JACKSONVILLE — A long underused residential parcel is about to become a farm-themed housing development in the heart of this historic town.

Developers of a $12.2 million planned community known as The Farms of Jacksonville, will break ground this month on nearly four acres bordered by Hueners Lane and G Street.

The development will include 46 townhouses and outdoor common areas portraying a modern translation of a traditional farm.

Jacksonville native Brendan McDermott, co-founder and chief executive officer of Sebren Development in Los Angeles, says the project will both fulfill a personal goal and add a new dimension to a town that boasts Nunan Square, Pheasant Meadows and Pioneer Retirement Community among its neighborhoods.

"We thought ‘Let’s just not build units so we can make money,’ " McDermott said. "We wanted to create something different for Southern Oregon; a higher-end complex. Jacksonville can support something like that. This is a place where people can retire and they won’t have to maintain a yard. They can walk to the market, downtown and Britt."

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Previous attempts to develop the area ran afoul of City Hall, so Sebren approached the project from a novel perspective, taking into account the property’s historical function and green space.

"We knew there were a couple of hurdles and that the approval process can be very complicated," McDermott said. "We weren’t interested in getting into an uphill battle, so we met with (City Planner) Scott Clay and (Administrator) Paul Wyntergreen to talk about our goals."

By the time Sebren Development acquired the property from Central Point developer Tom Malot for $1.8 million in December, it was clear the city didn’t want to replicate Nunan Square.

After meeting with neighbors and discovering that runoff from winter rain was a critical issue. Sebren moved forward and easily won approval of the planning commission and City Council. Last July, the city vacated Sprague Street — which existed on maps for more than 100 years, but never in reality.

Although prices have yet to be set for the 1,400-square-foot units, with two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, they will reflect Jacksonville’s median housing, rivaling Ashland’s prices.

Listing agent Doug Morse of Coldwell Banker Pro West Real Estate all but 11 of the units have been reserved.

"I think there is a demand for a community like this where people feel like they’re in an upper-scale area," Morse said. "It’s the perfect place for those with a second home or wanting to scale down."

Eric Artner Construction will build the complex designed by architect Matt Small. McDermott’s mother, Carol Lowenberg, a partner in the design firm Penwell & Lowenberg Design, handled the interior design.

McDermott said each cluster of townhomes is designed to look like a main house, a barn and outbuildings. The existing home on the property is presently serving as the sales office and will be converted into a common area once sales are completed.

Homeowners’ privacy will be maintained by the trees lining the courtyard in the center of the homes. The courtyard will include a planter that looks like a water trough and the main water feature is modeled after an earthen barn ramp. All the homes have front porches and two-car garages behind the homes, with picket fences decorating the fronts of several of the homes.

McDermott and New York native Sebastian Rein, both 32, co-founded Sebren Development, which rehabilitates and restores apartment complexes. They control close to $55 million worth of assets and manage another $24 million in property. An office staff of 12 and about 50 full-time employees handle plumbing, electrical and renovation chores on close to 600 units in 13 buildings.

But McDermott has long wanted to build something from the ground up and determined his intimate knowledge of Jackson County made it the right place for such a project.

"It’s a pretty competitive marketplace down here," said Monday. "I wanted to be in the Rogue Valley where I have close relationships and feel comfortable. Los Angeles is so cut-throat that there is always the danger of a contractor walking."

Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail business@mailtribune.com.