Courtesy of Cerrone Builders
By Susan Elise Campbell
Cerrone Builders has just broken ground on the model for a new maintenance-free residential development in Queensbury named The Village at Upper Sherman. The custom builders are about a month away from marketing 45 units starting at $550,000, according to Steven Cerrone, one of the company’s three managing partners and who is taking the lead on this project.
“We want to showcase what we do as a premier development company with The Village at Upper Sherman,” said Cerrone.
The Cerrone family built The Village at Sweet Road in Queensbury several years ago and the new project mirrors that concept, he said.
“We like the concept of a village because we are creating a little community where everything is taken care of for you,” said Cerrone. “It’s a place that people can be proud to live in.”
The Village will have a homeowners’ association and monthly fee to maintain the common grounds and each lot’s lawn and landscaping, including mowing, mulching and trimming. Snow removal and trash pick-up are also provided.
The Village will feature a .6-mile walking trail, a community pavilion, and pickleball courts on the grounds.
The 50-acre parcel was purchased four years ago by Cerrone Builders from the City of Glens Falls. The address is Dean Thomas Way, named after Cerrone’s nephew, and now “the Town of Queensbury will have another maintenance-free community for its residents,” Cerrone said.
The acreage was rezoned to accommodate smaller lot sizes. Cerrone said the smallest is .57 acres and some are considerably larger. Some buyers will bring their own blueprints and others will tap into the 800 homes the Cerrone family has built for floor plans or inspiration. The homes will be a minimum of 1,700 square feet.
The award-winning builder has a way of running projects that is different from other developers, according to Cerrone.
“We do things a bit differently and run the jobs ourselves,” he said.
One partner takes the lead in managing the development project. So while Steven Cerrone is overseeing The Village at Upper Sheridan, for example, the other partners may be “finishing up a 35-lot project and a 24-lotter” or drafting proposals for other developments.
“It’s an owner-operated type of a company,” he said. “We don’t have foremen, but we use the same tradesmen, including the framing, electrical, plumbing and heating crews, on all of our projects, large or small.”
“Our carpenters have been with us for more than 30 years and electricians almost 20 years now,” he said.
They always uses local vendors as well, Cerrone said. Cabinets, appliances, lumber and windows are only purchased from businesses that operate out of North Country communities.
“We like to support our local people,” he said.
Another difference is that the Cerrones favor an all-inclusive, up-front price. According to Cerrone, many developers quote a lower base price and upgrades are added in. With their pricing model, customers know from the beginning what they are paying for what they are getting in their new home.
“Clients can be confident in the quality of the materials and workmanship and there is minimal need for upgrades,” Cerrone said.
“The Village is a premier community and we are including a lot in the home as part of the price,” he said. “By giving more up front there is not a lot of back-and-forth between the customer and the builder.”
For example, Cerrone said he is using upgraded moldings and trim and good quality cabinetry to give the home a higher-end appearance while “trying to keep it affordable.”
Cerrone is not targeting a specific market segment, but he said customers tend to be in their 50s, which reflects the generally older demographic in the area.
“The Village will appeal to people who want maintenance-free living and a brand new home, as Queensbury has little potential new construction left,” said Michael Pugh, a real estate broker with Better Way Realty and who has worked with the Cerrone family for 27 years.
“This community would appeal to empty nesters and people who are active but just don’t want to do the maintenance,” said Pugh. “You find this kind of community all around Florida, but there are not a lot of them in Washington, Warren or Saratoga counties.”
The Village at Upper Sherman will offer home buyers a unique, customized single family residence built by one of the area’s leading developers. More details and marketing information will be coming from Better Way Realty or check out www.cerronebuilders.com.