How the Dream of Carriage Park Became a Reality

BOOTS ON THE GROUND…AND IN THE AIR

My name is Dale Hamlin and I am the developer of Carriage Park.  This journey of developing Carriage Park started with a pair of boots and a promise to learn from  the ground up (literally) what was here. I spent days and weeks traversing the land with many north, south, east and west crisscross hikes through all of it, each pass bringing me closer to the realization that what I had here was more than just a subdivision, this was a special piece of earth and here we would build a community. But I knew with that vision I must care for this mountain in the best way I knew how.

It’s good to change your perspective, too. So after many miles of hiking and lots of time spent on the ground it was time to go aloft. I rented an airplane and did aerial reconnaissance to help me become more sensitized to this lovely and precious place. I was able to gain a perspective of how Carriage Park would fit into the tremendous backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and their 400 million years of life that have preceded us. To have the opportunity of observing an old growth forest from the air is inspiring and I quickly decided that some extraordinary planning would need to be implemented as this could not under my watch become just another subdivision, it would become much, much more.

SETTING THE COURSE –CREATING THE CARRIAGE PARKWAY

Now that I had the vision, I needed some help honing and crafting it into a livable community. So I collaborated with the most talented Mountain Land Planner I had ever met and the work began in earnest. What we eventually determined would be the most solitary and exceptional use of the property would be a series of small intimate neighborhoods all connected by a Parkway road system whose only purpose would be for ingress and egress to 26 individual private enclaves, in some cases with as few as eight homes. While you may find other developments that slap a grid on a piece of land and sell off every square inch to maximize profits, I had a different idea. Leave some of the best land as open space so everyone may enjoy it. Eliminate heavy traffic and create a place where you know your neighbor and you see them every day. This one decision has been one of my best.

This brand new concept was an unheard of plan in these parts and it took us 18 months to work with county officials and present them a clear plan for our future. In the end we were granted approval to begin as long as we held to 23 additional and far more stringent development standards than any other existing zoning plan required then in the county. These conditions ensure that the highest standards are adhered to in the process of developing this truly special mountain.

So over the course of the last 18 years, we have built an amazing development with a truly exceptional parkway system. This private scenic highway plunges deep into the forest floor in some areas and then rises up to afford spectacular views some 60 miles across the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the offshoots of the Great Smoky Mountains. At other points you see Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain on the eastern seaboard, as well as big views of the southern portion of the Biltmore Estate. Plus, you can stand atop our mountain and look off into the magnificent 500,000 acres of old growth in the Pisgah National Forest only 15 minutes away.

THE TRUE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY

Today Carriage Park is fortunate to have over 450 property owners who make this place work so effortlessly by their neighborly contributions. This mountain has come alive with the spirit of community. It now has families and grandchildren and pets and socializing to add to the sheer beauty of nature, which surrounds each of the enclaves that make up Carriage Park. The discerning property owners add a spirit of community, full of love and laughter and great friendships that enhance this complex matrix we all call life.

HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Our charming town of Hendersonville exudes a sense of caring and sheer friendliness that is a throwback to the way many of us grew up. But this is no meager little town. It is alive with culture and the arts. Hendersonville features a full symphony orchestra, many artist studios, and just 3 miles from downtown Hendersonville is the Flat Rock playhouse, the North Carolina State Theatre. Your choices of worship experience are manifold. You will be delighted to sample many fine dining experiences and the hundreds of miles of hiking trails are exceptional. When you get your arms around Hendersonville, you will soon realize why George Vanderbilt built his house (the largest residence in America) only twenty minutes from Carriage Park.

THE NEXT CHAPTER(S)

I couldn’t have asked for more when I first set eyes on this beautiful piece of the world. Carriage Park is turning into one of the most sought after residential locations in the mountains of Western North Carolina because of the patient and careful work we have done for so many years now. I am not ready to say goodbye, because we still have some amazing ideas to add to this already stunning development, including the completion of five more neighborhoods. And to accomplish that I am so very pleased that my sons and son in law have joined me to help write the next chapter in the story of Carriage Park. Together as a family we will fulfill my promise to this land and this tradition of exceptional caretaking.

Please come take a look at Carriage Park; you will not be disappointed. When you visit, we expect to learn in detail from you just exactly how you will want to create your ideal new dream home, then we will collaborate to make it happen, in time, in budget and in style.

Thank you and I look forward to shaking your hand in friendship.

Yours truly,
Dale Hamlin