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Tag: Craig LeMessurier

  • Citrus Heights to welcome first residents in 260-home development this month

    Mitchell Village housing development
    A map from KB Home superimposed over a satellite image shows where 260 new homes are being built in Mitchell Village. Color guide: Purple: Heritage, Red: Canyon, Green: Oaks.

    Sentinel staff report–
    The move-in date for the first residents in the new 260-home Mitchell Village housing development in Citrus Heights will happen later this month, according to a KB Home regional executive.

    “We are pleased with the progress we have made Mitchell Village and are excited to move our first homeowners in towards the end of May,” said Adam Hieb, President of KB Home’s Sacramento division, in an email statement on Wednesday.

    Hieb highlighted the “personalized” options for new homes in the Mitchell Village development, which allow buyers to customize various aspects of the homes during the construction phase, which is still underway.

    The expansive, 56-acre development, formerly called Mitchell Farms, includes a large amount of open space, as a large swath down the middle of the acreage must remain undeveloped due to a 100-year flood plain associated with Arcade Creek. A meandering trail through the open space park will also connect with a future 2.9-mile trail the city is planning.

    As previously reported Thursday, KB Home spokesman Craig LeMessurier told The Sentinel that floor plans in the “Oaks” community feature up to five bedrooms and three baths, and range in size from approximately 1,400 to 2,200 square feet. He said the biggest distinctive is that “they are cluster homes built on smaller home sites and accessed via private streets.” Pricing for the homes is from the mid $450,000s.

    Homes in the development’s “Canyon” community begin at a slightly lower price and include several two-story floor plans with up to four bedrooms, three baths, two-car garages and range from approximately 1,300 to 2,200 square feet. LeMessurier said the homes are considered “paseo homes” which he said are “smaller and narrower with the garage in the rear, accessed via a private alley.”

    Canyon homes also have side yard areas, instead of a traditional backyard. Pricing starts in the $440,000s, LeMessurier said.

    The largest and most expensive homes are located in the Heritage at Mitchell Village community, accessed off Fair Oaks Boulevard. The traditional single family homes built on larger lots are one or two story and feature up to five bedrooms and three baths, ranging in size from about 1,600 to 2,300 square feet.

    Pricing for homes in the Heritage community start in the $520,000s, LeMessurier said.

    Home sales are currently underway, and tours of homes can be made by appointment or on a walk-in basis. Live video tours are also offered during the pandemic.

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  • More model homes open in new Citrus Heights housing development

    Model homes in the Oaks at Mitchell Village opened this month in Citrus Heights, off Arcadia Drive. // M. Hazlip

    Sentinel staff report–
    KB Home this month opened a new pair of model homes for buyers to tour in the 260-home Mitchell Village housing development near Sunrise Mall.

    The newest homes are the first to open in the “Oaks at Mitchell Village,” which is KB Home’s third community located in the 56-acre development off Arcadia Drive and Fair Oaks Boulevard. Each community features different floor plans and price points, to appeal to different buyers.

    KB Home spokesman Craig LeMessurier told The Sentinel that floor plans in the “Oaks” community feature up to five bedrooms and three baths, and range in size from approximately 1,400 to 2,200 square feet. He said the biggest distinctive is that “they are cluster homes built on smaller home sites and accessed via private streets.” Pricing for the homes is from the mid $450,000s.

    Homes in the development’s “Canyon” community begin at a slightly lower price and include several two-story floor plans with up to four bedrooms, three baths, two-car garages and range from approximately 1,300 to 2,200 square feet. LeMessurier said the homes are considered “paseo homes” which he said are “smaller and narrower with the garage in the rear, accessed via a private alley.”

    Canyon homes also have side yard areas, instead of a traditional backyard. Pricing starts in the $440,000s, LeMessurier said.

    The largest and most expensive homes are located in the Heritage at Mitchell Village community, accessed off Fair Oaks Boulevard. The traditional single family homes built on larger lots are one or two story and feature up to five bedrooms and three baths, ranging in size from about 1,600 to 2,300 square feet.

    Pricing for homes in the Heritage community start in the $520,000s, LeMessurier said.

    A popular aspect of the expansive Mitchell Village project, formerly called Mitchell Farms, has been the large amount of open space incorporated in the development, as a large swath down the middle of the acreage must remain undeveloped due to a 100-year flood plain associated with Arcade Creek. Under an agreement with the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District, the undeveloped acreage is managed by the parks district.

    A meandering trail through the park will also connect with a future 2.9-mile trail the city is planning, and residents will be within close walking distance to shopping in the Sunrise MarketPlace business district.

    Related: Construction to begin this year on new 2.9-mile trail in Citrus Heights

    As previously reported, streets in the Mitchell Village development all feature names highlighting local history. For example, visitors turning off Fair Oaks Boulevard to enter the subdivision are met with a pair of new model homes on Neff Court.

    The court’s name hails back to the Gold Rush Era, where D.S. Neff owned and operated the 17 Mile Road House on Auburn Boulevard, a once-popular teamster stop for those traveling from Sacramento to Auburn.

    Related: Street names in new Citrus Heights subdivision rooted in local history

    Tours of homes can be made by appointment, or on a walk-in basis, LeMessurier said. Live video tours are also offered during the pandemic.

    Although home sales are currently underway, construction is still continuing and residents have not begun moving yet. The first move-in’s are expected later this year.

    Follow business and community news in Citrus Heights: Sign up for The Sentinel’s free email edition and get two emails a week with all local news and no spam, ever. (Click here)

  • Street names in new Citrus Heights subdivision rooted in local history

    Coldani Street and Neff Court are a few of the new street names in the Mitchell Village development bearing names with deep roots in Citrus Heights history. // M. Hazlip

    Sentinel staff report–
    Newly posted street signs in KB Home’s 260-home development in Citrus Heights each have an intriguing tie to local history.

    Visitors turning off Fair Oaks Boulevard to enter the new Mitchell Village subdivision are met with a pair of new model homes on Neff Court. The court’s name hails back to the Gold Rush Era, where D.S. Neff owned and operated the 17 Mile Road House on Auburn Boulevard, a once-popular teamster stop for those traveling from Sacramento to Auburn.

    Craig LeMessurier, KB Home senior director of public relations and communications, told The Sentinel street names were selected in partnership with the City of Citrus Heights. “We are proud to have collaborated with the city in creating what will be a lasting community in which residents can take pride and that also respects the heritage of the area,” he said.

    Roads in the expansive, new development are already paved, and official street signs have already been posted on about half the streets. A few highlights of confirmed street names are included below, with summaries provided by the Citrus Heights Historical Society.

    Coldani Street. After a failed business in Florida, Henry and Ann Coldani built the Florida Inn Restaurant, Motel and Garage at the corner of Auburn Boulevard and Greenback Lane. They owned and operated the business from 1926 to 1946. It was a hot spot for many well-to-do Sacramentans. There was an in-house band and performing dancers that provided nightly entertainment and music for dancing. Curtains on the dining booths provided privacy for celebrity patrons.

    Zella Court. Zella Desimone was the wife of Gene Desimone, who was a co-founder and first chief of the Citrus Heights volunteer Fire Department. Zella was a founder and leader of the Ladies Auxiliary, a volunteer group of all-female fire fighters in the 1930s and 40s, and later a founder of the Ladies in White, a volunteer group of all-female emergency first responders in the 1950s.

    Pitcher Street. Edward M. Pitcher was a pioneer Sacramento merchant and County Supervisor. He married Georgiana Jane Hough in 1846. Edward died in 1860 and as a widow, Georgiana Pitcher homesteaded 650 acres on the Sacramento-Placer County Line. She named it, “Sunrise Ranch”. A road that connected her ranch with Greenback Lane also bore the same name. She later married a man named, Seeley DeKay. The original home, though extensively remodeled, still exists. It is owned by Richard Kniesel, founder of the Kniesel Auto Body shops.

    Barris Court. George Barris became enamored with customizing cars while attending San Juan High School. After graduating in 1943, he moved to Los Angeles and became a celebrity for the cars that he created for the motion picture industry. Some of his most notable creations include the Batmobile for the 1966 TV series, the Munster Coach and the Beverly Hillbillies car.

    Paseo I: Volle. Fred and Julia Volle homesteaded 480 acres near the Placer-Sacramento boarder in the 1860s. One of their daughters, Louisa, died very young with two small children. Her widower husband, Herman, wanted to remarry, so the Volle’s agreed to raise their two namesake grandchildren, Fred and Julia Rusch. Fred and Julia inherited most of their grandparents’ ranch. They eventually donated and sold portions of their ranch to the community, which served as the impetus for the Sunrise Recreation and Park District. Fred and Julia never married, but lived together in the 1915 Craftsmen style family home that still exists at the West end of Rusch Park.

    Living Local: Street names in Citrus Heights often have quite a personality

    Developers typically select names and submit them to the city for verification to ensure there are no other streets with the same name, or other conflicts. Watt Communities in 2017 named a new street in the 15-home Mariposa Creek subdivision off Antelope Road in honor of the late councilman Mel Turner.

    Street dedication memorializes legacy of late Citrus Heights councilman

    Although not yet built, homes in the new Mitchell Village subdivision are already being sold, with KB Home offering a variety of options and customization for homes in three distinct villages. Access points are off Fair Oaks Boulevard, and Arcadia Drive.

    A popular aspect of the Mitchell Village project has been the large amount of open space incorporated in the development, as a large swath down the middle of the acreage must remain undeveloped due to a 100-year flood plain associated with Arcade Creek.

    Under an agreement with the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District, the undeveloped acreage is to be maintained by the parks district. Meandering walking trails can already be seen taking shape at the site.

    Model homes in the development can currently be toured on Neff Court, which is accessible at a new entrance just south of the Heather Downs apartment complex at 12633 Fair Oaks Blvd.

  • Model homes nearing completion in 56-acre Citrus Heights development

    Model homes nearing completion in 56-acre Citrus Heights development

    A pair of homes can be seen nearing completion in the new Mitchell Village housing development off Fair Oaks Boulevard in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel

    By Mike Hazlip–
    Construction continues to move forward in a new 56-acre community in Citrus Heights where more than 250 homes will be built.

    The project, now known as Mitchell Village, is located off Arcadia Drive and Fair Oaks Boulevard, where the former Sunrise Golf Course was once operated. As a 98% built-out city, a development of this size is unusual for Citrus Heights.

    See map in prior story: Massive housing project in Citrus Heights sold to new developer

    Senior director of public relations for KB Home, Craig LeMessurier, told The Sentinel in an email Friday the home builder is planning to open model homes and a sales center in early December. A pair of two-story homes can be seen nearing completion, off Fair Oaks Boulevard.

    LeMessurier named three communities for home buyers in the new development: Heritage at Mitchell Village, Canyon at Mitchell, and Oaks at Mitchell. Floor plans for the Heritage community will range from about 1,600 to 2,300 square feet. Canyon and Oaks at Mitchell homes will range from about 1,300 to 2,200 square feet.

    Construction at the site saw a “temporary slowdown” at the start of the COVID-19 shutdown, LeMessurier said, but Mitchell Village remains on track. The shift in people working from home as a result of stay-at-home orders did prompt the builder to include a home office as an option for all new homes.

    “In this private work space, homeowners can host online presentations or small in-person meetings and boost their productivity,” LeMessurier said, calling it a first for the Sacramento area. He said the new “Home Office” will include a built-in workstation with generous counter and cabinet space as well as large open shelving for displays, books, files and other accessories.”

    Following the completion of Mitchell Village’s model homes, additional homes are anticipated to be completed Summer 2021, LeMessurier said. Several streets throughout the development have already been paved.

    The project includes the installation of a new roundabout to serve as the main entrance for homes off Arcadia Drive, where the street makes a sharp turn near Scott’s Affordable Car Care. One direction of traffic is currently closed, as contractors finish the roundabout.

    Planners expect the new traffic flow will help slow vehicle speeds and enhance access into the neighborhood.

    Related: Planning phase for new 2.9-mile trail in Citrus Heights nears $1M cost

    A popular aspect of the Mitchell Village project, formerly called Mitchell Farms, has been the large amount of open space incorporated in the development, as a large swath down the middle of the acreage must remain undeveloped due to a 100-year flood plain associated with Arcade Creek. Under an agreement with the Sunrise Recreation and Parks District, the undeveloped acreage will become part of the parks district.

    The park will also connect with a future 2.9-mile trail the city is planning, and residents will be within close walking distance to shopping in the Sunrise MarketPlace business district.

    Follow local business news and more in Citrus Heights: Sign up for The Sentinel’s free e-Edition and you’ll get two emails a week with all local news and zero spam. Click here to sign up.