Gonzales city officials joined real estate developers and brokers in breaking ground today on Conway, a planned $325 million mixed-use lifestyle community believed to be one of the largest in Gonzales, if not Ascension Parish.
Developed by Southern Lifestyle Development and developer Robert Daigle, Conway, located off La. 44, will have 1,000 single-family homes, 500 apartments and 200,000 square feet of commercial space on 356 acres. The community also will have lakes, jogging trails, a clubhouse and town square.
“We are expecting over 3,500 people to live in the development once it’s fully constructed,”says Prescott Bailey, Southern Lifestyle Development area president.
He also says 237 of the 342 single-family lots in phase one are under contract with homeowners and builders. Conway is expected to be an 8- to 10-year project, Bailey says. The groundbreaking held this morning ushered in the construction of phase one, which is expected to be complete in mid-2017.
Not only have homeowners and builders started committing to the project, Bailey says two restaurants also are planning to move into Conway. One of the restaurants is a wine bistro called Pour, and the other is an Italian restaurant called Romacelli.
Bailey says two commercial offices on the front of La. 44 are under design. CJ Brown REALTORS, the broker for the community, also will have an office at Conway. Richard Haase, president of Latter & Blum Inc., says CJ Brown was selected to be the community’s broker last fall. Latter & Blum is the parent company of CJ Brown.
Haase, who was present at the groundbreaking, says CJ Brown has been charged with putting together a sales and marketing plan for Conway. A mix of traditional and nontraditional advertising, including outdoor and digital advertising, will be deployed to market the community.
“As you’re approaching (La.) 44, you’ll see a billboard out there talking about Conway,” Haase says.
He adds that Conway will be a beautiful community that will change the face of Ascension Parish. And despite its size, Haase says the development will not be isolated.
“It certainly will feel like you’re in a community,” Haase says.
—Alexandria Burris
