Burrows Ridge

Burrows Ridge - Architecture and community planning that celebrates nature
By Carol Kipp, The News Journal

In response to an upscale market grown weary of homes with excessive square footage and community site plans insensitive to the environment,Bancroft Homes has taken the road less traveled. Following a mandate to respect the land has led the builder to a new concept in custom home building and community development. It has led to Burrows Ridge. The Grand Opening, today and tomorrow, invites inspection of the builder’s tour de force model. The event also has sparked a significant incentive for the next three buyers: the first will be eligible for a $100,000 price reduction, the second will get $75,000 off, and the third, $50,000.

That’s an offer hard to refuse after seeing this community. Burrows Ridge is an intimate enclave featuring custom homes that redefine informal elegance in a location that provides serenity, privacy, natural beauty and convenience to urban centers. The community occupies a secluded setting on Burrows Run Road, just off the Route 52 corridor in Pennsylvania’s Kennett Township. It reflects builder Stephen Mockbee’s 35-year commitment to thoughtful design, classic detail, architectural character and uncompromising construction.

The beauty of rolling terrain and a heavily wooded perimeter is maintained by protected open space that occupies more than half of the 43-acre Burrows Ridge site, where 14 homes will be built. Working with the Delaware Nature Society, much of the protected space has created a buffer along Burrows Run Road that maintains the original pristine views; none of the homes will be visible from the road. The topography dictated road placement; the generous open space allowed for 14 one-acre home sites with uncompromised views. Privacy is a built-in amenity because of artful planning. And because the builder has provided an endowment for the DNS to maintain the conserved land, the views will never change.

In collaboration with Bancroft, architect Richard Longo, PEAIA of Hillcrest Associates, created a design concept that incorporates the option of first floor living, so most homes have a main-level owner
suite. All of them also include a state-of-the-art kitchen, flexible open floor plans, 9-foot ceilings and classic custom millwork. Standard features are decidedly upscale, in keeping with the concept for the community. Living space may be scaled down — it starts at 3,300 feet — but standard features convey luxury: a Wolf appliance package, granite counters, large kitchen islands, rich decorative millwork, an energy-efficient gas fireplace, custom arched openings on the main level, plus rounded wall corners, carriage-style garage doors, and sound-control insulation on interior walls are just a few. Buyers also can exercise plenty of options, including a slick Vantage lighting system, custom built-ins, a wealth of decorative millwork, a finished lower level with state-of-the-art amenities, and an outdoor entertaining area with a kitchen and fireplace.

Because of the topography, 12 of the 14 home sites in Phase I will accommodate a walkout lower level. Exciting possibilities for finishing that space are presented in the decorated model, which functions as a showcase for Mockbee’s architectural vision for the community and illustrates the range of spectacular options available. The outdoor kitchen ensconced on the terrace connecting house to an additional detached garage is just one of the “wow” factors. Others include a baronial kitchen with a 15-foot ceiling accented with decorative beams, a dazzling garden sunroom that effectively doubles the size of the kitchen, and a two-sided fireplace that serves both kitchen and great room. Natural stone and hardwood floors add richness and texture.

What this impressive model demonstrates so well is how large windows and site placement capture the views. Every home in the community will be intimately connected with nature, both aesthetically and via adherence to green construction. Expect nothing less as standard with Bancroft Homes. You can also expect a very serious commitment to energy efficiency. Bancroft subscribes to the Environments for Living program that results in a supremely comfortable environment and guaranteed lower energy costs. Tankless water heaters, high-efficiency 2-zone HVAC, and Low-E windows are de rigueur. The use of stucco, stone, brick and cement fiberboard promises maintenance-free exteriors.

With homes in harmony with nature and interiors focused on proportion, scale and detail, Burrows Ridge is not just a better way to build. It’s a better way to live.