Buregoning townhome neighborhood west of the Ashley offers new floor plans at moderate costs

Don’t look for a swimming pool or clubhouse at Ashley Park Townhomes off Glenn McConnell Parkway. The three-year-old community near West Ashley High School decided against a slew of amenities. But the tradeoff is its competitive prices. Ashley Park can charge a moderate rate for its attractive two- and three-level dwellings as well as keep homeowners association fees at a minimum. At the same time, the dozens of dwellings -– Ashley Park when completed will have 350 units -– are right off main drag Glenn McConnell Parkway and a few minutes from major shopping centers, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital and Interstate 526, among other places. “They (amenities) are so close by,” says Kimberly J. Byrd, sales and marketing manager with Manor House Builders of South Carolina. “You can go to Folly Beach, the new West Ashley recreation park.” Launched in Hagerstown, Md., Manor House Builders is constructing the townhomes, which are 1,341-1,554 square feet and currently priced from $159,900 to $179,900. Newly introduced models are the Fuller and the Pierpont. Existing plans are the Accabee II and the Westpenny II. The developer is East Bay Co., located in Charleston. Manor House and Easy Bay Co. are affiliated. "Ashley Park Townhomes is a neighborhood rooted in the community," says Hilton Smith III of Manor House Builders. "We are also uniquely situated next to West Ashley High School and offer affordable living for teachers and others in the community that may be struggling through these tough economic times." The target market at Ashley Park are young professionals, Byrd says, including “a lot of people who need quick access to I-526. They may work downtown or in Mount Pleasant.” About 180 townhomes are complete. “We don’t build a massive amount of inventory,” Byrd says. But a sales model and 15 townhomes currently are ready, will be complete by August or are available for sale to be built in the future. “People like to look, touch and feel,” she says. Townhome features include nine-foot ceilings on the first floor; Berber or plush carpeting; brushed chrome door hardware; 42-inch maple cabinets, self-cleaning oven, microwave and dishwasher in the kitchen; cultured marble vanity tops in bathrooms; fiberglass soaker tub and shower combination in the master bath; and a small patio in the back. Each bedroom has its own bath. “That’s very convenient when you have guests coming in,” Byrd said. Yards are landscaped with sod in the front, side and back. The townhomes have energy-efficient wall and attic insulation, heating and air systems and electric water heaters. The units all come with a garage. “It’s got a lot of storage space,” Byrd says. Numerous extras are available such as stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors. Buyers also can build backyard fences for privacy: Byrd says that’s a popular choice. Not installing amenities has kept the HOA dues down. They are $145 a quarter, or less than $50 a month. “A lot of young professionals don’t use amenities,” she says. Many buyers choose extras, which average an additional $10,000. “The option price is really good. They want the crown molding, granite countertops, hardwoods,” Byrd says.