The developers of Pointe-Marie, a 120-acre Traditional Neighborhood Development on River Road about a quarter of a mile upriver from L’Auberge Casino, have shelved their plans to develop an RV and motorcoach “district” in the rear of the community. Instead, they will develop larger, single-family lots on the site.
Rhaoul Guillaume Sr., who broke ground on Pointe-Marie early last year, says after months of marketing the RV district, it became clear earlier this summer that market demand for the product simply wasn’t there.
“It was market-driven decision,” says Guillaume Sr., who is developing Point-Marie with sons Rhaoul Jr. and Randy. “People wanted bigger lots and bigger homes and we responded accordingly.”
Removal of the RV district will be a significant change to the development. As originally envisioned, the RV district would have comprised 40 acres—about one third—of the TND, with 250 RV lots. The district would have been distinct from the rest of the development, with its own separate entrance and amenities. Some 35 RV lots were to have been developed in phase one.
Those 35 lots have now been reconfigured into 27 estate lots that will range in size from between 6,000 and 8,000 square feet, somewhat larger than the 5,000-square-foot single-family lots in the front of the TND, which is known as The Central Square.
More than 30 single-family lots in The Central Square have been sold to date, and 22 homes have been completed or are nearing completion.
Doing away with the RV district also changes the Guillaume’s business model for Pointe-Marie. The district was originally envisioned as a way to help generate short-term revenue for the TND, as RV pads were available not only for sale but for lease.
But the Guillaumes say they’re confident they’re taking the project in the right direction and that there is demand for the new larger lots they’re now selling.
The Guillaumes acquired the land for Pointe-Marie in 2011 for $4.1 million and spent several years doing market research on what would be best use for the property.
