UPSCALE GOLF COURSE COMMUNITY PLANNED IN WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP

BARGERSVILLE, Ind. — Duke Homes and Welbourne Companies will break ground in spring 2007 on their latest development in White River Township that will feature a private golf course community, estate-size luxury custom-built homes, town homes and various types of condominium-style homes.

The Abbey will be developed on nearly 1,000 contiguous acres located three minutes south of Center Grove High School. The land is bordered north by Whiteland Road, east by Bargersville and west by County Road 625 W.

Plans for The Abbey center around a private, tournament-caliber golf course and Old English-style clubhouse managed by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Troon Golf, a well-known luxury and private golf course developer that manages more than 185 golf courses and clubs throughout the world. The course will feature 18 holes designed through wooded areas that feature rolling fairways and natural elevation changes, lakes and creeks. The clubhouse will feature amenities including dining facilities, an outdoor pool and tennis courts.

Surrounding the course will be about 2,000 homes, said Michael J. Duke, president of Duke Homes and Welbourne Companies. “The Abbey will be a harmonious blend of elegant homes and the natural beauty of the land,” said Duke, who led the two-year research and development of the new community and drew upon experiences of similar projects both in and out of state. “Throughout the community, residents will be able to enjoy parks, green space areas, horse stables, walking trails and bike paths. We plan to develop common areas for families, meeting places and destinations within The Abbey for everyone to enjoy.”

Having deep roots in the area and foreseeing development expanding toward this area, Duke said he knew the majority of this property would be developed anyway in the future, more than likely as separate, unrelated subdivisions. “The Abbey will allow us to master-plan the area and create harmonious mixture of homes and activities,” he said.

Duke said The Abbey community is designed to be just that – a community, with a small town center near the club house, small shops for residents’ convenience that may include a mini-grocery store, a deli, an ice cream shop, banquet facilities, a small pharmacy and more located along its main entry drive. “This is really the last large piece of land in White River Township that can accommodate plans for such a large venture as The Abbey,” he said.

The Abbey land is currently in the preliminary stages of being annexed by the town of Bargersville.

Early in the development stages, Duke’s partner, Rob Richardson, initiated an impact analysis of the economical impact The Abbey will have on the Bargersville community. Based on information provided by the National Association of Home Builders from 2005, the development would inject a one-time revenue stream of more than $192 million in local income and $21.6 million in taxes and other revenue into the town’s base simply by being built. The Abbey’s projected recurring annual revenue would contribute more than $38.4 million in local income and $7.8 million in taxes and other revenue, based on NAHB statistics.

“Once land that will be The Abbey is completely annexed into the town of Bargersville, the town will literally triple in size,” Richardson said. “Our impact analysis was done very early on in the conceptualization phase of the project and was based on just 1,200 homes so needless to say these economic impact figures are very conservative.”

The Abbey will be conveniently located near great shopping and dining experiences in White River Township and its location provides easy access to area destinations. From The Abbey, residents can make it to Center Grove High School in three minutes, Greenwood Park Mall in 15 minutes, downtown Indianapolis in 25 minutes, major hospitals and Indianapolis International Airport in 20 minutes and Bloomington in 35 minutes.

“Family is important to us and we see The Abbey as an opportunity to create an environment that will enhance the lifestyle and promotion of family,” Duke said. “The Abbey will help set the standard for future development in the southern portion of the Center Grove and Bargersville areas.”

Duke Homes, host of the 2006 Luxury Home-A-Rama at Claybourne in Bargersville, will provide more information about The Abbey at its showcase home during the event. The Luxury Home-A-Rama runs from Aug. 19-Sept. 4. For more about the event, including ticket prices and hours, visit www.luxuryhomearama.com.

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With company roots dating back to 1986, Duke Homes is one of the well-known luxury builders and developers in central Indiana. Welbourne Companies is one of the premier commercial development companies providing property management services, commercial development, residential development and construction with retail and office locations. Visit Duke Homes at www.dukehomes.com and its sister company, Welbourne Companies, at www.welbournecompanies.com.