THE COLONY · The Colony as a Retirement Place ... The Retirement Systems of Alabama ... those who...

T H E C O L O N YA T T H E G R A N D

b y D r . M a r k F a g a n

The Grand Hotel and The Lakewood Club

Bayview II at The Colony at the Grand

Table of Contents

Overview of This Booklet ................................................................................................. 1

The Colony as a Retirement Place ................................................................................... 1

The Colony Description and Location............................................................................. 2Fairhope and Point Clear ............................................................................................................ 2

Overview of The Colony .................................................................................................. 7The Retirement Systems of Alabama ..................................................................................... 7PCH Hotels and Resorts (PCH) ................................................................................................. 7Stuart Contracting ........................................................................................................................ 8Daniel Homes, LLC ........................................................................................................................ 8Summary .......................................................................................................................................... 8

The Marriott Grand Hotel (the Grand) ............................................................................ 8Current Renovations at the Grand .......................................................................................... 9Awards ............................................................................................................................................10The Lakewood Club ..................................................................................................................... 12

Lakewood Golf Courses .................................................................................................. 12Dogwood Course ......................................................................................................................... 12Azalea Course ............................................................................................................................... 12The Grand Golf Experience at Lakewood ............................................................................ 12Planned Renovations for Dogwood and Azalea Golf Courses ............................................................................................................ 13Lakewood Aquatics, Tennis, and Fitness Center ...............................................................14The Lakewood Club Membership Fees .................................................................................14

Housing at The Colony at The Grand .............................................................................14Phase I .............................................................................................................................................14Phase II ............................................................................................................................................16Phase III ........................................................................................................................................... 17Phase IV ..........................................................................................................................................18Awards for Battles Trace ...........................................................................................................18

History of The Grand Hotel, The Lakewood Club, and The Colony .............................................................................................................. 22

RSA’s Investment in The Grand Hotel ..................................................................................24

History of The Lakewood Club ...................................................................................... 26History of the Two Golf Courses ............................................................................................26Golf Course Renovations by RSA .......................................................................................... 27The Lakewood Club Aquatics, Tennis, and Fitness Center ......................................................................................................................28History of Housing at Lakewood ............................................................................................28

History of The Colony at The Grand .............................................................................. 29

Sales for Bayview II, Watershed, Battles, Trace, and Azalea .......................................................................................................... 30

T H E C O L O N Y A T T H E G R A N D 1

Overview of This Booklet

This booklet provides detailed information about The Colony at The Grand, The Marriott Grand Hotel and Spa, and The Lakewood Club. These three entities are owned by The Retirement Systems of Alabama and are con-nected as a planned, mixed-use development in Point Clear, Alabama.

The first section covers what it is like to retire at The Colony (residential component). It is written from my personal perspective and focuses on the factors important to retirees.

The second section provides a complete description of the housing options, costs, and fees at The Colony. There is also detailed infor-mation about The Grand Hotel and Lakewood Club (recreational amenities).

The final section provides an historical background of the area. It also includes a recent chronology for the development of The Colony.

The Colony as a Retirement Place

I have been researching and writing about retirees and retirement places for over 30 years. I have been visiting the Alabama coast for 50 years. I first wrote about Fairhope as a retirement area in 1989.

Retirees generally want a moderate climate; quieter, safer, less crowded areas, quality housing at reasonable prices; sufficient, eas-ily-accessible healthcare; nearby commercial goods and services; ample outdoor and cul-tural recreation; good air transportation; and beautiful scenery.

There are four distinct seasons on The Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. The winters are mild with very little frosting and the summers are warm. The bay effect, with its warmer water than air in the winter, keeps it warmer. The bay effect, with its cooler water than air in the summer, keeps it cooler and provides

a nice breeze which makes it enjoyable when sitting in the shade.

Warm weather begins in the middle of February. The temperatures steadily rise until July and August, the hottest period. September begins the cooler days and nights as the warm sunny days continue until Christmas. In January, the days get colder until the middle of February, when the warmer cycle begins again. The fall and spring temperatures com-pare favorably with comfortable temperatures anywhere on the planet.

The weather and natural beauty from the surrounding water coupled with the lush greenery and blooming flowers contribute to great opportunities for outdoor activities. Golf can be played year-round along with walking and fishing.

Housing at The Colony enhances the oppor-tunities for physical and social activities. The condos in Bayview II free residents from lawn/landscaping maintenance, gutter cleaning, out-door painting, and other structural mainte-nance. The houses in Battles Trace, Watershed, and Azalea provide yards for individualized landscaping. The property gates yield extra safety for walking and outdoor activities.

The feel of community is strong among Colony residents. The terrace at Bayview II is a common space with a complete view of the bay. Neighbors support each other with pet care and personal assistance along with other needs such as collecting mail and watching units when people travel.

The HOA fee at Bayview II mostly covers the building insurance and landscaping. These fees are offset with no cost for homeowner’s insur-ance, flood or wind insurance, maintenance expenses, and security system fees. The HOA fee at Battles Trace covers the common space maintenance and The Lakewood Club monthly dues.

Sweetwater Lake provides great ambiance for walking, biking, fishing, and paddle-boat-

T H E C O L O N Y A T T H E G R A N D

T H E C O L O N Y A T T H E G R A N D2

ing. The Aquatics, Tennis, and Fitness Center is only a short walk away and provides many options for physical exercise. The indoor and outdoor pools and exercise equipment at the adjacent Grand Hotel provide a change in scen-ery for exercising and relaxation by the bay.

The aquatics center provides a safe area for grandchildren to play. Many retirees in The Colony think the slide, geysers, water cannons, and lazy river are more fun and much safer than beach swimming. Easy supervision of the children adds to the relaxation for the adults.

Two distinct golf courses provide easy access to great golf. The Experience is an exceptional place to practice all aspects of golf and to visit with friends.

The Grand Hotel makes for afternoon walks on the bay with lovely sunsets. It also provides history and elegance through its nice restau-rants. Visitors of Colony residents can stay only minutes away at the hotel. The spa offers many options for massages and treatments.

Social activities begin at The Colony and span out to The Lakewood Club and Grand Hotel. Fairhope has churches, clubs, museums, parks, libraries, festivals, and classes for social interaction. The Eastern Shore Newcomers Association welcomes new residents to the area through its many organized activities.

Thomas Hospital is only minutes away and has exceptional facilities with a very friendly staff. Excellent physicians, dentists, and eye care professionals, including specialists are located minutes away. Mobile and Pensacola provide sub-specialties if referrals are needed.

Downtown Fairhope is only two miles north on Section Street. All sorts of commercial outlets are only a few minutes away on US 98. Downtown Mobile is 30 minutes away with major shopping centers in Daphne and Spanish Fort even closer.

Gulf Beaches are 30 minutes away. Bon Secour Bay, Weeks Bay, Fish River, Bon Secour River, and Magnolia River are less than 30 minutes.

Commercial air transportation is less than an hour away in Pensacola and Mobile. Fairhope has an executive airport for small jets and planes.

The Colony provides the opportunity for an active physical and social lifestyle which promotes physical and emotional health. Many residents are finding fulfillment at this prop-erty. I rate The Colony high on each of the fac-tors established as important to retirees.

The Colony Description and Location

The Colony at The Grand (The Colony) is the residential component of a 734-acre mixed-use development at Point Clear, Alabama. It overlooks Mobile Bay from Scenic Highway 98 in Baldwin County just south of Fairhope, southeast of Mobile, west of Pensacola and 30 minutes from the Alabama Gulf Coast.

FAIRHOPE AND POINT CLEAR

Incorporated in 1908, Fairhope is located just south of Daphne on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. It has been recognized by many publications as a great place to live and retire. The downtown shopping village with its exqui-site cuisine and municipal pier overlooks a sweeping expanse of the bay. The beach prop-erty and land on each side of the city pier is used as municipal parks. Additional commer-cial centers lie on the east side of town. Point Clear adjoins Fairhope to the south.

Fairhope, Alabama


The Eastern Shore (of Mobile Bay) has gen-tly rolling hills and low rounded hills in the northern part and nearly level terrain in the southern part. Woods, creeks, bays, lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico’s sugar-white sandy beach-es compose the environment of the Eastern Shore. Brilliant green foliage, deeply wooded trails, varieties of flora and birds, tree-lined roads, wondrous sunrises and sunsets, and star-filled skies all contribute to the ambience of this luxurious setting.

There is an estuarine (hybrid composed of both saltwater and freshwater) environment with a complex ecosystem of varied plant and animal components constantly interacting to produce food and habitat for fish and wild-life. Green fields of corn, pecan orchards, tall stands of evergreens, enormous green oaks, and tendrils of gray Spanish moss are every-where.

The 1920’s through the 1940’s saw Fairhope growing as a mecca for writers. The city began its annual arts and crafts festival in the early 1950’s, which attracted artists and craftsmen

to its shores. Many of them stayed, adding to the creative atmosphere found in Fairhope.

The rates for violent and property crime are below the state and the national averages. The roads are in good condition and many have curbs and gutters. The cost of living compares favorably to national averages. The area is relatively pollution free and the drinking water comes from fresh sources.

Fairhope has a full-time horticulturist that directs city beautification. The streets are lined with trees and flowers. On a recent spring weekend, red, white and blue salvia, tulips, and stargazer Easter lilies decorated downtown streets. Historic oaks, swathed in Spanish moss, are found in parks that line the bay front. A quarter-mile-long pier stretches into the water.

Trees on The Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay

Fairhope City Pier


Many areas are used for nature walking as this activity becomes more popular. The annu-al Arts and Crafts Festival in Fairhope attracts thousands of people for the three-day event. Artists come from all over the nation to display both fine arts and crafts.

The Alabama Gulf Coast area has many golf courses, numerous swimming pools, tennis courts, bowling lanes, parks, horseback rid-ing, skeet shooting, fresh water and deep sea fishing. There are also theaters, museums, art galleries, and automobile and greyhound race tracks within minutes of Fairhope. The pro-gram of fine arts offered in the area includes opera, jazz, ballet, visual arts, theatre, and handicrafts.

Sailing and boating enthusiasts can visit the same coves and inlets, lagoons, and bays and waterways into which the fishers drop their lines and nets. Just as charter boats are avail-able for fishers’ use, so are sailing charters to those who long to feel the breeze as they skim across the water. There are day boats carrying six or less; boats for overnight trips; two- or three- day trips; boats for group fishing; and off-shore billfishing.

The Eastern Shore Art Academy in Fairhope conducts advanced classes in painting, sculp-ture, drawing, pottery, and weaving. There are branch campuses of the University of South Alabama and Coastal Alabama Community

Downtown Fairhope

Fairhope City Park

Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival

Sunset from Fairhope Pier


College. Spring Hill College, Mobile College, and Bishop State Junior College in Mobile are all relatively close and constantly offer courses of interest for lifetime learners. The Eastern Shore Institute for Lifelong Learning offers non-credit classes on subjects such as arts, literature, science, hobbies, languages, and cooking.

There is a well-organized travel club entitled Baldwin Senior Travel. This group has several hundred members and they make frequent low cost trips for one day to two weeks to desti-nations all over. There are also many dinner clubs, book clubs, and other organizations for seniors.

Jubilees involve swarms of people carrying flounder lanterns, gigs, nets, basins, and wash-tubs to gather in long lines of crabs scrambling onto the shore, hundreds of flounder at the edge of the water, dozens of catfish a few feet away, and pounds of shrimp out a few feet fur-ther. It is thought by many that Jubilees of this magnitude occur only two places in the world; Tokyo Bay, Japan and Mobile Bay. Jubilees are the result of a lack of oxygen in the water and the affected fish and shellfish cannot carry out

normal muscular activities, such as swimming, so they move slowly to the surface to reach oxygen. No one knows when or where on the bay the next jubilee will occur but they happen a few times each year and can last for 30 min-utes to a few hours.

Mobile, across the bay from Fairhope, offers all the attractions of larger cities. Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Foley are an easy drive and only minutes away. Air transporta-tion is easily accessed in Mobile and Pensacola just off I-10. Carnival operates a cruise ship out of the Mobile terminal.

Jubilee

Mobile from RSA Trustmark Building


Regional hospitals and medical sub-spe-cialties are located 30 minutes away in either Mobile, Alabama or Pensacola, Florida. Attended-living, assisted-living, and skilled nursing care is available in the Fairhope area.

For more than 50 years, Fairhope’s Thomas Hospital has become a 162-bed state-of-the-art facility that provides services ranging from robotics, orthopedic and open heart surgery to cardiac rehab, pediatric therapy and outpatient surgery. Thomas Hospital has been named as one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation by Women’s Choice for patient experience. It has received numerous other awards including a 4-star rating, top 34 hospital for hip replace-ment, Blue Cross Blue Shield distinction awards for maternity and knee and hip replace-

ment, top 100 Cardiovascular Hospitals for four consecutive years by Thomson Reuters, and the Vizient Bright Ideas award for Cardiac Stat.

Thomas Hospital employs 1,100 staff, includ-ing over 200 physicians. It is the only hospital in Baldwin County with an open-heart surgery program and full-service electrophysiology program. Thomas Hospital has a state-of-the-art birth center, as well as radiology, endos-copy, and inpatient and outpatient medical centers. Cardiology and oncology treatment is provided through clinics with sophisticated technology that is second to none.

RSA Battle House Tower and Renaissance Hotel


Overview of The Colony

In addition to The Colony, this resort/com-munity includes The Grand Hotel with its 405 guest rooms, conference center, and spa. It also includes The Lakewood Club, a private club with two 18-hole golf courses and an aquatics, fitness, and tennis complex. The entire devel-opment is owned by The Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA).

The Colony has single-family condominiums and housing lots. The Colony is divided into the Bayview II condo building and the single-fami-ly housing lots at Watershed North, Watershed South, Battles Trace, and Azalea. These resi-dences are adjacent to the recreational/social amenities of The Lakewood Club.

THE RETIREMENT SYSTEMS OF ALABAMA

RSA oversees the pension funds for all Alabama state employees, public education employees, and judges. At the end of 2015, there were 344,986 active and retired members in RSA. Dr. David G. Bronner has been the CEO of RSA since 1973.

For fiscal year 2015, RSA managed 23 funds with aggregate assets of approximately $36.6 billion. RSA’s investments include: 65 percent in stock markets in the U.S. and 24 other coun-tries; 25 percent in fixed income securities such as publicly issued bonds and mortgages; and 10 percent in Alabama, primarily real estate. RSA has office buildings in Montgomery and Mobile, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (26 golf courses and 8 resort hotels), and other industries. RSA has $3 billion dollars in media companies; Raycom television stations and CNHI (community newspapers).

RSA began investing in this Point Clear resort in 1999 with the purchase of The Grand Hotel and The Lakewood Club. RSA totally refurbished the hotel, two golf courses, and golf clubhouse. RSA constructed The Lakewood Club’s aquatics, tennis, and fitness center. In 2004, RSA and the Daniel Corporation began development of The Colony.

RSA’s Real Estate Division now manages The Colony with Joe Toole and Steve Timms as the top administrators. RSA also owns residential property around Grand National in Opelika-Auburn on the RTJ Golf Trail and has been developing the adjacent National Village (700-acre resort community) since 2006.

PCH HOTELS AND RESORTS (PCH)

PCH was formed to develop and manage hotels associated with the RTJ Golf Trail. In 1999, PCH borrowed money from RSA to purchase The Grand Hotel. The Battle House Hotel in Mobile was purchased by RSA on October 23, 2002. The Lodge at Grand National in Opelika was constructed in 2002. The Legends Hotel and Conference Center at Capitol Hill was

Land Plan for Colony at The Grand


purchased. The Riverview Hotel in Mobile was purchased on July 14, 2004. Construction of the Shoals Hotel in Florence began in 2003. Construction of the Ross Bridge Hotel in Hoover was completed in 2005. The Montgomery Renaissance Hotel was finished in 2008.

RSA took transfer of the above hotel proper-ties from PCH through a deed in lieu of fore-closure in 2006. The same year, PCH received a contract from RSA for a management agree-ment for these hotel/resort properties. PCH, therefore, manages The Grand Hotel, The Lakewood Club, and the Bayview II building as well as the HOAs for the housing compo-nents at The Colony at The Grand. The two golf courses at The Lakewood Club are marketed as part of the RTJ Golf Trail.

STUART CONTRACTING

Stuart is partnering with RSA to develop Watershed South and Battles Trace. The com-pany was founded in 1950 and has managed projects across the southeast. Its focus is now in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Past projects include condos in Orange Beach, schools, gov-ernment buildings, and cottages. Tom Mitchell is president, Bill Mitchell is vice president, and Jennifer Mitchell is construction manager.

DANIEL HOMES, LLC

Daniel Homes, (dba The Colony at The Grand Realty), manages the real estate sales at The Colony. They are involved in all aspects of the new home marketing process from pre-development and consulting to the closing of the last homeowner. For over 37 years, they have worked in new Alabama home commu-nities in Huntsville, Birmingham, Smith Lake, Montgomery, Opelika, and Fairhope along with Destin, Florida. Ingram & Associates handle sales with Margi Ingram as president, Deborah Rogers as broker, and Dale Barker as agent.

This marketing team has won numer-ous awards for their builders and develop-ers. Some of those awards are “Best New Home Community in America,” “Best Outdoor

Space,” and Best Design on the Boards.” These are all Gold Awards received from the National Sales and Marketing Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and are the only Gold Awards won by any Alabama firm. Numerous Silver Awards have been received from the NAHB, as well as yearly local homebuilder Parade of Homes’ Awards.

SUMMARY

The addition of The Colony as a residential development was a logical extension for RSA’s mixed-use property in Point Clear. The Grand Hotel and The Lakewood Club bring visitors to the property who might enjoy a residence on the property. The amenities of the bay, Fairhope, The Grand Hotel, and The Lakewood Club increase the value for the residential com-ponent.

The Marriott Grand Hotel (the Grand)

A modest hotel or group of cottages has been on the current property since 1820. The hotel has had many owners and has been destroyed several times by fire and storms. The property has evolved to its present status after many renovations and additions.

As of 2017, the Grand has 405 guest rooms with 34 suites, the Grand Dining Room, the Saltwater Grill, the Pelican’s Nest, Grand Coffee Shoppe, Bucky’s Birdcage Lounge, Blue Marlin Bar, Sweetwater Café, 37,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 20,000 square feet European Spa. The conference space includes 23 meeting rooms and the 9,750-square-foot Grand Ballroom with beachfront patio, the 5,000-square-foot Azalea Ballroom, and the 4,473-square-foot Magnolia Ballroom.


The main building contains 40 guest rooms, lobby, two restaurants, lounge, and two meet-ing rooms upstairs, the circular scout lounge and the card room. This building has exposed beams and hardwood floors. Another 365 rooms are contained in four other buildings—the Marina, the Spa, the North Bay House, and the South Bay House.

The Grand also has a fitness center, feature pool, adult pool, waterfalls, geysers, fountains, water slide, Swiss Family Robinson tree house, indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, poolside bar and grill, a 37-slip marina, fishing pier with cane poles and bait, private sand beaches, ham-mocks, fire pits, and jogging paths. Available for guest use are bicycles, sailboats, charter yachts, kayaks, wave runners, children’s play-

ground, horseshoes, croquet, beach volleyball, ping pong, croquet, horseshoes, and putting green.

The 20,000 square-foot European Spa has a quiet room, steam room, sauna, hot tub, and hair and nail salon. Services include body scrubs and wraps, facials, fitness counseling, manicures, pedicures, massages, paraffin hand treatments, and waxing.

Each afternoon at 4 pm, a Civil War-era cannon is fired to salute today’s military and those who have passed through this historic hotel over the years. A procession around the grounds concludes with the cannon firing and complimentary tea and cookies.

CURRENT RENOVATIONS AT THE GRAND

By spring of 2018, every room at the Grand will have a new look, and the hotel will become part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The $32 million renovation will allow this hotel to become one of only 100 independent-style properties worldwide. It will join the Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook as the second Alabama hotel in the Autograph Collection.

Every building at the hotel and will get a complete makeover. The 23 different room types will morph into three basic room designs. The South Bay Building, North Bay Building, and Marina Buildings have been gutted down

Grand Hotel looking East from Mobile Bay

Marina

Beach, Volleyball,

& Tetherball

Towel Hut,Bikes, Sailboats,

& Kayaks

Feature Pool& Hot Tub Adult Pool

& Hot Tub

MobileBay

North Bay House

Blue Marlin &Pelican’s Nest Tom

SawyersPlayground

Lagoon

SpaBuilding

Event Parking

Lakewood Golf Club,Driving Range & Pro Shop

ValetParking

ValetParking

Ballrooms

South BayHouse

CannonHorseshoes

The Dining Room, Saltwater Grill &

Grand Steakhouse,

Main Building.Registration,Resort Shop

Bellstand

Fishing Pier

Marina Building

MainEntrance

CroquetLawn

Chef’sGarden

Putting Green

JulepPoint

GrandLawn

Cascades

Mobile Bay

SpaLawn

Indoor Pool,Spa, Salon,

Fitness Center,Spa Boutique Lagoon Lawn

Bucky’s Birdcage

Map of The Grand Hotel


to the concrete walls. The Spa Building and Main Building will be totally redecorated. The 37,000-square-foot conference center will also be renovated to update its features. The pub-lic spaces and outdoor spaces will also be improved.

Rooms with two double beds are being replaced by two queen-size beds, and those rooms will have a tub to accommodate the needs of families. King rooms will have walk-in showers with queen-size sleeper sofas. The rooms will have a sectional sofa that folds out into a queen-size bed, a desk and chair, an armoire that will hold the mini-refrigerator, stylish lamps, a flat-screen TV, and charging stations on both sides of the bed.

AWARDS

The Marriott Grand Hotel Resort and Spa, has evolved over the years into a quality full-service resort. Its components have received many awards, including this sampling of rank-ings:

• Top 20 resorts in the South and Top 125 Resorts in the World by Condé Nast Traveler magazine;

• 2011 List of the Premier Resorts in Golf magazine;

• Top 3 Resorts in the Marriott chain worldwide since 2009;

• Number 3 Spa worldwide by Marriott;• Top 500 Hotels in the World in the

January 2011 issue of Travel and Leisure magazine;

• Number 31 on the 50 Best Resorts in America and Canada in Travel and Leisure magazine in 2010;

• 4-Diamond Award by AAA for the hotel and Grand Dining Room;

• No. 1 in Alabama by U.S. News & World Report;

• Top Spa of 2013 and a Top Resort by Condé Nast Traveler

• 2013 Wine Spectator Award;

New Room at South Bay House


Dogwood #10

Dogwood #18


• Historic Hotel of the Year Award by Historic Hotels of America;

• One of the Top 5 Resorts in the Nation by Southern Living;

• Number 15 for Marriott hotels in North and South America for Guest Satisfaction, January 2017

THE LAKEWOOD CLUB

Established in 1947, The Lakewood Club has been Baldwin County’s premier golf club for more than 65 years. It is a private club with two 18-hole golf courses and an aquatics, ten-nis, and fitness complex. The golf courses, with their own clubhouse, are located east of Scenic Highway 98 across from the Grand Hotel. The aquatics, tennis, and fitness center are located across from the Azalea Course on Battles Road.

On a daily basis, one of the two courses is only for members of The Lakewood

Club and the other course is for guests at the Grand Hotel and holders of the RTJ Golf Trail Cards. The Lakewood Club had 650 golf mem-bers and 600 social, swim, and tennis members as of February 2017.

Lakewood Golf Courses

The first 18 golf holes opened in 1947. Nine more holes were added in 1967 and a final nine holes were added in 1986. There are 10 water features over the span of the 36 holes. There is a golf clubhouse, practice range, two putting greens, bar and grill, maintenance shed, and cart shed located on the golf course property.

One 18-hole course is called the Dogwood Course and the other 18-hole course is called the Azalea Course. The courses play through creeks, ponds, pine trees, and 200-year old live oak trees with Spanish moss. The Dogwood Course was ranked Number 35 for Women by Golf Digest magazine.

DOGWOOD COURSE

The Dogwood Course plays 7,063 yards from the back tees and 5,267 yards from the front tees. It is probably the more difficult of the two because of its tighter fairways. It also has larger greens than the Azalea Course. The front nine ends at the clubhouse and the back nine starts from the clubhouse.

AZALEA COURSE

This course plays 7,504 yards from the back tees and 5,431 yards from the front tees. It has wider landing areas and smaller greens that the Dogwood

Course. It is a links layout and does not go back to the clubhouse after hole number nine. Hole number 14 has a 10,000-square-foot island green surrounded by a four-acre lake.

THE GRAND GOLF EXPERIENCE AT LAKEWOOD

October 2016 brought the opening of “The Experience,” a new state of the art practice facility that is a $1.3 million-dollar renova-tion of the existing driving range. There are three acres of tee surface, 18,000 square feet of USGA Tifeagle greens surfaces, uneven lie area, club fitting and advanced teaching technology, two-acre short game area, and a 1,500-square foot range house (The Caddy Shack) with refreshment bar.

Azalea #1


The Experience features private lessons (swing, putting, short game), junior clinics, league clinics, and skills challenges. It offers family-oriented activities, USB ports in the golf carts, Wi-Fi in the range house, lights, and a gas fire-pit.

PLANNED RENOVATIONS FOR DOGWOOD AND AZALEA GOLF COURSES

Beginning in May 2017, the Dogwood course will close for a total renovation. This will include: new Tifeagle grass on the greens, bunker refurbishment and redesign, bridge improvement, drainage improvement, redesign of selected holes, and renewal of hazards.

Total renovation of the Azalea Course will begin in May of 2018. It will include the same refurbishing and updating as the Dogwood course. These renovations could cost between $8 million and $10 million dollars.

The Experience Hitting Area and Caddy Shack

The Experience Putting and Chipping Area

The Lakewood Club Aquatics, Tennis, and Fitness Center and Sweetwater Cafe


LAKEWOOD AQUATICS, TENNIS, AND FITNESS CENTER

This recreational asset opened in July 2009. There is also a building that houses the offices for the club and a separate restaurant for the club. The tennis complex consists of nine lighted hydro courts, one lighted hard court, terraced grass stadium seating area, a tennis viewing building, pro shop, racquet stringing and repair, and back board a ball machine. The aquatics center has a programmable Bellagio-style fountain, zero-entry main pool, sun decks with water that hold chairs, a lap pool, a splash park with jets and fountains, a 20-foot high water slide, and a Lazy River with resistance flow current.

There is kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding on Sweetwater Lake. A nearly one-mile walking trail circles the lake through the live oaks.

There is a 5,000 square feet fitness center with a vaulted, natural wood overhead. It is equipped with the latest technologically advanced equipment in the upper loft overlook-ing the 20-acre Sweetwater Lake. The motion studio features cushioned wood flooring, and hosts dance and fitness classes. Women’s and men’s locker rooms feature steam rooms, pri-vate showers, towel service, and lockers.

THE LAKEWOOD CLUB MEMBERSHIP FEES

Initiation fee is a non-equitable, non-refund-able fee and must be paid in full at the time of application. All applications for membership are subject to approval of The Lakewood Club Management and/or owners. All fees, dues, classifications, and policies are subject to change without notice. Membership also gets you access to the fitness and pool facilities at the Grand.

*Fees as of this booklet publish dateInitiation Fees (add 8% sales tax) Regular Golf-$10,000Junior Golf-$5,000Tennis/Social-$7,500Non-Resident-$5,000

Monthly Dues (add 8% sales tax)Regular Golf-$392 + $60 food/beverageJunior Golf-$286 + $60 food/beverageTennis/Social-$224 + $60 food/beverageNon-Resident-$280 (no food/beverage)

Golf Practice Facility Unlimited Access (add 8% sales tax) Regular Golf-$15 monthly Junior Golf-$15 monthly accessNon-Resident-$15 monthly Tennis/Social-$10 for first hour and $5 per hour after

Housing at The Colony at The GrandPHASE I

Bayview II Condo BuildingBayview II, which was built on land 70 feet

above sea level, was Phase I of The Colony at the Grand. It overlooks Sweetwater Lake and provides a view of Mobile Bay for 20 miles on a clear day from downtown Mobile to Dauphin Island and the mouth of the bay. The building also sits on hole nine of the Azalea Course at Lakewood. The Lakewood Club aquatics, fit-ness, and tennis center and Sweetwater Café are in view from the building and only a short walk away.

Bayview II has eight floors with seven con-dos per floor and a ninth-floor terrace. There are three elevators and covered parking spots. It was built with post tension slab construction reinforced and masonry walls backfilled with concrete for additional stability.


Bayview II Condo Building at The Colony


The Bayview II condo units have open floor plans with lakefront screened porches, traver-tine floors and back splashes, 10-foot ceilings, wood timber ceiling accents, custom cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, crown molding, pre-wired surround sound, high speed internet, limestone floors in the bathrooms, and walk-in showers. The rooftop terrace on the ninth floor is common space with a caterer’s kitchen, bathrooms, gas grill, two fire pits, and patio furniture.

Five different floor plans offer two, three, and four bedrooms. These plans include screened porches and balconies plus the fol-lowing square feet of heated space: Texas, 2 BR/2BA, 1,776; Landing, 3BR/3BA, 1,899; Julip Point, 4BR/3.5 BA, 2,247; Lakeview, 3BR/3.5BA, 2,330; and Boardwalk, 4BR/3.5BA, 2606. Prices start in the low $400s. The purchase price includes the initiation fee for The Lakewood Club.

The Bayview II Homeowners Association The HOA has a management contract with

PCH for the Bayview II building. The monthly HOA Fees are based on the unit size and as of this booklet publish date, ranged from $494 for the smallest units to $792 for the largest units. This fee covers building insurance, privacy gates, security, building cleaning and mainte-nance, landscaping, water, sewage, and gar-bage. Bayview II owners have a representative on the HOA Board. Annual HOA Board meet-ings allow open discussion by the members on issues related to their residence.

PHASE I I

Watershed North and SouthWatershed North, which began in 2011, is a

gated community with 10 single-family houses. There are two basic floor plans for these sin-gle-family units. Plan A has 2,500 square feet, a 576-square-foot garage, and two porches. Plan B has 2,600 square feet, a 576-square-foot garage, and two porches.

Watershed South is an exclusive gated com-munity with only 10 lots including six on the golf course. Construction began in 2014. There are two basic floor plans for the main level with each having an optional upstairs. The square footage ranges from 1,882 to 2,771. A third plan has 2,921 square feet. These plans feature 3BR/2BA up to 5BR/3BA were designed by WalcottAdamsVerneuille. Prices start in the

View from Azalea Golf Course

West View from Bayview II Terrace


low $500s and the purchase price includes the initiation fee for The Lakewood Club.

Watershed North sits on the east side of the fairway on hole three of the Azalea Course. Watershed South sits near the green hole four of the Azalea Course.

PHASE I I I

Battles TraceBattles Trace features 108 single-family

home sites in a grove of 150-year-old live oak trees adjacent to The Lakewood Club aquat-ics, tennis, and fitness center and Sweetwater Lake. Section one of the road was completed in March 2014. This included lots 1-66. As of February 2017, all 66 lots were sold with house construction ranging from permitted to completed. Lots 1-41 were developed first, fol-lowed by lots 42-66. The plans were designed by Larry Garnett and the prices range from the mid $300s to the mid $500s and the pur-chase price includes the initiation fee for The Lakewood Club.

Ten basic floor plans feature a variety of one- and two-level designs from 1,659 to 3,310 square feet. The houses in Battles Trace fea-ture: front and back porches, solid wood cabi-nets with soft close drawers, 10 ft. ceilings with 7’ 8” door heights, 3 cm granite counter-tops and backsplash in kitchen and bathroom vanities, stainless steel appliances, 42” gas fireplace, walk-in showers with rimless glass doors, James hardie siding, Jeld-Wen premi-um Atlantic windows, mahogany entry door, Wayne Dalton 9100 Series garage doors, hard-wood in foyer, kitchen, living, and dining areas, tile bathroom and shower floors and shower walls, and solid core Masonite interior doors.

Section two of the road was completed in late 2016. It includes lots 67-108. This sec-tion adds at least three more floor plans with even more coming in summer 2017 from

Battles Trace II in December 2016

Battles Trace II

Battles Trace Entrance from Battles Road


Southern Living’s planned neighborhoods. As of February 2017, there were contracts on 12 of these 42 lots.

Garden HouseA Garden House is under construction in

Battles Trace. This will be used for storing equipment and will have a restroom. A commu-nity garden will be installed behind the Garden House.

Homeowners Association for Battles Trace, Watershed, and Azalea

The monthly fees, as of this booklet pub-lication date, are $537 and includes mainte-nance of common areas (roads, landscaping, walkways), and the monthly golf membership fee for The Lakewood Club. Individual yard maintenance and homeowner’s insurance are not covered by this monthly HOA fee. There is a representative from each neighborhood (Watershed, Battles Trace, and Azalea) on the HOA Board. Annual HOA Board meetings allow open discussion by the members on issues related to their residence.Azalea at The Colony

This component includes six residential lots with views from the east of holes 9 and 10 on the Azalea Course at Lakewood. Access is from Section Street.

PHASE IV

Quail Ridge DuplexesDuplexes between holes one and nine of

the Dogwood Course are coming soon. As of February 2017, renderings are in the develop-ment stage.

View of 1 of 6 houses for Azalea Community

Azalea at The Colony


House in Battles Trace

Home in Battles Trace


Pond at Battles Trace

Median with walkway on Colony Drive Walking Trail at Live Oak Grove at Battles Trace


Common Area in Battles Trace

Boardwalk around Pond at Battles Trace

Mail Center at Battles Trace Watershed South from Azalea #4

Garden House Under Construction

Sweetwater Lake from Colony Drive


AWARDS FOR BATTLES TRACE

In January 2016 in Las Vegas, The Colony at the Grand (Battles Trace) was awarded the Nationals 2016 Gold Award, the NAHB’s high-est award. The award was for best architec-tural design for a single family detached home priced from $350,000 to $500,000.

History of The Grand Hotel, The Lakewood Club, and The Colony

A modest hotel or group of cottages has been on the current property since 1820. The hotel has had many owners and has been destroyed several times by fire and storms. The property has evolved to its present status after many renovations and additions.

F. H. Chamberlain bought the waterfront property and built the Point Clear Hotel (Grand Hotel I) in 1847. It was a two-story building with 40 rooms and two outside staircases. It was only accessible by bay steamer primar-ily from Mobile and New Orleans. A separate building housed the dining room and kitchen. A third building housed a bar called “The Texas.”

In 1850, Julius Taft bought the hotel. John Battle built the Gunnison House next door to the hotel.

In 1863, a portion of the hotel became a Confederate hospital during the Civil War. During this time, the hotel was guarded by a garrison of the 21st Alabama Infantry. Most of those sent to the hotel for recovery were soldiers from Missouri that were injured dur-ing the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1863.

Confederate Soldiers transported from Vicksburg to The Grand Hotel during the Civil War. Photo from Fairhope Museum.

Sunset from Bayview II

Post Card of Grand Hotel. Photo from Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel


More than 300 Confederate soldiers died while at the Grand Hotel. These soldiers are buried in Confederate Rest, a cemetery on the hotel grounds near the Azalea Course. The soldiers were buried in mass graves shoulder-to-shoulder. A monument to the unknown soldiers has been placed at the cemetery. A seven-inch naval gun used at Fort Morgan has been mounted at Confederate Rest, along with a commemorative plaque. A fence topped with cannon balls surrounds the marker.

During the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864, Admiral Farragut fired weapons onto the hotel grounds. A hole was found in the wall of the Gunnison House, which is the site of the Grand’s Conference Center today.

In 1869, the hotel reopened and soon thereafter, a fire destroyed the dining room, kitchen, and guest rooms. The records of the Confederate soldiers buried on the grounds were kept in the hotel until they were destroyed in this fire thus losing the identities of those buried in Confederate Rest Cemetery.

In 1871, “the Texas” bar was turned into an emergency hospital following the explosion of the steamboat Ocean Wave. Many people died from this explosion.

Captain H. C. Baldwin, a steamboat opera-tor, bought the property in 1872. He built the Grand Hotel II which opened in 1875. The new two-story building had sixty suites of rooms.

In 1893, a hurricane destroyed the dining room and the Texas. Both were rebuilt.

In 1901, Major James K. Glennon of Mobile bought the hotel, Gunnison House, and 250 acres east of the property. The property then consisted of the Texas for dining; a single cot-tage, a double cottage, and a two-story double cottage; bath houses; bowling alley; outdoor pavilions; three wharves; ice plant; electric light plant; and water works. The main building had 200 rooms with galleries 12 feet wide and 400 feet long with a 10-foot sunshade beyond them.

In 1906 and 1916, the hotel was severely damaged by storms. Repairs took place and the hotel reopened.

In 1939, the Grand Hotel was purchased by Waterman Steamship Company, headed by E.A. Roberts. Roberts added 25 parcels to the property and made plans for a golf course. In 1940, the old buildings were demolished and the main building was constructed with 84 guest rooms. The new hotel (Grand Hotel III) opened in 1942.

Grand Hotel Main Building

Grand Hotel Barracks


During World War II, the Grand Hotel was the focal point for “Operation Ivory Soap” training. As a donation to the war effort, Roberts leased the Grand Hotel in 1944 to the U.S. Army Air Corps to be used as its Maritime Training School for servicemen who landed on the beaches in the Pacific. The cottages and rooms were converted to barracks.

During a five-month period, the school turned out 5,000 highly trained Air Force sea-men. These men participated in landings in the Philippines, Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

After World War II, Roberts built a marina, two tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course, and a swimming pool. A garage and specialty shops were built.

The golf course, called the Dogwood Nine and the Azalea Nine, was designed by Perry Maxwell and opened in 1947. Ten cottages were added in the 1950s, five on the bay side and five on the lagoon side. Each cottage had two living rooms and four bedrooms.

In 1955, Southern Industries bought the hotel and operated it until 1966 as a wholly owned subsidiary called Grand Hotel Development Corporation.

In 1966, J. K. “Jim” McLean purchased the hotel and golf courses and began upgrading the facilities. He added the Bay House and the hotel grew to 172 guest rooms. The Bay House was erected overlooking the fishing pier on the south side of the property.

In 1967, the first conference center and a second nine-hole golf course, the Magnolia Nine, were added. Joe Lee designed the new golf holes.

In 1979, the hotel closed as a result of Hurricane Frederick. The hotel was restored and reopened on April 10, 1980.

In 1981, the Marriott Corporation bought the Grand Hotel from McLean. They added the North Bay House and the Marina Building, bringing the total guest rooms to 306.

In 1986, the old Gunnison House was torn down to make way for the Grand Conference Center and Ballroom. Marriott added an addi-tional 9-hole golf course for a total of 36 holes. This course was designed by Ron Garl.

In 1995, Marriott Corporation sold the hotel to Host Marriott, which did a $7 million reno-vation soon after that. A separate company, Marriott, managed the property from 1995–1999. In the fall of 1998, Hurricane Georges caused $3 million in damages. The property was refurbished and completed in 1999.

Grand Hotel Post Card. Photo from Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel

Grand Hotel in 1999


RSA’S INVESTMENT IN THE GRAND HOTEL

On January 29, 1999, RSA began consider-ation to purchase Marriott’s Grand Hotel from Host Marriott. There were 306 guest rooms in four buildings at the hotel at this time. There were 550 acres, 22,000 square feet of meeting space, three restaurants, 10 tennis courts, bike trails, a 37-slip Grand Marina, and 36 holes of golf with a clubhouse and driving range. Host Marriott was owned by a REIT and the sale had to be approved by the SEC.

In 1999, RSA loaned money to AREH/PCH for developing the Grand Hotel and the Lakewood Club. The sale of the property to AREH/PCH closed on September 15, 1999. The Marriott name was retained but the manage-ment switched to Stormont Trice of Atlanta. They were founded in 1984 and were already managing 10 hotels and four conference cen-ters.

On October 10, 2000, a $50 million renova-tion and expansion was announced that would take almost two years to complete. These improvements were financed by RSA. The renovation included the main lobby, restau-rants, meeting rooms, existing guest rooms, two 18-hole golf courses, and restaurants. The master plan for the renovation and expansion was designed by Wood Partners of Hilton

Head, South Carolina. They were assisted by Fairhope architects Walcott, Adams, and Verneuille. Jesco Construction of Montgomery was the contractor.

During this renovation, there was an addi-tion of a four-story Spa Building with 126 rooms including 17 new suites (a Presidential Suite, and a Honeymoon Suite) and a 20,000-square-foot European Spa. A new outdoor grill over-looking Mobile Bay, a new beach on the bay on the western side of the resort, a new more luxurious pool area with Tom Sawyer-type tree house, children’s pool, waterfalls, separate adult pool, sunset deck, two hot tubs, an indoor pool, a fitness center, new meeting rooms, and new parking spaces were also added.

Damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 On September 16, 2004, Hurricane Ivan

moved onto Baldwin County as an upper Category 3 hurricane (Saffir-Simpson Scale). It had 130 mph surface winds and a historic storm surge which did extensive damage to the hotel.

Doster Construction Company was select-ed by AREH/PCH and financed by the RSA, for repairs after Hurricane Ivan. The repairs included reroofing, boardwalk replacement, handrail replacement, rebuilding of the pier and Julep Point, repairs to damaged rooms, repairs of electrical service in the crawl space, and replacement of air conditioning equip-ment.

Damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005The property at the hotel is six feet above sea

level. On August 30, 2005, Hurricane Katrina (category 3) hit the hotel property. The 20-foot storm surge burst through the windows of the Grand Ballroom, several dining areas, and first-floor guestrooms. Six feet of water swamped all the buildings except those on stilts. The fishing pier was pushed into the conference center. The hotel was closed indefinitely and off-duty state troopers were hired to guard the property.

Spa Building Under Construction


The hurricane caused $50 million in damage and deposited an inch of slick mud over the grounds. Several dining rooms and the first-floor guestrooms in the main building were covered with water, mud, and broken glass. Most of the hotel linens and many furniture pieces were washed out to sea. A 650-pound statue of Bucky Miller, who worked at the hotel for 61 years, is located on the south side of the property and was one of the few items to withstand the floodwaters; the storm surge reached the statue’s waist.

The Grand Hotel was insured by Vision Insurance Company. Bruce Hodges processed the claim and provided the reimbursement of $50 million to AREH/PCH. This money was then spent on repairing the damage and restor-ing the hotel and property.

Doster Construction Company was the con-tractor for this renovation of the hotel. Because the project began just days after the storm surge, Doster was faced with many challenges usually not present in these unique projects, such as availability of gasoline, power, travel, and hotel rooms for workers.

Phase I, completed in seven months, involved the removal of approximately 17,530 cubic yards of debris and saturated flooring, walls, furniture, and other finishes from all buildings. This included a marina, the spa, a pool, the main hotel, the North Bay House, the South Bay House, the Conference Center,

various maintenance buildings, administrative buildings, and piers.

Phase II, scheduled for completion after one year, consisted of repairing the buildings that sustained the greatest amount of damage. Since three-quarters of the resort faces Mobile Bay, the majority of the damage was water damage. An additional challenge was mold. All buildings were monitored 24 hours a day for humidity levels and all finishes were sprayed with chemicals to prevent the growth of mold.

Unexpected repairs included replacing the wood structure and subflooring of the his-toric main building, adding block fire walls in the crawl space between the public areas and guestrooms, and adding drywall, firewall doors and ceilings on two floors, and the attic. Sprinkler heads were also added to the four buildings, replacing fire hydrants, and adding a backflow preventer to the main water line.

The ballroom meeting areas were com-pletely redone with all new fixtures and equip-ment. The dining area was also changed, with a new casual restaurant, the Saltwater Grill, being added and the formal Grand Dining Room being moved to the former site of the Bayview Room. The kitchen was totally reno-vated and new carpet added to the hotel. All guest and all meeting rooms were renovated. Communications equipment and wiring with a more modern fiber-optic system was installed.

Doster completed this project on time despite a huge growth in scope that resulted from extensive damage that was not deter-mined until the initial debris could be removed. This project was the recipient of South Central Construction Magazine’s Award of Excellence in Hurricane Reconstruction.

Restoration was needed for the resort grounds and gardens that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Three acres of salt-tolerant grass, a Seashore Paspalum, were planted on the grounds, along with 40 oak trees and 8,000 roses and azaleas. Another 5,000 azaleas were planted on the golf courses.

Damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005


The Grand Hotel came back in stages. Rooms in the Spa Building and Marina Building reopened in April and all of the rooms opened in November 2006. The hotel was formally reopened on December 2, 2006.

History of The Lakewood Club

The first 18 golf holes opened in 1947. Nine more holes were added in 1967 and a final nine holes were added in 1986. There are 10 water features over the span of the 36 holes. Robert Trent Jones Sr. worked on the Dogwood Nine in 1949. It is listed on his list of courses as a renovation.

HISTORY OF THE TWO GOLF COURSES

As the hotel was undergoing major renova-tions after World War II, Edward A. Roberts, CEO of Waterman Steamship Company and owner of the Grand Hotel, began planning an 18-hole golf course on the hotel property. Perry Maxwell of Oklahoma City, OK, was commis-sioned as the golf course architect in 1944. He had designed Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, OK, among other prominent courses.

Before construction could begin on the golf course, the swamp had to be drained. The two original nine-hole courses were named the Azalea Nine and the Dogwood Nine. These original 18 holes, now referred to as the “Old Rotation,” opened on June 7, 1947.

The existing golf clubhouse was finished in December of 1948. Timbers from the old Mobile and Ohio Railroad pier on Mobile River were used for the interior beams. The club-house offers 16,024 square feet of indoor din-ing, covered patio, card room, meeting space, two dressing rooms, and golf shop.

Lakewood Golf Clubhouse in 1950

In 1967, the Magnolia Nine, designed by golf course architect Joseph L. Lee, was added to complement the Old Course. Lee carved the Magnolia Nine through heavy swamp and low land along Point Clear Creek.

In 1979, Hurricane Frederick took out 5,000 pine trees and a number of oak trees on the property and golf courses. The large oak on number 10 of the Dogwood Course was blown over and dirt was piled on the roots and it has continued to grow sideways.

The Marriott Corporation hired Ron Garl to design nine more holes over the old polo field. This nine, completed in the fall of 1986, featured expansive use of space and challeng-ing holes with undulating greens and an island green. These holes were inserted between holes five and six of the existing Azalea Course, while the Magnolia Nine holes were absorbed as the first nine of the Dogwood Course. This addition brought the total number of golf holes to 36 at The Lakewood Club and got it desig-nated as one of Marriott’s Golf Resorts.

GOLF COURSE RENOVATIONS BY RSA

Bobby Vaughan oversaw renovation and redesign of the two 18-hole golf courses to their current state in 2004 and 2005. Some $10 million was spent to renovate the two courses. They built six lakes, raised the elevation of the courses, improved the drainage, enhanced the


cart paths, and changed the features on the course.

This Dogwood Course elevation was below the level of Mobile Bay and had drainage prob-lems and flooded frequently before 2003. This course was raised five feet during renovations. Lakes were dug and the dirt used to raise low spots. The course reopened in 2004 after the addition of new drainage techniques.

On September 21, 2004, Hurricane Ivan hit the courses and damaged them. Work began immediately to clean up the Azalea Course and reconstruct it. The routing remained the same but the course was made longer.

Azalea #5

Swimming Pool in 2009


Extra greens were added to number four and number 15 adding to the options for play-ing these holes. New features were added. All tees and greens were moved. Pine trees were removed, lakes were added, better drainage was added, sub-air systems were installed under the greens. Hole number five was short-ened and a large lake added on the right side of the fairway. It reopened in August 2005.

THE LAKEWOOD CLUB AQUATICS, TENNIS, AND FITNESS CENTER

RSA constructed the new swim, tennis, and fit-ness center on Sweetwater Lake in 2009. This center included The Lakewood Club adminis-tration building and Sweetwater Café.

HISTORY OF HOUSING AT LAKEWOOD

Lakewood Estates was the first subdivision developed around the initial 18 golf holes on the property. It began in the 1950s with houses along the entry to the golf clubhouse and houses on the fairways for holes number one, two, 17, and 18 on the current Azalea Course. Ed Roberts developed this housing.

In the late 1960s, Jim McLean began build-ing housing along the new Magnolia Nine golf holes. This housing is on holes four, five, six, seven, and eight on the current Dogwood Course. This housing also included condomini-ums and duplexes.

In the early 1980s, Marriott began building housing along the final nine golf holes that were added. This housing is along holes six,

Bayview II in 2007


seven, eight, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the current Azalea Course.

The Cottages at Point Clear were built in 2005 on the east side of hole 11 and Section Street. They consisted of 18 units and were developed by Bill Bru.

Jim McLean sold property on Old Battles Road and the north side of hole number six of the current Azalea Course to Bill Bru who got approval to construct The Villas at Point Clear. These were to consist of 54 villas. This property has recently been reapproved and subdivided into 25 lots for single-family units.

History of The Colony at The Grand

In 2004, RSA became partners with the Daniel Corporation to develop a residential commu-nity adjacent to The Lakewood Club and Grand Hotel property. The Daniel Corporation, with RSA financing, bought 174 acres from Richard F. Pate, who acquired it from the Dr. Jordan estate and held it for 21 years. The property and development rights were purchased.

The property included a house, entrance road, sewer line, a 13-acre spring-fed lake, and a two-acre spring-fed pond. This property had been approved by the Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission in 2001 as Battles Landing. It was approved for eight five-story buildings and 16 three-story buildings for a total of 628 condo units.

The property was brought under the plan-ning jurisdiction of the City of Fairhope. Work began on the Colony project with Jason Tickle as the project manager. The plan was to devel-op condos, single family homes, and some commercial space. The original discussion was for 1,600 residential units on 465 acres with five 8-story condos on one of the eight land-use districts.

The proposed 465 acres would include the 175 acres purchased from Pate, options for land north of this property, and five parcels of land adjacent to the Grand Hotel property. This property extended from South Section

Street and Twin Beech Road west to Scenic 98 and south to the Lakewood Club.

The land was an unzoned portion of the county and Daniel Corporation wanted it annexed into the City of Fairhope as a Planned Unit Development (PUD). The Lakewood Club and The Grand Hotel were not part of the proposal for annexation. Rezoning would be conditional to annexation.

Daniel Corporation did not exercise the option to buy the additional acres and kept the development at 175 acres. In April 2006, The Fairhope Building Department approved a building permit for the eight-story 56-unit Bayview II condo. The Colony had 638 single-family residential units initially approved.

Bayview II opened in spring 2008. The proj-ect architect was Birmingham-based Goodwyn, Mills, & Cawood. The contractor was White-Spunner Construction of Mobile.

On August 9, 2010, the entire Colony prop-erty was annexed into Fairhope by way of a property donation which made it contiguous to land already zoned by Fairhope. Planning soon followed for Phase II and Phase III of the Colony.

In 2013, RSA took title to the 175 acres, which included the 56-unit Bayview II condo-minium tower and adjacent land, by deed in lieu of foreclosure. RSA then began managing and developing this property through their real estate division.

RSA began partnering with Stuart Construction for developing the existing resi-dential space and with Ingram Associates as the realtors for the property. RSA began con-struction of the main road through The Colony. This road connects Bayview II with Battles Road to the east and provides access to the housing lots in Battles Trace.

Bayview II was conceived during the real estate boom in the early 2000s. The building was opened at the beginning of the worst economic slowdown in decades. The units were built with great quality and were origi-nally priced at the market peak. Prices were


reduced to reflect market conditions and the current prices are showing appreciation from the market lows.

There are 32 of the 56 units at Bayview II that have sold. An average of 30 lots/houses in Battles Trace are being sold each year.

Sales for Bayview II, Watershed, Battles, Trace, and Azalea

The sales center is located off Battles Road by the green on the Azalea Course. Complete information and tours are provided by the on-site realtors who are available every day. Please call 251-990-9951 or visit online at www.colonyatthegrand.com.

Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay showing location of Point Clear and nearby residential and commercial areas

Battles Trace, April 2015

About The Author

Mark Fagan earned his doctorate at The University of Alabama in 1981 and then

became a professor at Jacksonville State University, where for more than 32 years he

researched and published on attracting retirees for economic development. He was

released from JSU for half-time (1988-1992) to help initiate the Alabama Program to

Attract Retirees.

When the Retirement Systems of Alabama began investing in the Robert Trent Jones

Golf Trail, Fagan conducted the economic impact projections, assisted in negotia-

tions for some of the proposed sites, provided justification for access roads, worked

to secure retirement housing around some sites, assisted with their initial website,

and observed the Trail’s development for 25 years. He has published 17 articles about

the Trail. He is the author of Retirement Development: A How-to Guidebook and he

recently published a landmark book called The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail: Its

History and Economic Impact with a Foreword by David G. Bronner, CEO of RSA.

Most of his 115 publications, media articles, technical writings, 57 major presenta-

tions and 96 minor presentations since 1981 have focused on the economic impact

of retirees and retirement communities. He has been consulted by CBS News, NBC

News, CNN News, and ABC News: “Good Morning America.” He has been quoted in 83

magazines and periodicals including The AARP Bulletin, Time Magazine, Governing

Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, New Choices for Retirement Living maga-

zine, Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, Money magazine, Business Week, Golf

Digest magazine, Smart Money Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York

Times, USA Today, and The Christian Science Monitor for stories on retirement. He

has also appeared on 33 television programs and National Public Radio and been

quoted in 247 newspaper articles about retirees.

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