Roy said.

Antiquity is the town's only subdivision that has been growing over the last three years despite the economy and housing market troubles, said Cornelius town manager Anthony Roberts.

"That's a testament to the quality of the development," Roberts said. "To be selling like they are, it has to be offering something."

Among the community's current or planned offerings are a 30-acre park, a community pool, a 1,500-seat amphitheater, hiking and biking trails, sidewalks lined with fruit-bearing trees and even a vineyard of muscadine grapes.

The streets inside Antiquity will be lined with about 1,000 residences designed to appeal to families, young professionals and empty-nesters. Tucked in and around the apartments, townhouses and single-family homes being built will be nine mini parks. Single-family homes range from the low $200,000s to $400,000s. Townhomes start in the low $100,000s.

The approximate 130-acre "smart-growth" community is known for its rustic, covered bridge that connects to downtown Davidson via South Street. Smart-growth communities seek to preserve an area's natural and cultural resources by planning for mixed-land uses and walkable neighborhoods.

Antiquity will bring a variety of benefits to residents, including increased business opportunities for entrepreneurs. The neighborhood's proximity to the CATS planned transit-rail station on Catawba Avenue will provide commuters with access to Charlotte and surrounding areas.

The covered-bridge entrance is meant to reflect the ease-of-living and friendly feeling envisioned for this community. Developer Joe Roy described it as a throwback neighborhood that pays homage to a simpler time.

The main entrance, on the Cornelius side of the development, is scheduled to be completed by spring, but will probably be completed much earlier, officials said. It is at Catawba Avenue and N.C. 115.

The houses were purposefully placed close to the sidewalks to encourage residents to be social.

"My wife and I immediately fell in love with the sense of community here after meeting our future neighbors," said Jim Johnson, a local realtor for the last three years who now serves on the homeowners association's safety committee. "The landscaping is fantastic, and we feel really good about living here."

As a realtor, Johnson said he hasn't found any other community in the Charlotte area that matches the pace of growth of the Antiquity development.

"Eventually this will be a destination community," Johnson said.