By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Developer Paul Hollis envisions upscale homes that segue with the surroundings and offer more real estate inventory to the Town of Naples.

Brandy Crossing Subdivision is Hollis’ most recent project, which last month received preliminary approval from the Naples Planning Board. The proposed 17 lots will be located on the land that was formerly Naples Golf Course & Country Club.

“This is a transition,” Hollis said. “It is going from a golf course to a high-end community, and you want to blend things in so nicely that it looks like it belongs there, so that the subdivision belongs in there, so the houses belong.”

“I hope that this will be Naples’ nicest, smallest, high-end subdivision. The entranceway has to be beautiful,” Hollis said.

“When I envision things — the placement of houses, the styles of house, the covenants, the lighting, something as simple as granite mailbox posts — all of those things are so important. It is in the details,” he said.

Now that preliminary approval has been granted, Hollis will nail down the design details and once again appear before the planning board with his final plans.

That could happen later in October or early November.

“The next step is final approval,” he said.

“Part of the final plans process is talking with the neighbors again,” Hollis said. “I am willing to make adjustments with the neighbors. Their opinions are important to me.”

“The key is to positively affect the existing neighborhood. The houses that are there are worth $500,000 on up to $1 million,” he said.

“The houses that will be built there will be $600,000-plus,” he said.

Hollis, who owns Great Lots of Maine, does not build the homes but sells the lots once he has invested in the basic infrastructure such as the roads and the storm water runoff system.

“I don’t build any of the homes. I will build the roadway system and the entryways. I will be delivering it ready to build,” he said.

Hollis does have a hand in the house placement, something he said he planned with a consideration for privacy and the natural surroundings.

“The builders are other people that buy the lots from me,” he said.

Currently, the property is owned by the shareholders of the golf course.

“I don’t own the property yet. I won’t own it until I get approved by the planning board and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP),” he said.

Already, prospective buyers have contacted Great Lots of Maine about these future homes.

“Calls from people who are interested?

Oh, absolutely, yes, some of the lots are already reserved,” Hollis said.

People considering the purchase of a home in Brandy Crossing Subdivision are placed on a list. However, the purchase cannot take place until individual deeds for each lot are recorded with the Registry of Deeds. The golf course land won’t be sold until the planning board approves the plans.

“We hope to submit the final plans in the next couple weeks,” Hollis said.

The covenants paperwork will be a crucial part of the final plan that goes before the board, he said.

“After we purchase the property, we will be starting the roadway system. Yes, we will build the road in the fall. I won’t be paving the roadway until the spring, but I’ll be building it.”

“We have to get approval first, and then start the road,” Hollis said. “My road contractor will build the roadway. We haven’t made the decision about which contractor. We are talking to people we like and trust and do great work.”