Print
Comment
Rate
Roush not concerned by Pulte's pull-out
Thelma Grimes
San Pedro Valley News-Sun
City Manager Martin Roush said he's not concerned about developer Pulte Homes pulling out of a 13,750-home project in Benson, because other prospects are just around the corner.
Last week Pulte representative John Ward said the national homebuilder would be pulling out of the Whetstone Ranch development because of a slowdown in the housing market.
John Ward, Pulte Homes director of development, said, "We are withdrawing," he said. "While it is regrettable I want to point out some key points. Whetstone Ranch is a wonderful development and will be successful in one form or another. The market conditions are to the point that we have to be conservative with our capital. It's not a wise choice to drag this out. It's not fair to this development."
Benson Mayor George Scott said he had expected the pullout.
"With all the delays that Pulte has had over the last six months, I kind of expected it," he said. "This is a national decision and I don't think it necessarily reflects the housing market in Benson. Someone else will come along and take over. It may not be as big a project, but someone else will come along. And maybe if the market gets better, Pulte will come back."
As part of the 15,000-acre Whetstone Ranch, Pulte was planning the Anthem project that would include more than 13,000 homes and a golf course.
"It doesn't mean much to our population projections," Roush said. Someone else will buy the property. Someone else will move in there. When we look at the population from the budget and capital standpoint you always have to be conservative."
According to city population projections last year, the Anthem project was supposed to be under construction, bringing an added 464 people in this year.
By the year 2015, the city expected Pulte's project to increase Benson's population by 5,756.
With all the combined housing developments planned for Benson and the surrounding San Pedro Valley last year, the population was expected to increase to 27,764 people by the year 2015.
However those figures are already dwindling, besides Pulte, the Smith Ranch project proposed by Tucson developer Diamond Ventures was nixed by voters, taking away a projected 900-person population increase.
Roush said it's normal for the city to adjust for growth, and with the dramatic slowdown in development, it will give him even more time to get a team in place and get everything from city codes and policies to the impact fee situation in order.
Roush said he's also not concerned about hiring more employees in the housing market slowdown.
"We won't have to make cutbacks. We haven't been staffing up anyway," he said. "We have been filling vacant positions that were planned for."
Some of those positions include the hiring of a public works director/city engineer, a planning and zoning director, a deputy city clerk and the city is currently in the process of accepting applications for a full-time fire chief.
Pat Lopez, a Whetstone Ranch developer, said while the national housing market has slowed down, it is still going strong in Benson.
As they proceed with the remaining 7,000 homes planned, Lopez said they have already sold plenty of lots in the 170-home Cottonwood Highlands and 100-home Cottonwood Bluffs part of the project, and are set to begin first phases of several other projects.
Also under construction in the development is the 850-home Canyons at Whetstone Ranch.
San Pedro Valley News-Sun
City Manager Martin Roush said he's not concerned about developer Pulte Homes pulling out of a 13,750-home project in Benson, because other prospects are just around the corner.
Last week Pulte representative John Ward said the national homebuilder would be pulling out of the Whetstone Ranch development because of a slowdown in the housing market.
John Ward, Pulte Homes director of development, said, "We are withdrawing," he said. "While it is regrettable I want to point out some key points. Whetstone Ranch is a wonderful development and will be successful in one form or another. The market conditions are to the point that we have to be conservative with our capital. It's not a wise choice to drag this out. It's not fair to this development."
Benson Mayor George Scott said he had expected the pullout.
"With all the delays that Pulte has had over the last six months, I kind of expected it," he said. "This is a national decision and I don't think it necessarily reflects the housing market in Benson. Someone else will come along and take over. It may not be as big a project, but someone else will come along. And maybe if the market gets better, Pulte will come back."
As part of the 15,000-acre Whetstone Ranch, Pulte was planning the Anthem project that would include more than 13,000 homes and a golf course.
"It doesn't mean much to our population projections," Roush said. Someone else will buy the property. Someone else will move in there. When we look at the population from the budget and capital standpoint you always have to be conservative."
According to city population projections last year, the Anthem project was supposed to be under construction, bringing an added 464 people in this year.
By the year 2015, the city expected Pulte's project to increase Benson's population by 5,756.
With all the combined housing developments planned for Benson and the surrounding San Pedro Valley last year, the population was expected to increase to 27,764 people by the year 2015.
However those figures are already dwindling, besides Pulte, the Smith Ranch project proposed by Tucson developer Diamond Ventures was nixed by voters, taking away a projected 900-person population increase.
Roush said it's normal for the city to adjust for growth, and with the dramatic slowdown in development, it will give him even more time to get a team in place and get everything from city codes and policies to the impact fee situation in order.
Roush said he's also not concerned about hiring more employees in the housing market slowdown.
"We won't have to make cutbacks. We haven't been staffing up anyway," he said. "We have been filling vacant positions that were planned for."
Some of those positions include the hiring of a public works director/city engineer, a planning and zoning director, a deputy city clerk and the city is currently in the process of accepting applications for a full-time fire chief.
Pat Lopez, a Whetstone Ranch developer, said while the national housing market has slowed down, it is still going strong in Benson.
As they proceed with the remaining 7,000 homes planned, Lopez said they have already sold plenty of lots in the 170-home Cottonwood Highlands and 100-home Cottonwood Bluffs part of the project, and are set to begin first phases of several other projects.
Also under construction in the development is the 850-home Canyons at Whetstone Ranch.
 |
 |
|
| Yoga anyone | Holt or Tipton: Voters to decide |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bensonnews-sun.com.
