Forino Co.
Eases into Role as New Owner of Prestigious Coosaw Point Development
Sometimes it’s hard to be the new kid on the block. But when residents welcome you with open arms, your job becomes a whole lot easier.
In the first six months since Forino Co. took over as the new developer of Coosaw Point, a 400-acre luxury-style community located along the Coosaw River, the development’s 180 residents have enthusiastically welcomed the shift.
“Everything is going according to plan,” said Forino Co. President John Smith. “The residents have embraced the change and we’ve embraced them.”
At the development’s annual meeting in May, residents voiced their concerns and suggestions and Forino went to work implementing their ideas. To demonstrate their commitment to the residents, Forino hired a full-time, on-site staff member to deliver the same attention and service that they were used to receiving.
“We want to make sure that their questions and concerns are addressed immediately,” Smith said. “Having someone there 24/7 means that we always keep those lines of communication open.”
Residents also wanted to form several committees to enhance the community. These committees included a welcoming committee, a grounds committee, and an events committee. The events committee has been very active scheduling events, such as Whisky Wednesday, oyster roasts, shrimp boils, and pool parties at The River Club — an 8,000-square-foot recreation facility with a junior-Olympic-sized pool and fitness room offering incredible views overlooking the Coosaw River.
“They are a tremendously active community,” Smith said. “They pride themselves on making sure there are activities all the time. It’s amazing how they all really get along.”
Forino also assembled a builders’ guild to maintain the reliability of quality construction Coosaw Point residents expect. The builders’ guild includes Gallant Homes, Meritus Signature Homes, Summerall Custom Construction, and Eclipse. Altogether, the builders are developing 17 new lots with a total of 60 expected in the next 12 months.
“Coosaw Point is a unique development in a beautiful setting with wonderful people,” Smith said. “It just needed some fresh blood and a fresh inflow of cash to reenergize the development and fulfill the original vision.”
Coosaw Point includes more than 60 already-developed lots ready for new-home construction, and 180 undeveloped lots for future development. It is Forino’s largest, most upscale development in South Carolina.
For more than 40 years, the Forino Co. has developed a diverse portfolio in quality construction, home building, and development in both Pennsylvania and South Carolina, including developing projects in Ridgeland, South Carolina over the last decade. The company’s newest development, Academy Park, is their first project in Beaufort, South Carolina. Academy Park has already welcomed its first two residents and four more speculative homes are under construction. Forino’s current and future development projects in the Beaufort/Jasper counties over the next several years will total more than $300 million in their project development plan, featuring more than 2,400 homesites.
Coosaw Point’s on-site sales center is staffed with knowledgeable and experienced sales associates seven days a week to assist prospective home buyers and residents. The Forino Co. selected Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group, the largest real estate firm serving both the South Carolina Lowcountry and Coastal Georgia, to serve as its local real estate brokerage.
“Lots of people are eager to get into a new home right now,” said Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group managing Broker-in-Charge Ken WIllis, “But when you’ve got an innovative, community-centered development like Coosaw Point with its gorgeous views and friendly neighbors, it’s not a hard sell at all.”
To purchase a property in Coosaw Point, contact the on-site Coosaw Point Sales Team at the Welcome Center at the entrance of Coosaw Point. For more details about Forino Co., visit www.forino.com. For more information about Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group, visit www.baystreetrealtygroup.com.
