U.S. Home project back on track

Public Record, The, Sep 16, 1994 by Hercules, Neil

INDIO -- U.S. Home. fourth largest builder of single-family homes in the country, is back on track with the city to build a 1,300-unit golf course/residential/commercial complex on 380 acres along Fred Waring Drive at the western entrance to the city.

Steven Rogers, assistant to the city manager, told The Public Record that rather than turning about 140 acres of its site to the city for the development of a city-owned and operated municipal golf course, U.S. Home has decided to develop the golf course.

Among other considerations was the financing, which will be easier for U.S. Home to obtain than the city because of various rules. So, the plan is for U.S. Home to build and develop the golf course and clubhouse and either control it or eventually sell it to the homeowners.

For the past several months the city has been making a feasibility study of the potential for a public golf course and what fee structure it would take to support it, Its studies revealed that the average golfer will pay between $35 and $45 for an 18-hole round of golf, including cart.

Rogers said U.S. Home expected to make a formal application for a planned development sometime during October.

It is still not known whether U.S. Home has exercised its option to buy land for the site from Stemko Development.

The project calls for the largest acreage, located south of Fred Waring Drive, to be devoted to residential units for the 55 and older age group; Rogers said the firm was even considering devoting the north side to that age group, depending an what its most current studies show. In any case, it would be in direct competition with Del Webb's Sun City for that age group, an ever growing, affluent segment of the housing market.

Thus far, U.S. Home has made no formal submittals to the city; on November 30, 1993, the firm made an informal presentation to the city, asking for the city's help in determining the need for a city-owned and operated golf course.

About 140 acres would be devoted to the golf course; at the time of the presentation, U.S. Home was asked whether this acreage would be sufficient for a first class golf course, which would be built an both sides of Fred Waring Drive.

Prices of single-family homes are being projected in the $165,000 to $170,000 price range while homes built in four plexes are forecast in the $79,950 range.

U.S. Home Corporation was established in 1954 and for the past 10 years has been among the ten largest single-family homebuilders in the United States. In 1993 it was the fourth largest single-family home builder in the U.S.

Since the firm began building retirement homes in 1969, it has constructed 11 major retirement communities and 50 smaller ones in Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey and Texas. It has since established a West Coast office.