White Lake will soon have a new lakefront development that is the first of its kind to come to the growing resort town.

Called Nathan's Cove, the development will consist of 39 townhouses to be built in four phases on the south shore of the lake on NC 53, between the FFA Camp and Camp Clearwater. Though there are a number of condominiums around the lake, none are similar to the above-ground-level townhouses in the new development.

According to Dean Hilton of Hilton Auction and Realty, the development will consist of three-bedroom, two full bath, 1,600-square-foot townhouses with parking underneath in a private gated community with lakefront access and sundecks overlooking the lake. It will also have a beach volleyball court.

Nathan's Cove, LLC, is the development corporation and Hilton's Auction and Realty will handle sales and promotion of the development. Design and engineering is being handled by Cruse and Associates of Dunn.

The development is named for Nathan Harris, who was killed along with his wife and children in a plane crash in March 2003. He was the son of developer Oscar Harris of Dunn, a prominent CPA and businessman from Dunn.

"It was Nathan's dream to develop this property and we were in the process of planning the development at the time of his death," said Harris.

"He (Nathan) grew up at the lake and at a very young age fell in love with the lake and its people," he said. "While in high school, he worked with John Womble. He also met his wife, Lisa, at the lake and proposed to her there. After they married, they moved over to Turtle Cove. He continued to be involved with the people around the lake until his death.

"In 1992 he started BTC contract services with his partner, Tracy Trivette, and the company is now a national government service contractor in the landscape and security services business," said Harris.

"We thought it would be very appropriate to name the development for him, because of his love for White Lake and its people."

The street name in the development is Precious Memories Lane, named in memory of the Harris children, Susanna and Trey. Another street is named for their mother, Lisa Harris, said Hilton.

Construction site work on the development is scheduled to begin around September 1, with actual construction slated to begin on January 15, 2006, after sewer and water lines are installed. The target completion date of the first phase of the development is July 2006, with completion of all phases to be completed by January 2007.

Hilton said that ground maintenance will be one of the amenities included in the project.

He said he has enjoyed excellent support from town officials in getting the permits in place and other regulatory actions needed to get underway.

"We are especially grateful to Tim Frush, Brenda Clark and Dale Brennan, along with Mayor Goldston Womble and the other members of the White Lake Town Council for their support and cooperation in getting the project approved and off the ground," said Hilton.

For information on the development, call Hilton Auction & Realty in Elizabethtown at 862-4549 or go to the website www.Hilton-Realty.com after September 15.

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