STEWARDING KINGSMILL TOGETHER

Concepts & Ideas shared at Community Open House February 22, 2023

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Escalante Golf is committed to a 5-year, $25M investment in the Resort’s amenities, to improve the overall experience for Club Members and Resort Guests.
• That investment is separate from the concepts and ideas for improving the shared community amenities and expanding dwelling opportunities inside the community, which were shared at the Community Open House on February 22, 2023.
• Expansion of dwelling options would take place over 10-15 years, a total of roughly 240 homes (some of which are entitled under the current master plan), and will be a modern interpretation of the architectural heritage of the region.
• As an immediate next step, the KCSA board will collect feedback from the community and share it with the Escalante Kingsmill team by April 2023.

RESORT AMENITY IMPROVEMENTS ARE COMING

At the beating heart of Kingsmill is our Resort and Club, one of the finest on the entire East Coast. The vision of the Escalante Kingsmill team is a clear one: restore that amazing Resort & Club to its status as the premier golf resort and vacation destination. This has been our vision and will continue to be. And the time for action is now. Starting with the renovation of the Fitness Center in the Sports Club facility, we will embark on a 5-year, $25M capital improvement campaign that will touch every aspect of the Resort. More information will be shared as specific plans and timelines take shape. We know that this dynamic collection of amenities is what draws people to Kingsmill in the first place, but that ongoing improvement to those amenities is what causes them to stay.

That commitment is separate from and is not dependent on progress toward realizing some of the ideas and concepts for improving the community’s shared amenities and the expansion of residential housing options.

We’re excited to share those same ideas and concepts, which were originally shared at the Community Open House on February 22, 2023, in their original form and format. And they are just that — ideas and concepts, not final. We expect some modifications will be made in conjunction with our Community Resident and Club Member partners. Those changes and modifications will be shared here and communicated to Club Membership and Residents.

IMPROVING OUR SHARED EXPERIENCE

Kingsmill’s first impression is our most important. There is an opportunity to improve that at both gatehouses and the entrance experience. Proposed ideas include enlarging the footprint of both structures to make them more functional for the Kingsmill Police Department, modernizing the design of those structures, creating a more seamless entrance experience for Residents, Members, and Resort Guests through improved technology, new wayfinding and security signage, and updated landscaping.

We know one of the most beloved aspects of Kingsmill is the Carter’s Grove Country Road or the “Old Country Road” that runs through the community. This beautifully forested, privately-owned pathway could be enhanced with comfort or rest stations (“nodes”) in key locations, in a way that maintains the idyllic, untouched feel that the pathway currently enjoys.

Another aspect of this community that makes it remarkable is how Residents love to gather in the shared outdoor spaces. A new Kingsmill Community Park would provide an exciting new forum for communal gathering: multiple fields for athletic competitions, covered pavilion areas for large gatherings and holiday celebrations, a dog park, and playgrounds. All would be executed with careful consideration for traffic flow, plentiful parking, and buffering from adjacent roadways and industry. Three potential locations exist for a new Kingsmill Community Park, which have the current working names of Area 2, Area 4, and Area 13.

The community has not had a quality, maintained athletic field amenity in some time. Most recently, the fields near the Plantation site served that function, and the time has come to reintroduce that offering. The relationship between the future of those fields and the future of a shared recreation space can be best described by three commitments.

UPDATING OUR RESIDENTIAL OFFERING

In addition to those commitments, we’re also committed to a measured expansion of the housing options that are available inside the gates of Kingsmill. By building only 240 units over 10-15 years, we will create updated housing offerings that will allow Kingsmill to continue to attract new Residents and Club Members while maintaining the idyllic and peaceful atmosphere that the community has always enjoyed.

As stated in the three commitments above, it is our shared goal with the community that no development will take place on the current soccer field until a suitable replacement is available. In a two-phased approach, we have an opportunity to create on that site a new neighborhood of 37 beautiful single-family homes. From an architectural and design perspective, these homes will reflect a modernized approach to the traditional colonial style. With a current working name of Frances Thacker Homes, these 2-story homes with first-floor master suites would sit near the historic Kingsmill Plantation site and would be created in conjunction with improvements to the foot and vehicular traffic safeguards at the adjacent intersection with Mounts Bay Road.Another opportunity to provide expanded living opportunities exists near holes 5 & 6 on the River Course. A neighborhood of 129 townhome units, ranging from 1,800 to 3,500 square feet with 30’ to 60’ footprints would expand the community’s offering of simple, low-maintenance dwellings. The neighborhood would be characterized by the same architectural principles as other proposed homes, offer quick access to the main artery of Kingsmill Road, and maintain a sufficient buffer from the adjacent brewery site.A third opportunity to expand dwelling options through the sustainable and gradual creation of new neighborhoods exists toward the eastern side of Kingsmill. Not far from the Woods Course, a community of roughly 64 single-family detached estate homes – with a current working name of Wareham’s Estates – would offer lot sizes ranging from 0.4 to 1.9 acres. A new, luxurious neighborhood would take shape in a three-phased approach and offer premium dwelling options. In keeping with the River Course 5 & 6 neighborhood, inherent in these plans are ample considerations for minimizing visibility into this new neighborhood.

NEXT STEPS

Going forward, KCSA’s elected officials will hold meetings in March/April & will solicit feedback from the community regarding these ideas and concepts around shared community amenities and potential expanded residential opportunities.

As with the progress updates on Resort amenities and facility improvements, Kingsmill Residents and Club Members can expect regular updates on all next steps taken.

We are and will remain committed to Stewarding Kingsmill Together.

All the concept boards seen on this webpage are also available in PDF format here: