As we prepare to announce our initial offerings, the excitement brimming around the community is gratifying. We are working diligently to get the details of schedules, builders and designs resolved so that we can begin our “Discovery Days” property tours for prospective buyers this summer.
There are great things happening both in and around McLean as noted in the articles below. Zimsculpt at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens is a great exhibit and the city of Belmont continues to collect accolades. We hope you will also enjoy reading about Lucy Penegar and Sandy Heard, who have contributed so much to McLean.
Progress Despite Unruly Weather
After a challenging winter, McLean’s master timetable for development remains largely on track.
Site improvements for South Shore and The Conservancy are making great progress. We are wrapping up plans for our initial builders whom we plan to announce by early June. While details are still being finalized, we are very pleased with the quality of designs and offerings that these builders will bring to McLean.
Interest continues to be strong as measured by comments on our social media channels, views of the web splash page and inquisitive visitors driving or stopping by for a first-person look. We look forward to the opening of our information center later this spring and providing more specific information on our initial home and homesite offerings at that time.
Local Preservation Expert Leaves Her Mark
Finishing touches including landscaping are now being put on the McLean house that will serve as our information and sales center. Renovation of the iconic house could not have happened without the help of our builder, Integrity Construction, and Lucy Rawlings Penegar, a community leader renowned for her efforts to preserve historic properties.
Penegar, a long-time Gastonia resident is a founding member of the Gaston County Historic Preservation Commission, and has worked on many local historic properties including Loray Mill and St. Stephens AME Zion Church in downtown Gastonia. She has provided invaluable advice and expertise in the preservation and re-purposing of McLean. Read more about Lucy here.
We would be remiss if we did not also recognize Les and Suzanne McLean who have assisted Lucy and us in details of the McLean family history and legacies we plan to speak to in our information center.
Design Team Profile: Sandy Heard
The property that is becoming McLean has been on Sandy Heard’s mind and drawing board for nearly a decade.
Sandy (pictured above) is vice president and leads the Charlotte office of Merrick & Company, an international engineering, architecture and land planning firm based in Denver, CO. Her role includes leading the landscape design team and creating a master plan for the 670-acre site that comprises McLean.
“We have worked hard to make sure that our plan is one that lays lightly on the land,” said Heard, who can be seen in some of the photos on the McLean website showing the land and riding bikes with her husband.
Sandy worked with another developer who planned to purchase the property back in 2006, and was retained by the current developer because of her extensive expertise and knowledge. Describing the land as “a true jewel,” she is driven to “create something unique and special that allows its natural beauty to come through.”