________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
clear.“ Brazos County has been historically underserved,” he explains.“ There simply hasn’ t been a dedicated high-quality, lowmaintenance housing option built for people looking to downsize or retire in this market.”
That unmet demand became the catalyst for Lakeside at Millican Reserve – a seven-year project developed in partnership with Epcon Communities, a national specialist in active-adult neighborhoods. While Texas A & M University dominates much of the local economy, Jacob also considers the project to be influenced by another demographic trend.“ We jokingly call them‘ Boomerang Aggies’,” he laughs,“ People who went to school here decades ago, then built careers and families elsewhere, but who are now returning to retire in a place that they have always loved.” These residents helped shape a masterplan centered on outdoor living, including a 40-acre lake, over 30 miles of walking trails and a nature reserve, alongside dedicated amenities. However, as with any long-term development, market conditions have changed considerably since construction began.“ Material prices, labor rates and product availability all looked very different than they do today,” Shea reflects.“ We’ re operating in a constantly shifting economy.”
Demand driven
Maintaining quality while protecting affordability has been a continual balancing act for Kept – particularly as many buyers are working within fixed retirement incomes.“ Our homes have to deliver lasting quality without pricing people out,” adds Shea.“ We’ ve worked hard to source materials thoughtfully, lock in trade partnerships early and be disciplined about where we spend, versus where we standardize.” A dedicated purchasing manager upholds close relationships with suppliers and monitors pricing throughout the project. Using Epcon’ s established floorplans also improves
efficiency and consistency, while helping reduce the exposure to labor and material volatility that Shea describes.
Kept’ s partnership with Epcon also extends into design expertise.“ As an Epcon franchise builder, we have access to floorplans that have been refined continuously over the past four decades, with genuine feedback from numerous homeowners incorporated into the design,” Jacob reveals.“ We lean on Epcon for design guidance and best practices, while Kept handles the local execution – land development, construction, trade coordination and sales.” Combining national experience with local delivery has enabled the company to craft homes specifically designed for long-term, independent living. Wider doorways, minimal level changes and single-story layouts allow residents to age in place without sacrificing comfort or accessibility.
The same level of planning stretches beyond individual homes to the wider development program. Delivered in phases, the construction of the Lakeside project is careful to ensure completed streets are not disrupted by later building activity.“ Our residents don’ t want to live next to an active job site indefinitely,” Jacob says.“ We plan infrastructure and construction traffic to move through a section and carry on, rather than lingering in any one part of the community.”
Lakeside at Millican Reserve has been designed to encourage lasting social connections; maintenance-free living is a central feature, with the homeowners’ association managing landscaping, irrigation and seasonal planting, allowing residents to spend less time looking after their properties and more time enjoying
186