Carlton Place offers variety of floor plans, convenience
When plans for Carlton Place were drawn up, the developers thought they hit the perfect combination.
They had an 11-acre tract of land on Butler Road in Mauldin, a prime location in the Golden Strip that provided easy access to Interstate 385 and downtown Greenville.
They had a variety of floor plans at a price that would be attractive to everybody from first-time home buyers to empty nesters.
The combination worked.
Carlton Place, a community of 115 townhomes built by Ryan Homes, sold out in mid-2002, almost a year ahead of schedule, said Allen Cunningham, who was the development's sales agent for two years.
"We were ahead of schedule right from the beginning," he said.
The development was so successful that the company is building a similar development, Hadley Park, across the street.
Part of the attraction of Carlton Place, Cunningham and residents said, was the number of floor plans available to residents.
And since the units weren't built speculatively, residents were able to pick out cabinetry, carpet, flooring and paint. They also could choose between having formal dining and living rooms or a great room, Cunningham said.
"Every original owner had input into what their unit looked like. They responded well to that," Cunningham said.
Some units are three stories with a one car garage. A few are two levels without a garage.
The townhomes, some with vinyl siding and others with brick fronts, have two or three bedrooms. They range from 1,220 square feet to 1,921 square feet.
"They're not as uniform as townhomes which are mass-built speculatively," he said.
Gene Alexander, 67, who retired from Michelin and the U.S. Navy, bought his unit even before anything had been built on the land next to Mauldin High School.
"I bought off the blueprint," said Alexander, who was the first resident to move in. He saw pictures of similar developments built by Ryan in other states and decided it was for him.
Alexander was tiring of apartment living at the same time as Carlton Place was being developed.
"It was pretty noisy," he said.
"I've lived here longer than anybody, and I like it. It's a very nice place to live," he said. "It's very quiet."
Alexander likes the location.
It's next to Mauldin High, making it convenient for residents who have older children, he said. Some residents can watch Friday night football games from their back decks.
Carlton Place is minutes away from I-385, making trips to downtown Greenville, Simpsonville and the Woodruff, Haywood and Laurens road shopping districts easy. It's close to Brookfield Office Park and is a short drive to many of the office complexes in the Golden Strip.
"It's right in the geographic center of Greenville County," Cunningham said. "When you can get anywhere in the county in 20 minutes, that's great."
Cunningham said Carlton Place has a mix of people. There are married couples with children, first-time homeowners, college grad students and singles with roommates. There are professionals and production line workers.
While Carlton Place has no community amenities like a swimming pool or tennis court, it's close to several parks and recreational facilities. It's just minutes from the Mauldin City Park and Greenville Municipal Stadium, home of the AA Greenville Braves.
Cunningham estimates that about 70 percent of the people who live in Carlton Place are not originally from South Carolina.
Marie Williams had lived in Mauldin for several years and wanted to stay, but she also thought it was time for her to buy something of her own.
"I like Mauldin, period," she said. "I just like Carlton Place."
Williams said it's "close to just about anywhere I want to go."
"I have no problem getting around," she said.
Brady Gilbert, 27, moved to Carlton Place from Greenville. Price was the neighborhood's biggest selling point for him.
"The great attraction for me was you get a high number of square feet for low dollars compared to traditional houses," said Gilbert, who has lived there since April 2001. "One of the attractions is getting away from paying rent. It's nice to be investing in the future, rather than just throwing money away, essentially."
Price Range: $95,000-$139,000
Years built: 1999 to 2001
Square footage: 1,220 to 1,921 square feet
Schools: Mauldin Elementary, Mauldin Middle, and Mauldin High
Parks and recreation: Greenville Municipal Stadium, Golden Strip YMCA, Golden Park Family Recreation, Majestic Golf Range, Golden Strip Gymnastics, Mauldin City Park
By Cindy Landrum, Staff Writer, The Greenville News
Greenville real estate for sale, click here.
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