Historic Pinckney Retreat Finds New Life

With its lush marshfront vistas and sprawling live oaks blanketed in moss, historic Pinckney Retreat in Beaufort is finding rebirth in a nationally-recognized developer with Lowcountry connections.

East West Communities, an award-winning and financially stable developer based in Richmond, Virginia, originally was part of the Sea Pines Company that created Hilton Head’s famed resorts. Established in 1972, East West Communities has developed 35 communities across seven states, encompassing more than 15,000 homes.

With the purchase of the 44 wooded lots at Pinckney Retreat just minutes from 300-year-old Beaufort and Hilton Head Island, East West Communities returns to its roots.

“This opportunity is one that our team has desired since we became independent of Sea Pines many years ago. The natural beauty and majesty of the Lowcountry coastal region is breathtaking and cannot be replicated anywhere in the world,” said Gary Fenchuk, CEO of East West Communities.

“With its live oaks and marshfront setting, Pinckney Retreat is already one of the most beautiful communities we have had the opportunity to be involved with,” he said. “Our goal is to enhance that setting, protect and preserve the land and its resources, and build quality neighborhood homes.”

East West Communities is establishing a ‘Preferred Builders Program’ offering Lowcountry homes starting from $375,000. Having pre-screened preferred builders assures quality and customer service, Fenchuk said. The Preferred Builders will be starting construction of a selection of homes for purchase.

East West Communities’ purchase includes 25 interior lots and 19 marshfront lots, but only 20 homesites are currently available for sale. The Pinckney Retreat community has 77 lots in total. Originally named Retreat Plantation, the property rises on the banks of the Battery Creek salt marsh where herons, egrets and ospreys dine on shrimp and fish.

Pinckney Retreat features a historic marshfront tabby house built in 1736 by Jean de la Gaye, for his young bride Catherine Gautier. Known for being the oldest tabby house in Beaufort County, the structure remains in splendid condition with its 22-inch thick tabby walls, original fireplaces, and rich hardwood planked floors.

The property is graced with live oaks and majestic magnolias, and features a private pier and community dock, an outdoor pool with a covered patio, outdoor grilling area and fireplace, an indoor kitchen, community trails and gardens.

The gated community on Battery Creek off SC 280 is minutes from historic downtown Beaufort, 30 minutes from the beach, 30 minutes from Bluffton, and 45 minutes from Savannah and the Savannah airport.

Already, East West Communities is working with area home builders to create a Lowcountry streetscape of homes for Pinckney Retreat. These preferred builders will offer a selection of plans from their portfolios as well as work with homebuyers to custom design homes. East West will also allow purchases of the homesites now to be built on later.

“Twenty of the 44 homesites are now available for sale, with interior lots starting at $63,000 and marshfront homesites starting at $195,000 – and we are offering an early buyer 10% discount on the East West Community owned homesites until June 30, 2011,” said Rob Marek, Broker for Marek and Polk Realty Group/ERA Evergreen. The agency handles home and homesite sales at Pinckney Retreat.

“With the guidance, commitment, experience and stability of East West Communities, Pinckney Retreat will have the right-priced inventory, in a superior community setting, ready for the spring and early summer.  I couldn’t be more pleased with their involvement in our community and look for great things to come,” Marek said.

East West’s first community was Brandermill, located in the western suburbs of Richmond, VA.  Brandermill is a 2,700-acre community located on a 1,700-arce freshwater lake that serves as the county’s water supply. Brandermill was named the “Best Planned Community in America” by Better Homes & Gardens Magazine and the National Association of Home Builders.

East West has 10 actively-selling communities in Virginia, Florida, and now, South Carolina. These include:

  • Pinckney Retreat, Beaufort, SC
  • Patriot’s Landing, Richmond, VA
  • The Riverfront, Suffolk, VA
  • Founders Pointe, Isle of Wight County, VA
  • Eagle Harbor, Isle of Wight County, VA
  • Liberty Ridge, Williamsburg, VA
  • Riverwatch, Gloucester, VA
  • Eagle Landing, Jacksonville, FL
  • Rolling Hills, Jacksonville, FL
  • Windsong, Orlando, FL

For more information on Pinckney Retreat, contact Marek Polk Realty Group 1-800-207-1910 toll free, or 843-597-7770, or visit www.pinckneyretreatsc.com. For details on East West Communities, visit  www.eastwestcommunities.com.