Easy access

Grey Goose anticipates Fremont’s growth

By Jennifer Pfaff

Developer Gene Young figures his Grey Goose Landings development is in the perfect spot to take advantage of the first diamond interchange west of the Fox Valley. Image courtesy of NAI MLG COmmercial

Developer Gene Young is always looking for a little edge on the competition.

It's why he builds his condominiums for easy wheelchair access, and it's why he invested in a 126-acre, multiuse development in the town of Fremont.

"The Fremont area is a growing area," said Young, the president of Young Development and Construction Inc., Winneconne. "The [Fox] Valley is moving west. The new Highway 10 gives us a commute time to Appleton of 17 minutes."

Young's development, Grey Goose Landings, encompasses 47 acres of commercial use, multifamily homes, two-family residences, condominiums and a 60-lot, single-family subdivision.

The condominium portion of the development, which is called Pines on Hidden Pond, and the single-family lots offer wooded serenity or waterfront dwellings.

"You don't get a lot of chances to offer that country setting in a place with municipal sewer and water," Young said. "And that's what we have here."

Bordered by three highways, the development struggled a bit to work out access issues with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, but it has otherwise experienced few obstacles, he said. In fact, the new Highway 10, which connects Appleton and Waupaca, was a major influence on the development's layout and composition.

"Good planning has brought things to life," said Dick Eiberger, town of Fremont zoning administrator and member of the Plan Commission. "When a new highway comes through, the old downtowns aren't where the growth occurs anymore."

Grey Goose Landings takes advantage of the first diamond interchange west of the Fox Valley, a natural location for a commercial hub, Young said.

The multifamily units serve as a buffer for the single-family and condo lots, and the residents will likely benefit from the nearby services, which range from a gas station to a medical center.

The Pines on Hidden Pond reflects a commitment to usability that today's condo buyers demand, Young said. Each of the 36 units meets Americans with Disabilities Act construction standards. The units are without steps, feature doorways wide enough to accommodate wheelchair use and provide handrails and other elements to aid those who might have mobility difficulties.

"It's more user-friendly," he said. "Society is aging, and this allows people to stay in their homes if they do need to use a wheelchair. There is an additional cost to building that way, but people are willing to pay for it."

The entire project is outfitted with curb and gutter and is served by the first gravity sewer system in the Wolf River Sanitary District.

"That really helped us control our costs," Young said. "And we installed a high-capacity storm-sewer system, so you can use the entire lot."

The single-family lots measure about 15,000 square feet and are selling for between $26,000 and $32,000.