Admar Homes buys Greencastle Greens Golf Club

Greens at Greencastle homeowners relieved

August 13, 2010|By DANA BROWN

GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- Admar Homes purchased the Greencastle Greens Golf Club this week, concluding years of uncertainty for homeowners in their Greens at Greencastle development, who feared the golf course's potential demise.

Admar Homes, the original developer of the Greens at Greencastle, a subdivison adjacent to the golf course, purchased the golf course Tuesday from Greencastle GIBG LLC.

The purchase of the golf course comes after several years of litigation over GIBG's proposed development of the 18-hole golf course into homes. In 2006, GIBG submitted plans for the development to Antrim Township.

Greens at Greencastle LP, a name assumed by Admar Homes, filed a lawsuit to stop the development, claiming a deed restriction required the land must always be used as a golf course. Admar Homes won the lawsuit in federal court. GIBG appealed the ruling in October, but all litigation ceased when both sides indicated their intentions to settle out of court, according to court documents.

The pending litigation and uncertainty of the golf course's future stalled Admar Homes' development of homes at Greens at Greencastle. Admar had developed the first phase of the Fairway at Greencastle Greens, which included 45 lots.

Farhad Memarsadeghi, Admar Homes president and CEO, said his company is in the process of submitting plans for the rest of the property, which will include about 200 single-family homes.

"It's a new milestone for us. We want to assure people that we are going to save the golf course and build our beautiful subdivision around the golf course," Memarsadeghi said. "Now that we own the golf course, we will save the golf course."

Greens at Greencastle homeowner Jim Winslow said, "there's a lot of good things with the sale" of the golf course, including the protection of property values for Greens at Greencastle homeowners.

"I am thankful for a resolution to a longstanding black cloud over everybody who lives here," Winslow said. "It's good for property values."

Tony Rivellino, president of the Greens at Greencastle homeowners association, said residents had been waiting a long time for resolution on the matter.

He said Admar Homes' intention to keep the golf course a golf course was "a relief."

"That's what it was intended to be," Rivellino said. "It's something that benefits the whole community."

Winslow agreed that saving the golf course "adds overall value to the community." He said he didn't want to see Greencastle become "a bedroom community of houses."

"This is a major recreation item for the community," he said.

Greencastle Greens head golf professional Kevin Nazelrod said about 20,000 rounds of golf are played at the course each year. He said he was optimistic about Admar Homes' ownership of the facility, which employs about 36 people.

Memarsadeghi said the management at the golf course would remain the same.

Staff writer Kate Alexander contributed to this story.

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