By Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / February 4, 1998

LULING – A round-table discussion on planning the development of amassive residential area by Rathborne Land and Levert Land companies isset, and a master plan should be ready in 90 days.

The development, expected to rival Ormond Country Club Estates inDestrehan in size and quality of development, may have lots on the realestate market by the end of this year.

“We’re not sure how realistic that is,” said Gregory Lier, Rathborn vicepresident. “We’re committed to doing it right. There’s still a lot of callsand still a lot of interest.”

Levert Land Co. and Rathborne Land Co. joined resources as “AshtonPlantation L.L.C.” to buy for $2.2 million a 1,625-acre site situated fromLouisiana Highway 3127 to the Mississippi River and from Interstate 310to the town of Luling.

Lot sizes could be up to one-half acre and prices up to $50,000 per lot,according to Lier, who said a golf course and/or a walking trail are beingconsidered. One holdup, however, is deciding on the access to Interstate10. “Obviously, everything won’t pour onto River Road,” Lier noted.

A number of planners have been interviewed, Lier continued, and VernonHenry of Houston, Texas, has been selected for the project. Lier saidRathborn looked at his work in the Houston area, where a rice field wasdeveloped to a residential area.

“We were pretty pleased with what he had accomplished,” Lier added.

Development of the property will also include small retail areas tosupport the residential development. It will be marketed as being only 30minutes from the New Orleans central business district and a goodalternative to LaPlace or the North Shore.Rathborne said their plans do include setting aside land for a school site,as well as commercial sites for a supermarket, drug store and the like.

Also, the possibility exists for donation of a portion for a new parishcivic center, Lier said.

The property was bought from St. Charles Holdings Inc., a Dutchinvestment company. It is currently zoned commercial/industrial.

Both Rathborne and Levert have lengthy histories in residential developingin St. Charles Parish.

Levert was the developer for Davis Plantation, begun in 1975. Rathbornedeveloped Willowridge Estates in 1980, and the two companies aretogether developing Primrose Park, now under construction near Hahnville.

The two companies are also planning Magnolia Ridge Ranchettes nearBoutte by the end of 1997, and a Davis Pond residential development,beginning in 1998.

A parade of homes for the newest Willow Ridge development is set forJune 6-14 with at least eight home builders participating, Lier said.

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