GREENVILLE — There are sharply angled rooflines and rows of vertical windows, bold exterior overhangs and open, airy interiors. In renderings, at least, the homes feel like architectural statements as much as places to live. And they add a new element to Travelers Rest, the community north of Greenville, where home styles tend to lean more toward the traditional.
“We didn’t want to go toward the norm of Craftsman or modern farmhouse,” said real estate agent Dani Ezelle. “We wanted to give it more of a different look.”
Located between downtown Greenville and the North Carolina mountains, Travelers Rest appeals to many homebuyers seeking an active lifestyle.
That’s certainly the case with The Refuge, a 41-home community being developed off North Main Street near downtown Travelers Rest. The homes depicted in renderings are unmistakably modern, in some ways harkening to the contemporary and mid-century dwellings more common around downtown Greenville. They’re being built by Rembrey Custom Homes, a Greenville company helmed by builder Rick Thoennes III.
“I think he was inspired by some homes in the mountains,” said Ezelle, lead agent at Ezelle Hines Residential Living, which is handling sales in The Refuge. “They had more of a Scandinavian feel, more of a modern mountain look. There’s definitely a void for higher-end neighborhoods in Travelers Rest, and I think we’ve hit that spot.”
Hitting the sweet spot
Rembrey and Ezelle Hines are operating from a playbook that’s worked before. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they unveiled a neighborhood on the southern end of Travelers Rest called Velo, playing off the enthusiasm cyclists have for the adjacent Swamp Rabbit Trail. The 21-homesite community off Old Buncombe Road was gated, featured homes in modern farmhouse styles, and even had an area with on-site bicycle workstations.
The popularity of Travelers Rest is evident in a population that’s nearly doubled since 2010, according to the city.
“That was a huge success,” Ezelle said. “The idea was to find something similar to the location and square footage of Velo, where it seemed like there was a need for more of a higher-end home.”
Velo proved especially popular among empty nesters who wanted to remain active, have access to downtown Travelers Rest and the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and yet also desired a more low-maintenance lifestyle with a small yard. The Refuge in many ways will follow that same concept, Ezelle said, with sidewalks connecting the development to downtown Travelers Rest, and the Swamp Rabbit Trail running just across the street.
Dani Ezelle is the lead agent at Ezelle Hines Residential Living, which is handling sales in The Refuge.
Known by locals as “TR,” Travelers Rest has boomed in popularity, with a population of more than 8,000 residents nearly double that of 2010, according to the city. That population skews young — 38 percent of residents in 2022 were between the ages of 15 and 24 — thanks to a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities, proximity to the mountains, and a downtown full of popular restaurants and brewpubs.
“Travelers Rest is just growing,” Ezelle said. “It’s getting kind of a different burst of people who want to live more of a mountain lifestyle, and they love downtown Travelers Rest. They want to be close to mountains, but they also want proximity to downtown Greenville. I think Travelers Rest has really hit the sweet spot as far as location goes — you can be in downtown Greenville in 20 minutes without having to get on an interstate, and you’re just a 15-minute ride to the North Carolina mountains.”
$700,000s to $900,000
The Refuge features 10 different floor plans ranging in price from the low $700,000s to $900,000. Higher-end designs have three bedrooms and encompass nearly 3,000 square feet. Renderings show hardwood floors, stone fireplaces and catwalks overlooking spacious living areas with 20-foot ceilings. One model listed for $733,000 boasts a kitchen with a central island and a walk-in pantry, and a main-floor primary bedroom with a walk-in closet and a bath with a soaking tub.
The Refuge is a new 41-homesite community off North Main Street in Travelers Rest, and within walking distance to the shops and restaurants of downtown.
There are porches and patios, two-car garages, large windows and flex rooms that can be used as home offices. One homesite in The Refuge is sold with a few others under contact, Ezelle said. Framing of the community’s first home has begun, and Ezelle added he hopes the neighborhood will be fully sold and completed within two years.
“These are brand new drawings and homes that have never been built before,” Ezelle said. “A lot of people are interested in them, but they’re so different, they want to see them. I think we’ll see a real impact once one is up and under a roof, and people can walk around it.”
And after Velo and The Refuge, what’s next?
“We’re focusing on this one,” Ezelle said. “Once we get down the road, and we’re a success with this one, then we’ll look for another opportunity. But (Thoennes) doesn’t want to build just to build. He wants to find the right location, and then the right type of house.”
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