Heritage Plantation vs. Highland Lakes vs. Clift's Cove (Huntsville, Madison: condo, credit card)

[Charles]

Just drove west on 72 from Slaughter to County Line, probably around 4:45PM. Some traffic but not too bad. Not sure if that is the peak time. I remember about a year ago in the morning the traffic on 72 was pretty slow heading east. I can understand the comments about the desire to widen several key roads like Hughes, Slaughter, and Madison Pike.

Drove through Heritage Plantation. Very sharp, cut tight landscaping. Homes were beautiful. Similar to Hampton Cove. HC seems to have more mature trees though some neighborhoods (Twelve Stones) are really new and new trees are planted.

Also drove through Highland Lakes. Also very tight, well maintained. Very similar. Didn't (couldn't) go in any homes. Both HL and HP had their community pools open and several kids were in having a great time even though it isn't really that hot today.

Saw the "Future Home of [some] Hospital' on the south side of 72.

With the exception of Heritage Plantation subdivisions straddling County Line, many of these nice subdivisions (including Clift's Cove) are islands of high end homes surrounded by essentially nothing, maybe a few scattered homes, or hodgepodge businesses, a school here, a church there. No continuity. We didn't drive on every street and I think some of these neighborhoods join to other neighborhoods. My observation is from the perspective of the subdivision's location on the main road like Hughes Road for example. You could be driving down a minimally maintained two lane road with little upgrading or amenities and not realize there are numerous $1M+ homes 300 yards away.

Home Construction is active on some parts of County Line. We didn't drive south of Heritage Plantation. We should have but our kids were very restless.

Highway 72 between County Line and Providence Village has no consistency in its planning. Credit Union, used car dealer, coffee shop, a cemetery, industrial shop, etc....Probably a result of earlier zoning. We noticed this in other places in the greater Huntsville area too. Almost seems a characteristic of 1970s era planning (or non-planning). Nobody wants to see industrial equipment, pipes, hardware, cranes, tanks, etc. next to a restaurant for example.

The feel of all these communities including the retail areas, public areas is very comfortable. The people seemed responsible, cheerful, middle class and above.

Normally (or maybe lately) retail of a similar nature is grouped or zoned together. Industrial has it's place, commercial it's place, retail businesses of a certain size (in square feet) I think have their places etc. There are a couple of modern shopping centers on the north side of 72 near Hughes Road. They look planned and convenient.

The drive to Hampton Cove SE on 431 from Huntsville is OK in appearance but I think the drive east from Baily Cove might be prettier, I'm not sure, I haven't driven it in the day or heading east. Both routes did seem to move with no traffic. I think 431 is two lanes in each direction - that's nice. The Cecil Ashburn Road is one lane each direction (I remember because someone was on my butt heading west). Similar to the comment above, as you approach the general vicinity of Hampton Cove, one wouldn't realize there are a billion (with a "b") dollars worth of homes a half mile away. The intersection of Sutton an 431 doesn't look that much different than any other intersection of the city. Maybe more above ground utilities than I would have expected for example. Minimal landscaping, nothing particularly outstanding. The landscaping in the immediate vicinity of Lowes was nice. Probably the same for Wal-Mart there.

The biggest difference between Hampton Cove and the similarly priced subdivisions in Madison is the sheer size of Hampton Cove. It's like ten times bigger. Clifts Cove is something like 300 homes and I think it is the biggest high end subdivision in the Madison area. Some of the homes there are gigantic, probably pushing 10000-12000 sqaure feet in a few cases. Hampton Cove is something like 1800 homes, made up of something like 20 or so subdivisions (neighborhoods). Also, Hampton Cove has a much wider range of homes, from patio homes to monster sized ultra luxury homes. I didn't sense a huge variety of homes in CC, HP, HL, they were all pretty large, high end; no patio homes that I could see (I may be wrong). HP seemed a little flatter, or less hilly, a preference for us as we have very small kids; hills would be tougher for them on scooters and bikes. Some of the homes in HL had really nice views looking east. Overall, and consistent with every post we've read on CD, all these communities are outstanding places to live. What would you expect for homes starting at a half a mil?


These schools are zoned to these subdivisions:

Highland Lakes
Horizon (k-4), Discovery, Bob Jones High School

Rainbow Landing
rainbow, discovery, bobjones

Hampton Cove
Hampton Cove ES, Hampton Cove MS, Huntsville High School

Stoneridge
rainbow, discovery, bobjones

Clifts Cove
rainbow, discovery, bobjones

Biltmore Bend
Heritage, Liberty (7-9), Bob Jones High School

Carriage Hill
Madison (k-6), Discovery, Bob Jones High School

Whitehall
rainbow, discovery, bobjones

Below are a couple of shots of the pleasant little corner of Providence Village. There's an ice cream store (expensive), a Cheeburger joint, an Italian Restaurant, and a Phuket Thai place. We're in the Homewood Suites there.

[BKOTH97]

I have lived in Highland Lakes since 2002. I can tell you that we absolutely love it. My wife and I are both 33 (we built here when we were 26) and we have a 5 year old and a 3 year old. There are TONS of kids in Highland Lakes. I don't know why you didn't see them out playing, but they are there. On my street alone there are atleast 25 kids 10 and under (9 kids 7 and under just among my direct neighbors). I know that there are 5 boys that will all be starting Kindergarten next year at Rainbow together. To correct one of the previous posts, HL is zoned for Rainbow Elementary, not Horizon.

As far as location, I don't think you can beat it. I can walk to the Indian Creek Greenway. I have jogged through research park. If you work in West research park, it would be very easy to ride a bike to work everyday. Bridgestreet is less than 3 miles from my house. It takes 12 minutes, including going through the gate, to get from HL to NASA or the Von Braun complex.

Property values have risen significantly over the last 6 years. When we built in HL, houses were selling for about 100 - 120 sqft. Now houses are in the 140-160 sqft range. We have not seen property values decrease in the slightest. There is some variation in the types of houses as well. The first street to the right as you come in the neighborhood are patio homes, while the rest of the homes in the neighborhood are larger. Typical size in HL would be 3200-4000sq ft. There are some houses that are in the 6000-7000 sq ft range, but they are not the majority. As far as I know, there aren't any 10,000+ sqft homes like you will see in Clifts Cove. There is currently 1 lot left for sale in the neighborhood. It is on the very top of the hill and they are asking 200K for it. A little overpriced in my mind, but that is what they are asking.


As you can tell, I love living in Highland Lakes. Feel free to email me if you have any questions you would like to take offline.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by BKOTH97

To correct one of the previous posts, HL is zoned for Rainbow Elementary, not Horizon.

Thank you for the correction. I must have misread something somewhere. Thank you for the post too, lots of good info there.

[NicoleC]

Originally Posted by Charles

With the exception of Heritage Plantation subdivisions straddling County Line, many of these nice subdivisions (including Clift's Cove) are islands of high end homes surrounded by essentially nothing, maybe a few scattered homes, or hodgepodge businesses, a school here, a church there. No continuity. We didn't drive on every street and I think some of these neighborhoods join to other neighborhoods.

This will rapidly change. All of that land you saw west of Huntsville is slated for future development for miles and miles of subdivisions cheek to jowl against each other.

Some connect to other subs, others do not.

Highway 72 between County Line and Providence Village has no consistency in its planning. Credit Union, used car dealer, coffee shop, a cemetery, industrial shop, etc....Probably a result of earlier zoning.

There is no such thing as zoning in unincorporated county areas.

[BKOTH97]

Originally Posted by NicoleC

There is no such thing as zoning in unincorporated county areas.

Nicole,

The area from Providence to County Line on 72 is all incorporated in either Huntsville or Madison. Huntsville made sure to annex as much of that land as possible to ensure that Madison couldn't touch Monrovia and continue to grow north.

[NicoleC]

Originally Posted by BKOTH97

Nicole,

The area from Providence to County Line on 72 is all incorporated in either Huntsville or Madison. Huntsville made sure to annex as much of that land as possible to ensure that Madison couldn't touch Monrovia and continue to grow north.

Yes, but it wasn't always, so the oddities remain.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Charles

The biggest difference between Hampton Cove and the similarly priced subdivisions in Madison is the sheer size of Hampton Cove. It's like ten times bigger.

We drove around Jones Valley today and then into Hampton Cove.

The area around Grissom High School







The Montessori School near Grissom



Rear Side (east side) of GHS



Cecil Ashburn heading east from Bailey Cove





Looking west from Cecil Ashburn











Wal Mart in Hampton Cove area




Looking west from near the HC Wal Mart parking log



Sutton and 431 looking NE




HC Lowes



Entrance to HC






Hampton Cove neighborhood



HC pool at Hampton House




More HC neighborhood shots










Hampton Cove Elementary and Middle School











Fire Station in HC near schools



HC Academy preschool with mini-mini mall to be constructed



YMCA in Jones Valley

[Raven12]

Charles - Enjoyed the post and pictures. The fountain in Providence is becoming all to of a familiar site for me.

I believe you saw the same exact things as I did, in my travels. Hampton Cove is a very nice area, with a wide variety of homes. The views are magnificent.

Highland Lakes is another wonderful community and you can't beat the location if you work in Research Park. I did not see as many kids either, but appreciate the post from a resident correcting this view. I may have to give it some more serious thought. Just not that empty lot, unless you like a slope for your backyard (the view is the tradeoff).

Whitehall seems like a very nice community, but very pricey. I am not sure, but it seems like you could have a similar house on Balch, in HP or HC for about $150K less. I have seen comparable, but a little bit older homes, in Highland Lakes for at least $100K less then what they are asking in Whitehall.

I have driven 72 West several different times in the evenings on various days of the week and it never seems too bad. But, I am coming from the Balt/DC area, so that is my comparison.

As for the Hospital, not sure which sign you saw, but the one in the open field is where Crestwood would build a hospital and there is another sign just west of there in a medical park where HSV Hospital would build...both have been competing to win the contract to build a hospital. Last I heard, HSV Hospital won an appeal and was granted the right to build. Either way, it will be a good thing for the area.

On County Line, you missed a few neighborhoods South of HP, but after that it is all fields to Highway 20/I-565. You would have been able to see the empty field where they plan to build the "Billion Dollar" shopping center.

Well, I'll be on a similar trip this weekend. Driving down on Friday, with the family, and staying at the Homewood Suites.

Take care and have a safe trip back.

Jason

[Mariafromny]

Thank You Charles,
I really enjoyed the pictures as this made our move more real to me.

We are STILL waiting to hear from relocation dept as far as our house hunting trip & we can't wait.

Look forward to more info on your trip,
Maria

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Raven12

As for the Hospital, not sure which sign you saw, but the one in the open field is where Crestwood would build a hospital and there is another sign just west of there in a medical park where HSV Hospital would build...both have been competing to win the contract to build a hospital. Last I heard, HSV Hospital won an appeal and was granted the right to build. Either way, it will be a good thing for the area.

Someone told me there will be some sort of Huntsville Hospital clinic or annex or something built in the Hampton Cove area behind Lowes. Supposed to employ around 300 people. May be doctors offices and that type of thing. I haven't checked into this yet....