Alex Payne adding The Retreat to his list of Possum Kingdom Developments
By Steve Nussbaum | Photos courtesy of Alex Payne
Alex Payne of Denton-based NorthBridge Realty Holdings has taken on another large-scale project at Possum Kingdom, after his company announced its Juniper Ridge Project last year before buying the former Hideaway Cabins, The Hideaway Inn, Rockin S and Sam’s Dock in April.
Payne started working on the Juniper Ridge project in 2020, with the project finally breaking ground last summer. Juniper Ridge will consist of luxury waterfront homes and lakeview villas built around a resort-style lakeside pool, water features and a common green space, as well as a 50-slip marina for homeowners.
“The response to Juniper Ridge has been terrific,†Payne said. “Six of the seven developer spec homes that have commenced construction have been contracted to sell, and eight other lots have been sold for homes to be constructed out of the initial 30 planned in Phase 1.â€
There are 14 homes under construction in the new luxury development, with plans to have the streets, utilities and pool area close to completion by the end of September. Price points for homes in the Juniper Ridge development will start around $1 million for villas, with the waterfront homes selling between $1.5 million and $2.2 million.
Payne said the elevated lots and prime location on the peninsula make Juniper Ridge a highly coveted spot.
In March, the properties on FM 2951 and Park Road 36 known as Hideaway Cabins and Inn, Sam’s Storage, Sam’s Dock and Rockin’ S went up for sale. The area totaled more than 20 acres, with incredible views of the north side of Possum Kingdom Lake and Costello Island.
Payne and his company have rebranded this area as “The Retreat,†which includes 20 existing cabins with great views, a restaurant, a marina, and additional room for expansion. The first phase, Payne said, will include the remodeling of all the cabins, while upgrades to the dock area already are taking place.
The 15 cabins are being sold individually and will be eligible to go into the development’s short-term rental program. Each cabin has either two or three bedrooms and measures between 1,000 and 1,200 square feet. They all have magnificent ridges, sitting up on the hillside overlooking the north end of lake and the hills on the west side of Possum Kingdom. The cabins are being renovated and will include modern luxury finishes throughout. Each unit will have new paint, new roofs, new porches and awnings, and new landscaping to give them a fresh look. The company has pre-sold six cabins in just a couple of months, even as remodeling continues, with the starting price of the units beginning in the low $400,000 range.
One of the things that attracted Payne to the development was the work that already had been done on its infrastructure. Throughout the property, trees have been trimmed and the land cleared to create better views from various places, and there is plenty of space for expansion, he said, but the first phase is upgrading the existing cabins and the restaurant building.
The deal included The Hideaway Inn on Park Road 36, and a complete renovation of that space is in the works, with plans to make it a fun and refreshed boutique motel at the lake.
Payne said the former Rockin’ S will be remodeled and turned into a modern community-event space and a pool for The Retreat. It will feature a natural playground and sport courts, all with the same incredible views of the lake.
This fall, the company plans to begin construction of the new pool, and the pool area will have great ridge views of the lake, which in turn will create wonderful spaces for events or just relaxing by the pool.
The development will have access to The Dock marina for gas and boat rentals, too. Owners can rent from neighboring Bonita Shores, and there are plans to add valet boat and storage services this coming spring for homeowners from the adjacent storage facility, now known as Dry Dock and Lock at the Retreat.
Both Payne and NorthBridge Realty Holdings are making substantial changes to old and new developments on the peninsula, and their real-estate projects should look quite different by next year. The Retreat is being marketed by local real estate company Lush Realty team, and those interested can reach the company by calling (325) 374-2551.
Interior and Exterior Photos of Unit #2 of The Retreat:
