Ross Real Estate Expert: Plenty of Potential for Former Highland Country Club

The Ross Township  commissioners’ 5-4 vote Monday to reject  tentative approval for 167 townhomes and 134 single-family homes on the former site of the Highland Country Club didn't necessarily surprise Ross Township financial advisor and mortgage broker David E. Martin.

Martin, Vice President of Re/Max New Horizons Realty , located at 6200 Babcock Boulevard, said it was obvious developer Limerick Land Partners had not sufficiently addressed the biggest issue for nearby residents.

Traffic.

"The developer, to his credit, came in and cleaned up the legal mess from the previous owners," said Martin. "But that doesn't mean he deserves carte blanche to do whatever he wants, regardless of the people who live near the old country club."

Martin believes there's more than enough room for compromise.

"There is a line of people a mile long that would love to have that property," he said. "It's proximity to the interstate, the North Hills School District, it's a great location and one of the few left in Ross ready for development. But you have to fix the traffic."

Many in the audience at Monday's commissioners meeting expressed concern about the sheer number of homes and townhomes, and several suggested a smaller number of patio homes instead.

"They would sell out in a week," said Martin. "However, patio homes take up more room and it remains to be seen if the numbers would work for the developer."

As for critics of the commissioners who voted against the Heartland Homes plan, Martin said they are being unfair.

"It's not their fault," he said. "The commissioners were simply doing their due diligence, and some of them obviously thought this proposal wasn't right. Everyone just needs to get back to the table and try again."

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