I grew up with a couple members of the Campbell family, so I enjoy watching what the family is up to these days. One of their big projects is Village Gardens, a new neighborhood on their property near 56th and Pine Lake Road. I took a tour through the neighborhood the other day. I love the fact that it isn't a cookie cutter development. The homes in Village Gardens stand in stark contrast to the mundane rows of carbon copy homes in nearby developments. The styles aren't for everyone, but that's partially the point. Homes are allowed to be bolder, and thus more memorable. Some of the lots are hardly larger than the buildings that occupy them. That's astonishingly small by my standards, but for those who don't want to have to worry about a yard but who still want a house in a nice neighborhood, I suppose I can see the allure.
The weirdest part of driving through Village Gardens was seeing how much it had changed since I was last there. Some umpteen years ago I fished in the pond and spent the night in a pup tent in what is now a housing development. I guess that officially makes me old. I can already see myself telling Robbie, "Back in my day this was all just a bunch of trees!" He'll roll his eyes and mumble something about me being senile.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing how the neighborhood matures. I don't plan to move any time soon (or necessarily at all), but if I did, I could see myself digging some of those houses.
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I believe the development is moving toward the next phase, which is retail development. My understanding is that the plan is for a Main Street-type retail presence with all the basic needs provided. To me, that will be the true measure of success. Can they really get a small grocery store and whatever retail is needed to provide your daily staples, all within walking distance. Seems a bit Utopian, if not unlikely. But it is a cool and interesting neighborhood to drive through.
I love the concept - put things within walking distance and create a “neighborhood” where people don’t have to drive to everything. Fewer parking lots, fewer cars on the street. Great concept.
Home prices seem high to me, but if the market will bear those prices, you can’t blame the developer. It would be nice to see a mix of affordable homes with the nicer homes.
My wife and I went on the Parade of Homes in this area. Very, very cool.
Along the same lines I’m going to be saying that same thing to my kids about western omaha.
Old me: “I remember when it took 15 minutes to get to Omaha from Elkhorn”
My Kid: “Elkhorn was separate from Omaha!?!?!”
A little late here, but I recently discovered this development. http://www.thebridgesne.com
And there’s always “The Preserve” out on Pioneers Blvd.
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