Three years ago, Bill Price approached the Lysander board regarding a proposed 885-acre development along the Seneca River. With the infrastructure now installed, the vision of Pooler Development is near completion.

That vision is Timber Banks, a planned unit development with an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus design golf course located on the Cold Springs Peninsula. Although the project is only three years in the making, the concept has been a dream of Pooler Development owner Gary Pooler for much longer.

“Gary has had this idea since the late 80s,” said Price, president of Pooler Development.

Designed with a mix of residential properties including apartments, townhouses, single family residents and estate homes located on and around the golf course, Timber Banks will also feature 1,100 feet of trails along the river and sidewalks throughout the development that will eventually connect to the town’s trail system. Timber Banks has also devoted more than half of the total property to open space.

The main entranceway off of River Road features a guard shack, which is designed to give residents a sense of exclusivity. Timber Banks should also feature a 65-slip marina along the Seneca River once officials receive the go-ahead from the New York State Canal Corporation. The marina was questionable to begin with because developers wanted to position it along the Seneca River where the property had already been designated as wetlands. However, a redesign that moves the marina away from the water’s edge creating two entrance points through the wetlands has already been approved by the town of Lysander, Army Corp of Engineers and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

“We minimized disturbance to the wet land and where we have the marina isn’t in the wetlands,” Price said.

Working where you live

Besides the marina, the similarities between Timber Banks and Radisson, located just north of Timber Banks, might cause one to compare the two developments. However, unlike Radisson, which is also a planned unit development golf course community, Timber Banks will feature a village center complete with small shops and service industries.

“[Radisson] was more of a work, live, leisure development,” Price said. “The difference with us is we are trying to create more of a village or town center. We’ve tried to come up with more recent development ideas with a village core that radiates out to less density.”

Price described a work/live unit at the “town center,” which would feature retail or office space on the first floor with residential living on the second and third floors. The type of businesses Price said could occupy the spaces includes delis, bakeries, gyms, hair salons and coffee shops.

“These are the type of services we expect to have,” he said adding that the areas were meant for neighborhood scale retailers and would not offer huge square footages.

Building homes

While the first phase of the development is done, Price estimates nine more phases to completion with the total number and variety of residential properties depending on the housing market.

“We can be flexible with the types of products we offer,” Price said regarding the various homes offered. “We worked with the town to come up with the right zoning, which helps us to meet the market demand and offer a variety of products to everyone from retired folks to people with families.”

Currently, Price said contractors plan on building 40 percent of properties as patio homes, 40 percent as estate homes and single family homes (20/20 percent each), and 20 percent as town homes and apartments (10/10 percent each), depending on demand.

The Hammocks at Timber Banks will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments; S&R Custom Homes, Schachtler Artisan Homes and Merle Builders will offer townhomes; S&R, Merle and Heritage Homes will offer patio homes; and Heritage, Merle, Cromp Custom Homes, Harrington Homes and Kathy Kotz Home Builder Inc will offer single family and estate homes.

As of last week, three apartment buildings were up offering one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, which will be available in October. Merle Builders also has a model home up available for viewing. The golf course is scheduled to open next spring.

Blending nature with home

(Taken from the Timber Banks brochure)

Timber Banks was conceived for and will appeal to those who desire to live in harmony with nature. It’s a special place for those whose sensibilities require a peaceful and beautiful setting in which to enjoy life.

Enjoy the tranquility and easy pace of a golf course community designed to blend gracefully with the fields and woodlands surrounding Timber Banks. The Timber Banks Clubhouse, scheduled for completion in the summer of 2010, will feature a dining and grill room, lounge and pro shop. Situated on the turn, the clubhouse overlooks the Seneca River Marina and the 18th hole.

Deeper into the community at the village core stands a true small town expression of retail and office space reminiscent of turn of the century America. Small shops and services line the sidewalks and offer a convenient meeting place as well as a safe and beautiful village experience.

Commerce meets residence at the four corners of Timber Banks where work/live combination units become the centerpiece of this busy town setting. A park-like atmosphere with rolling golf links, natural woodlands and the reflective Seneca River create the background for your new home.

For information about Timber Banks, call (585) 742-6330 or visit timberbanks.com.