Sheridan Estates
Sheridan Estates in Harpers Ferry, WV currently contains 178 single family homes on finished lots nestled in the scenic Shenandoah Valley. The housing development was established and contracts were first taken on spec homes in early 2004. The original homes in Phase I along Chickamauga Drive were Washington Homes designs incorporated by K Hovnanian after their acquisition. Construction did not begin until late 2005. Phase II construction of homes of K.Hovnanian design along Five Forks Drive began in 2010. Development halted when K. Hovnanian ceased their operations in West Virginia in early 2011. Revitalization toward completion of Sheridan resumed in 2014 when Dan Ryan Builders (DRB) acquired Sheridan and began completion of the remaining infrastructure and construction of the remaining home sites to be completed in four phases. The final homes were completed in 2019.
Located adjacent to the Harpers Ferry National Park and across from the recently completed US Homeland Security training complex Sheridan has much to offer as a West Virginia community. With its' winding streets and elevations into the hillside many home sites have a scenic overlook of the surrounding mountains and beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Sheridan Estates is a beautiful, viable community with convenient access via major roadways to major shopping areas in Frederick MD, Winchester, VA, Leesburg VA as well as local major food, clothing and home supply national chain store along the adjacent route. 340 corridor and the nearby route 9 interchange within a 5 minute drive from Sheridan. There is also convenient access to the quaint small town charm of Shepherdstown and Charles Town, the latter with its Racetrack and Casino; as well as local watersport activities like tubing, kayaking, zip lining, etc. with access to the scenic Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.
All home sites within Sheridan are 1/3 to 1/2 acres; all are already platted for single family homes only, as indicated on the map of current, phase 1 Sheridan, above and for all completed development, phases 2-4, below.
One might ask why a development located in a prime area of Jefferson County is so late to be developed? A few simple reasons:
Many years were spent researching and addressing local and environmental concerns prior to obtaining approval for development as detailed in the History below, a costly and time consuming effort which resulted in loss by the initial developer.
Until 2010 it was located directly across from the eyesore of a noisy concrete casting facility on rte. 340.....since it has been replaced by the sprawling new US Homeland Security training complex complete with beautiful fountains and landscaping.
The delayed development of Sheridan was costly because of the numerous mountainside elevations and rocky geological strata which required explosive blasting of many of the original home sites and for laying the water, sewer and hydrant infrastructure ....... the original developer went bankrupt after completing the majority of the work....after acquisition by the new developer and builder, DRB, the remaining infrastructure has already been completed so new home construction of affordable housing can now resume at a rapid pace.
History of Sheridan
Plans for the development of Sheridan Estates began in 2003. Preliminary work in the development did not begin until late 2004. A number of obstacles were encountered by the developer, primarily from nearby citizens groups opposing its development for a number of environmental reasons including the danger of creating sinkholes in unproven underground limestone deposits, damage to endangered bat colonies in presumed underground caves, pollution of the Shenandoah River, lack of adequate water/sewer taps from Charles Town, desecration of a battlefield hospital presumed to exist somewhere in the area, and a number of other hypotheses that presently escape my memory.. In response the developer proposed construction of a new state of the art sewage treatment facility which would be turned over to the County for $1.00 That too met with opposition, for fear that those in nearby homes on septic systems and well would be forced by the County to hookup at great cost to those homeowners and that leakage in the system may cause environmental damage. As a result the County Commission repeatedly denied water and sewer applications and development approval, requiring ever more environmental studies to satisfy outstanding citizen concerns.
Finally, around mid 2005 after these issues had been addressed in numerous meetings by the developer's attorneys, the Commission granted approval for the construction of 40 homes in phase 1 on condition that Sheridan's waste system be placed on "pump and haul" . Approval for Phase 2 consisting of the balance of the 170 units in the development was conditional that permits would not be granted for construction until such time as the treatment plant and piping to the plant on the Shenandoah was completed and the private sewage system became operational. The Commission acquiesced, one Commissioner noting that this would be take at least another 5 years because US Homeland Security had purchased the land from the prior land owner from whom the developer had previously obtained a right of way for the piping from Sheridan to the treatment plant indicating that it would take the US Government around 5 years to get through all the red tape and paperwork before honoring the developers right of way. Thus, construction of Phase 1 Sheridan began in late 2005. Phase 1 looked destined to be on pump and haul for many years and Phase 2 appeared to be many more in the future.
That is........until August 19, 2006, when a convoy of at least 20 dumps trucks, cranes, earth movers, and flatbeds loaded with pipe were raising clouds of dust on the South side of 340. It was a sight to behold, a sequence of digging, pipe laying and restoring of the surface in an orchestrated motion......within a few hours the only evidence of the activity was an earthen scar along the strip of barren farmland where the Sheridan pipe had been buried. Within a month foliage erased all evidence of the buried pipe. Sheridan residents cheered the final end to the troublesome pump and haul, and the prospect of future neighbors
Located adjacent to the Harpers Ferry National Park and across from the recently completed US Homeland Security training complex Sheridan has much to offer as a West Virginia community. With its' winding streets and elevations into the hillside many home sites have a scenic overlook of the surrounding mountains and beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Sheridan Estates is a beautiful, viable community with convenient access via major roadways to major shopping areas in Frederick MD, Winchester, VA, Leesburg VA as well as local major food, clothing and home supply national chain store along the adjacent route. 340 corridor and the nearby route 9 interchange within a 5 minute drive from Sheridan. There is also convenient access to the quaint small town charm of Shepherdstown and Charles Town, the latter with its Racetrack and Casino; as well as local watersport activities like tubing, kayaking, zip lining, etc. with access to the scenic Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.
All home sites within Sheridan are 1/3 to 1/2 acres; all are already platted for single family homes only, as indicated on the map of current, phase 1 Sheridan, above and for all completed development, phases 2-4, below.
One might ask why a development located in a prime area of Jefferson County is so late to be developed? A few simple reasons:
Many years were spent researching and addressing local and environmental concerns prior to obtaining approval for development as detailed in the History below, a costly and time consuming effort which resulted in loss by the initial developer.
Until 2010 it was located directly across from the eyesore of a noisy concrete casting facility on rte. 340.....since it has been replaced by the sprawling new US Homeland Security training complex complete with beautiful fountains and landscaping.
The delayed development of Sheridan was costly because of the numerous mountainside elevations and rocky geological strata which required explosive blasting of many of the original home sites and for laying the water, sewer and hydrant infrastructure ....... the original developer went bankrupt after completing the majority of the work....after acquisition by the new developer and builder, DRB, the remaining infrastructure has already been completed so new home construction of affordable housing can now resume at a rapid pace.
History of Sheridan
Plans for the development of Sheridan Estates began in 2003. Preliminary work in the development did not begin until late 2004. A number of obstacles were encountered by the developer, primarily from nearby citizens groups opposing its development for a number of environmental reasons including the danger of creating sinkholes in unproven underground limestone deposits, damage to endangered bat colonies in presumed underground caves, pollution of the Shenandoah River, lack of adequate water/sewer taps from Charles Town, desecration of a battlefield hospital presumed to exist somewhere in the area, and a number of other hypotheses that presently escape my memory.. In response the developer proposed construction of a new state of the art sewage treatment facility which would be turned over to the County for $1.00 That too met with opposition, for fear that those in nearby homes on septic systems and well would be forced by the County to hookup at great cost to those homeowners and that leakage in the system may cause environmental damage. As a result the County Commission repeatedly denied water and sewer applications and development approval, requiring ever more environmental studies to satisfy outstanding citizen concerns.
Finally, around mid 2005 after these issues had been addressed in numerous meetings by the developer's attorneys, the Commission granted approval for the construction of 40 homes in phase 1 on condition that Sheridan's waste system be placed on "pump and haul" . Approval for Phase 2 consisting of the balance of the 170 units in the development was conditional that permits would not be granted for construction until such time as the treatment plant and piping to the plant on the Shenandoah was completed and the private sewage system became operational. The Commission acquiesced, one Commissioner noting that this would be take at least another 5 years because US Homeland Security had purchased the land from the prior land owner from whom the developer had previously obtained a right of way for the piping from Sheridan to the treatment plant indicating that it would take the US Government around 5 years to get through all the red tape and paperwork before honoring the developers right of way. Thus, construction of Phase 1 Sheridan began in late 2005. Phase 1 looked destined to be on pump and haul for many years and Phase 2 appeared to be many more in the future.
That is........until August 19, 2006, when a convoy of at least 20 dumps trucks, cranes, earth movers, and flatbeds loaded with pipe were raising clouds of dust on the South side of 340. It was a sight to behold, a sequence of digging, pipe laying and restoring of the surface in an orchestrated motion......within a few hours the only evidence of the activity was an earthen scar along the strip of barren farmland where the Sheridan pipe had been buried. Within a month foliage erased all evidence of the buried pipe. Sheridan residents cheered the final end to the troublesome pump and haul, and the prospect of future neighbors
View - Chickamauga Drive 11-04
Construction trailer - purchase on spec. 12 - 05
View Chickamauga Drive 11-05
View Chickamauga Drive 3-06
The years of delays in obtaining approval of phase 1 and completion of the sewage treatment necessary for phase 2 took Sheridan into the nationwide housing crisis and drop in homes sales and prices. As a result construction by KHov was placed in abeyance after completion of phase 1. Resumption of phase 2 began in 2010 and was again ceased in 2011 as a result of further problems in the housing market which resulted in KHov ceasing all operations in WV.
Original Phase 1 homes within Sheridan
Phase 1 home construction was along Chickamauga Drive and contiguous cul-de-sacs with two fill in homes from the previous Phase 2. Phase 2 construction is along Five Forks Drive and contiguous cul-de-sac.. KHovnanian constructed seven models within these two phases listed from largest to smallest in base square footage: James Madison Ph.1, Andrew Jackson Ph.1, Thomas Jefferson Ph.1, Revere Ph1&2, Patrick Henry Ph.1&2, Remington Ph.2, and Statesman Ph.2.. Photos from promotional literature are listed. With the departure of KHovnanian from Sheridan Estates and West Virginia, these models will only be available as resales; nine new models are currently being offered by Dan Ryan Builders as indicated below.
After acquisition by DRA phases 1 and 2 were consolidated into phase 1, nine new models were offered as detailed on their website and additional phases added as indicated on the map below.
After acquisition by DRA phases 1 and 2 were consolidated into phase 1, nine new models were offered as detailed on their website and additional phases added as indicated on the map below.
In December 2012 Dan Ryan Builders (DRB) began to acquire ownership of Sheridan Estates. Their first order of business after acquisition in the Summer of 2013 was to place final paving on the occupied portion of Chickamauga Drive. Final paving of Five Forks Drive will be begin after sale and construction of the remaining home sites on the street, the majority of which as of Summer 2014 have been sold and are under or finished construction. Nine new models of homes are currently being offered by DRB on our 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots conveniently equipped with water and sewer; detailed information is available on the DRA website at: http://www.newhomesource.com/communitydetail/builder-9958/community-71034#Maps
Once the existing Chickamauga Drive-Five Forks Drive loop (Phase 1) is completed (green area on map below are current DRB construction sites), these streets will be closed to construction traffic and County school bus service will be routed through the community. The remaining balance of the approximately 100 remaining home sites within Sheridan (Phases 2,3 and 4) will be then be accessed through the portion of Chickamauga Drive which is currently a construction road with entry at Rte. 230.
B
