Around Town

Breaking ground Shotgun house development near Freetown arrives.

by Amanda Bedgood

It's a shotgun house revival on the fringe of Freetown, as 17 new homes at a low price point arrive with a layout that is both retro and modern. Called Springhill, the small subdivision is being developed by Robert Minyard and offers homes that are approximately 1,200 square feet and cost about $155,000. The energy efficient homes are going up at the General Mouton Avenue/Pansy Street and General Mouton/Rose Street intersections.

"It's the redevelopment of an old neighborhood," Minyard says.

The area was platted in the 1930s and never developed. Two of the tin-roof homes with exteriors of hardy plank have already been purchased. All of the homes will have two bedrooms and two baths with a loft above one of the bedrooms and will feature cathedral ceilings and granite countertops. They are rear entrance homes with a two-vehicle carport; the fronts of the homes face General Mouton Avenue.

"It's very affordable," Minyard says, noting the development's proximity to UL and Freetown. "With very little down, payments could be $750 a month."

Within 60 days Minyard says homes could be complete, and there is no limit on how many more they could build in the area with the right property and circumstances. But, they are steadfast in keeping the price low and quality high.

"We are really stuck on the price point. We wanted it to be really affordable. We don’t see anything in the Lafayette city limits in that price range," he says.

The development will include a common garden, and Minyard says room in the back for gatherings like neighborhood crawfish boils. He says the concept is not to build a house here or there in this style. It's about building at least 15 and creating a new neighborhood.

"It’s an area that people want to live in — close to UL and Downtown," he says. "We were looking to buy a whole block in the Freetown area, and so we bought this one first."

Angelle Architects is the architectural firm heading up the design work, and Timeline Builders is the contractor. Both are based in Breaux Bridge. Financing is being provided by Washington State Bank and Preferred Lending Solutions.

If all goes well, Minyard says, there may be a second phase to the Springhill development. "We would like to buy more property. We need [space for another] 15 or so all in one row for it to work," he says.

For more info, visit Springhill's Facebook page.