by Ginger Broomes
A special groundbreaking took place today at the future Evergreen Heights subdivision, off of Fawn Drive South in Lumberton. Representatives from Clayton Homes of Lumberton, Lumberton Chamber of Commerce,
and Clayton national headquarters in Merryville, Tennessee were on hand to symbolically break ground on a 38-lot subdivision, to be completed around December 2023.
The seven-acre housing addition will be the first of its kind in the area, and will have underground utilities, a one-way street entrance with cul-de-sac, brick entryway into the community, along with streetlights, sidewalks, and a mailbox kiosk.
“We thought it was a great location that would maximize the number of lots available on it. It will be a beautiful addition to the community,” said Doug Carnathan, VP of Real Estate at Clayton headquarters.
According to Carnathan, there are twenty similar subdivisions Clayton Homes currently has in development throughout the US. The developments are an initiative Clayton began for their customers, who want the quality of a Clayton home, but can’t always find the land needed.
Evan Niles, also with Clayton, thanked Lumberton city leaders and Hardin county commissioners for their assistance in getting the project going. He also thanked the local businesses and contractors that have had a hand in the development.
“We’re here to celebrate the groundbreaking for Evergreen Heights. We will be building a new road, and creating improved drainage for the area, not only for the subdivision, but to help the surrounding neighborhoods,” Niles said.
“Our goal is to provide a community for Lumberton with manufactured housing that’s a little bit different,” said Chase Wert, who is the Home Center Manager at Clayton Homes of Lumberton.
“With manufactured homes, there’s a stigma. The goal of Evergreen Heights is to create a community with concrete curbs, sidewalks and underground electric. Just a good finished product that we could be proud of. Just because it’s manufactured housing doesn’t mean it has to look a certain way or be done the cheapest way possible.”
Sandra Womack, Lumberton Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber was so glad Evergreen Heights will be a part of the Lumberton community.
“It takes a village to make things work and we love to see our community grow,” she said. “When I started here nine years ago, there wasn’t this much growth. Now we have restaurants, boutiques, more businesses. We’re just happy you all are here.”
Clayton is a national manufacturer of quality manufactured and modular homes, and the large company is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
Once infrastructure on the community is completed, buyers would be able to purchase both the lot and the home through Clayton in Lumberton. Homes and lots can be financed through Clayton’s own finance company, or one of the many lenders with whom Clayton Homes works.
Lots are expected to be ready by December - if not November - with the option to purchase an onsite “move in ready” home within the subdivision, or buyers may select a home from Clayton for one of the lots. Homes will be a mixture of single-wide and double-wide homes, but all homes will be new.
Stay tuned for updates as the project progresses.
