North Charleston, builders, Noisette combine to design trendy, midcost neighborhood

Here's a notable recommendation.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey not only endorses the concept of Oak Terrace Preserve, an eco-friendly community to have 374 home and townhomes on a former housing complex site, he's a neighbor.

"I live right by it," says Summey, who resides on a street between the new village and the established Cameron Terrace subdivision. The mayor says he got involved in urban redevelopment because of an interest "in young couples moving back into North Charleston. It's mushroomed," he says.

Oak Terrace Preserve is a joint development of the city (which owns the land), eight builders and the Noisette Co., which manages the property. It is situated where Century Oaks and Liberty Homes, built in the 1940s as temporary housing for Charleston Naval Shipyard workers in World War II, stood until the city razed them a couple of years ago. Summey also cited the new Mixson community, an upscale redevelopment by I'On Group less than a mile away.

Sprouting less than a year ago, Oak Terrace Preserve has held to its philosophy as an environmentally cognizant community of starter and move-up homes designed by a host of contractors at midrange, market prices.

The neighborhood, next to Charleston County School District's School of the Arts, will have 300 cottage-style homes of 1,200-2,300 square feet. The units will cost between $190,000 and a bit more than $300,000. Another 74 townhomes of 1,600-1,800 square feet are planned in the $250,000 range.

Houses must meet standards of EarthCraft, an energy-efficient benchmark created by Atlanta area home builders and a Georgia power-preservation company.

There are 17 "pocket parks" at Oak Terrace Preserve, located near Park Circle. Preservationists saved close to 600 trees in 30 species from live oaks up to 83 inches in diameter to black walnut, pecan, dogwood, pear and sassafras.

About 40 houses have been built at Oak Terrace Preserve and 21 occupied, says Elias L. Deeb, of the Noisette Co. Builders are David Weekley, Centex Homes, Brentwood Homes, Palladio, Ashley River Construction, The Charleston Group, Charleston Classic Homes and Verdi Homes. Owners come from a variety of career paths: scientists, environmental specialists, police officers, pharmacists and nurses among them.

"Sarah and I moved from Wisconsin," says Dorn Moore, who is employed with Perot Systems at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Services Center while his wife works from home for a professional conservation group based in the Midwest.

The couple learned that Oak Terrace Preserve had houses that could be adapted to home-office. "We both have construction backgrounds," he says, noting they renovated a nearly 100-year-old house in Wisconsin. They focused on energy efficiency in choosing Verdi Homes, a Summerville-based builder that specializes in "green" structural insulated panels. It's been a money-saver, the first monthly power bill for the three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home was $77.

Joel Edwards also picked out a Verdi Homes design. The 1,400-square-foot custom house, with a two-car garage, has upgrades such as stainless steel appliances. "The neighborhood has just been phenomenal," says Edwards, a Charleston city police officer who moved with wife Nikki from Whipper Barony.

Nearby, Jonathan and Tisha Kulchuk bought a 2,300-square-foot house from Brentwood Homes. He's a pharmacist, she's a nurse. "We loved the floor plan," Tisha says. "We thought it was a perfect size to start a family."

To reach Oak Terrace Preserve from downtown Charleston, take Interstate 26 west to the Montague Avenue exit. Turn right onto East Montague Avenue. Follow the street to Lackawanna Boulevard. Turn left on Lackawanna, and follow it to the Oak Terrace Preserve sign.

Neighborhood

Oak Terrace Preserve.

Location

Charleston County.

Developer, marketing

City of North Charleston,

Noisette Co.

More info

phone: 745-1722.

HOURs: By appointment.

WEB SITE: www.oakterracepreservesc.com.

Typical features

--Environmentally friendly construction.

--Front porches, large windows.

--Alley side driveways.

--Fiber-cement siding.

--Dormers.

Total homes; townhomes

300; 74.

Home; townhome sizes

1,200-2,300 square feet;

1,600-1,800.

Home; townhome prices

$190,000-$300,000 plus;

$250,000.

Property taxes

$2,265 on a $250,000 home.

Area attractions

North Charleston Coliseum, Charleston International Airport, Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Centre Pointe and Tanger outlets, Charleston Air Force Base, Riverfront Park, North Charleston City Hall, Filbin Creek, Trident Technical College, Northwoods Mall and Interstate 526.

Distance to downtown Charleston

9 miles.

Schools

North Charleston Elementary

Grades K-5; phone, 745-7107; enrollment, 534; certified staff, 43; PACT results, 6.1 percent of fifth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 8 percent on math, 3.8 percent on science and 2.1 percent of social studies.

Morningside Middle

Grades 6-8; phone, 745-7122; enrollment, 404; certified staff, 44; PACT results, 5.6 percent of eighth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 2.3 percent on math, 9 percent on science and 4.6 percent on social studies.

North Charleston High

Grades 9-12; phone, 745-7140; enrollment, 810; certified staff, 83; SAT results, 398 verbal and 408 math. The 806 combined score is lower than the state average (984) and the national average (1017).

Housing Trends

North Charleston inside Interstate 526:

Number of sales in the second quarter of 2008: 73 (down from 85 in the second quarter of 2007).

Average sales price: $144,500 (down from $239,900).

Median sales price: $139,250 (up from $111,700).

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com.