The company that’s building out a master-planned community in Berkeley County that’s as large as the Charleston peninsula is set to come under new ownership.

California-based Brookfield Residential announced this week that it is acquiring Newland, the developer of the 5,000-acre mixed-use Nexton neighborhood between Interstate 26 and U.S. Highway 176 near Summerville.

The sale of San Diego-based Newland, which is involved in 20 large master-planned projects around the country, is expected to be finalized June 1.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

A Nexton spokeswoman declined to comment on the pending sale.

“No major, significant operational changes are expected,” said Brookfield spokeswoman Krista Ellingson.

She said the company’s specialty is supplying homes and lots in constrained real estate markets such as Charleston, where a scarcity of homes on the market has dropped to less than a one-month supply, triggering bidding wars and pushing up prices.

“We just aren’t a homebuilder, we invest in land to build homes and sell to homebuilders,” Ellingson said. “We want to show our partners that we are in it with them.”

Bob McLeod, Newland’s executive chairman, said the Brookfield deal “will provide more opportunities for the continued development of additional mixed-use masterplans well into the future as well as give us significant additional vertical development opportunities.”

As of this week, Nexton has 1,266 occupied single-family homes in four subdivisions — Brighton Park, Del Webb, Midtown and North Creek. About 200 more are under development within the neighborhoods.

Nexton also has about 900 finished apartments in three complexes, with another 600 rental units on the way.

When build-out is completed in about 10 years, Nexton will have about 7,000 residences with about 17,500 residents. That will make it roughly equal to the current populations of Moncks Corner and Georgetown combined.

Brookfield Residential currently has no real estate operations in the Palmetto State. The Newland acquisition will expand its footprint to eight new markets, including Charleston, Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington in the Carolinas, and five other areas where both companies have projects in the works.

Last year, Brookfield’s revenue from home and land sales was $1.74 billion, about $200 million less than in 2019, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the company’s annual report.

During the first three months of 2021, total revenue topped $444 million, about 30 percent more than the first quarter last year, when the coronavirus began to spread throughout the overall economy.

Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Brookfield Residential is part of Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management, which oversees investment totaling $600 billion and is headquartered in Toronto.

Newland oversees the development of the Nexton tract for North America Sekisui House LLC. NASH, a subsidiary of Japan’s largest homebuilder, bought the property in 2017 from paper maker WestRock Co.’s former real estate division for $90 million.

A new homebuilder and land developer has been added to builder program at the Nexton community in Summerville.

With plans to develop a new collection of townhomes in Nexton, this addition marks Brookfield Residential’s first project in South Carolina, according to a news release.

Brookfield Residential is an internationally backed organization with more than 65 years of homebuilding experience, the release stated. Operations extend across the United States with major developments in more than 15 markets and over 65 active housing communities.

The homebuilder is an affiliate of Brookfield Properties, which currently has a sizable footprint in the Carolinas including 3,500 active employees and $4.8 billion assets under management, the release stated. Assets include logistics, hospitality and retail operations, notably Columbiana Centre, a high-quality retail mall.

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“We are delighted to join the Nexton community and add to the diverse array of housing options” said Gregg Hughes, senior vice president, Housing and Operations for Brookfield Residential, in the release. “Nexton has a vibrant, charming personality and we’re hoping these new townhomes reflect the community and serve the needs of today’s homebuyer.”

Located in Nexton’s Midtown neighborhood, Brookfield Residential’s entry-level townhome collection will feature 1,600 square feet on two finished levels of living space with prices starting in the mid-$300,000s, the release stated. The townhomes will offer three-bedroom layouts with an option for two primary suites. Interiors will include open floor plans and designer kitchens with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.

Pre-sales will begin mid-summer with a model residence opening later this year.

Midtown also includes the Midtown Club, featuring a resort-style pool, fitness center and indoor and outdoor flex spaces available to members of the Nexton Residential Association, the release stated. The neighborhood also will feature food trucks, movie nights and social events.

Nexton, which got its start in 2013, is a lifestyle-driven destination that blends live, work and play by offering conveniences such as state-of-the-art schools, modern infrastructure, 20 miles of trails and 2,000 acres of green space, the release stated. Nexton has currently sold over 2,600 homes.

With the addition of Brookfield Residential, Nexton’s builder program now features 10 builders that also includes Ashton Woods, Centex, David Weekley, Del Webb, Homes by Dickerson, New Leaf, Pulte Homes, Saussy Burbank and True Homes, according to the release.

Ample servings of Champagne coupled with a coastal poolside ambiance served as a fitting backdrop to a favorable economic forecast report during an April 4 Nexton luncheon attended by several local realtors at a sun-splashed Midtown Club in Summerville.

Following a brief synopsis of Nexton’s recent sales and continued growth as a “third job center” in the Charleston market, the mixed-use development’s marketing coordinator Alicia Smith introduced South Carolina Ports Authority Business Development Manager Marion Bull to the podium, as he delved into his group’s efforts of recruiting business activity to the Lowcountry.

The guest speaker sang the praises of Nexton — which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary as a destination venue in the Summerville community — for its role in providing housing for incoming employees of national and global firms seeking to establish a presence in the Charleston region.

Moving forward, Bull anticipates Nexton continuing to offer corporations an attractive option for its staffers as a source of housing, employment and an ever-expanding array of amenities with new industry emerging in the Jedburg area of Summerville, as well as Ridgeville in the very near future.

“When they want to live somewhere with, you know, a high quality of life that’s affordable, this is a place where business leaders can feel comfortable locating their businesses here,” began the Mount Pleasant resident.

“South Carolina has done a fantastic job as a state, [and] not just as a port, in recruiting business. [We had] $10 billion in investment last year. I think the largest previous year was $3 billion or so. It’s a huge number for our economic development in the state of South Carolina and some of it has happened right here.”

Bull detailed that South Carolina Ports drives about $63 billion in economic impact statewide, with about $8 billion of it emanating from the Lowcountry. In fact, about 30,000 jobs are either directly or indirectly linked to port activity in the immediate surrounding zone — a number that he anticipates will “dramatically” increase due to investments by Volvo, Walmart, Mercedes-Benz and the like.

Luncheon attendees were also treated to a breakdown of expectations for the real estate market in 2023 by President of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors (CTAR) Katesha Breland.

The Charleston-born real estate broker noted the Charleston region’s remarkable 25 percent population growth over the past decade, along with a 17 percent spurt of newcomers in Summerville over that same 10-year stretch.

“We see changes in our local culture, our restaurant scene, our retail opportunities, and of course, we feel it in our traffic as well,” she stated.

“The local economy is booming. The Nexton development offers something that Summerville residents hadn’t seen before, an intentionally-developed masterplan community that gives residents the ease and opportunity to live, work and play right in their backyards ... that’s just what Nexton does. They haven’t built a neighborhood, they’ve built a community. While local media doesn’t always like to focus on the positives of our real estate market, there’s plenty of good news I can share with you,” added Breland without referencing any specific news media outlet.

On that note, the CTAR leader communicated that closed property sales were down in 2022 by 18 percent, but compared to 2019, that total was actually up six percent.

Breland further spoke of a healthy, sustainable pace of growth, as the overall median sales price increased 14 percent, single-family home prices surged 12 percent and townhouse/condos similarly saw a 22 percent uptick.

Summerville and Moncks Corner, in particular, were two of the top areas in terms of home sales in 2022.

“We expect sales will remain at the pace we’re seeing now, which is a good, healthy pace. Prices will also increase likely at a slower pace than we’ve been seeing. But that’s good news for buyers who are challenged by the affordability of our region.”

Breland concluded her address by lauding Nexton for its development of a wide range of home options (single-family, townhouses, rentals, etc.) and a variety of price points for prospective residents.

Smith topped off the information session by filling in listeners on the imminent additions of Harris Teeter and Publix retail outposts in the Nexton area in Q1 of 2024 and Q2 of 2024 respectively.

Also mentioned were the opening of Pickle Bar, as well as a new hospital and middle school site that are both in the works.

Connoisseurs of rare and/or vintage vehicles are welcome to partake in The ARK of SC’s second-annual Car Show on March 25 at 201 Sigma Drive in Nexton. The free, family-friendly event features food, coffee, prizes, along with a slew of classic automobiles.

Participants are invited to enter all makes and models for a $25 donation by March 24 in order to qualify for one of many awards on hand at the weekend extravaganza.

“The Car Show allows us to host a community event where we can meet people and raise awareness for our critical mission,” said The ARK’s Executive Director Peg Lahmeyer. “We understand the stresses that come with being a caregiver for someone living with Alzheimer’s, and we work to ensure that those caregivers know that they are not alone.”

Monies raised at the event will support the organization’s goal of providing hope and relief to families coping with Alzheimer’s Disease or related forms of dementia.

A corresponding press release from the non-profit details that there are currently more than 95,000 South Carolinians living with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 199,000 family members and friends providing care for them, per The Alzheimer’s Association. Also in South Carolina, 12.1 percent of people aged 45 and older have subjective cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative disease of the brain that affects memory, awareness, social conversation, and speech.

The Summerville-based ARK of SC furnishes community members with services, such as memory screenings, resource fairs, educational workshops and support groups.

Areas serviced include Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, and Orangeburg counties, along with Harleyville and Summerville.

For more information, visit at https://bit.ly/ARKcarshow.

I stumbled across this oldies band through its drummer, Michael Grenier, on Facebook, who is from Biddeford, Maine (my home state). Wildflower Station covers classic rock music from the 1960s and 1970s.

I went to hear them Saturday, Aug. 19, at Del Webb, a 55-and-older community north of Nexton. Band favorites include a mixture of rock and folk music from Laurel Canyon, but they also do a lot of The Beatles tunes, as well as The Eagles and so forth.

People love to get up and dance to them. They have played all over the Lowcountry, including Morgan Creek Grill, Pier 101 and so on.

Regan: Laureen Deibert (founder) – How did the band form? How did you all meet?

Deibert: I had started a ’50s band called Dreamland, but wanted to play music that was more my generation – ‘60s and ’70s classic rock, but with an acoustic flair. I first started Wildflower Station as an all-girl band. I found three other women, but soon found out women have priorities: family. So, I started bringing in musicians. We went from a trio to a quad, then five members, then six, now seven: four men and three women. Of all my members, I found them in church or on Craigslist. We come from California, Michigan, Maine, Georgia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and a local from Charleston. There have been several “iterations” of WFS, but the present band is the best. Every new member brings a style of music we can then expound upon.

R: How did it come to be that the band would have three prominent female singers?

L: Everyone does sing, which is a great way to also bring in different styles of rock. We started out more as a vocal band, so harmonies are key to any song we do. The four major singers on the front line are myself, Dan, Wanda and Audra. We pick songs that were chart-toppers, and then work hard on the harmonies. We can do songs by The Eagles, The Beatles and The Mamas & the Papas with layered vocals. We also have Ferris (bass player) who sings ’50s rock. Vito (keyboardist and lead guitar) sings great ’70s rock. Mike (drummer) sings funky rock hits. But the main line of the band is the four of us up front. Being the leader of the band, I stand front and center; the other ladies, Wanda and Audra, are next to me so we can hear each other’s harmonies.

R: How do you all decide which top songs to do?

L: The songs we do are usually going to be ’60s and ’70s classic rock, with specials thrown in, depending on where we play, and what age we will play for. I’ve always picked top-25 chart toppers for the years 1960 to 1975, but we will also sing songs that we make our own even if they weren’t exactly top hits. We have been blessed to play for Vietnam vets, so we really focus on the great songs of that time – “For What It’s Worth,” “Happy Together,” – those amazing songs that take you back to where you were. Since each of us have a certain quality, I tend to give those members a choice on which song they’d like to sing. Like, if I want to bring in some Fleetwood Mac, I’ve got the Christine McVie voice, and then Wanda or Audra will do Stevie Nicks. For “In the Midnight Hour,” I’ll get Mike to sing that, he is our Wilson Pickett. Vito is our ’70s rock guy, singing Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, etc. We have Dan, our very own John Lennon. I’ll sing the Paul McCartney harmony behind him. We always make it work.

R: Does anyone write original music?

L: I believe we have all written our own music, but we like to play the songs that people remember. I’ve heard too many times that we are the only band that plays the music we do — like “California Dreamin.’” When is the last time you heard a band play that? Great songs you just don’t hear out and about on the live music circuit, and all heavy on harmonies. No one drums like Mike. You’d think you’re in the same room as Ringo Starr. Each riff is exactly what you hear on The Beatles recordings. It’s amazing. Vito will get the leads and plays note for note. Ferris on bass is a wonder to see. I couldn’t ask for more.

R: How often do you rehearse?

L: As often as possible. In vocal practice, we must figure out all the harmonies, the key that we’ll be doing the song in, and then bring it to the band for final practice. Full band practice, a minimum of once weekly.

R: What are your favorite types of gigs? How many gigs do you do?

L: We have played a couple of “All Beatles Revue” gigs: three sets of Beatles hits from ’63-’70. The band loves them, and it is also so interesting that Generation X and Millennials love them, too, as well as classic rock. So far this year, we’ve played about 30 gigs, (private parties, weddings or public events). We are booking already into 2024. We generally will play once per weekend; however, we do back-to-back Fridays and Saturdays, too.

R: What is next?

L: We always want to bring in new music to keep our fans intrigued. That is a lot of work, but we all love doing this. So, I think we’ll keep our noses to the grindstone, and keep on making great music. To book, call us at 843-270-9361.

Mary E. Regan, columnist, is a freelance publicist with her ProPublicist.com consultancy. Seeking new publicity clients and writing projects. Story ideas? Email Mary@ProPublicist.com.

I stumbled across this oldies band through its drummer, Michael Grenier, on Facebook, who is from Biddeford, Maine (my home state). Wildflower Station covers classic rock music from the 1960s and 1970s.

I went to hear them Saturday, Aug. 19, at Del Webb, a 55-and-older community north of Nexton. Band favorites include a mixture of rock and folk music from Laurel Canyon, but they also do a lot of The Beatles tunes, as well as The Eagles and so forth.

People love to get up and dance to them. They have played all over the Lowcountry, including Morgan Creek Grill, Pier 101 and so on.

Regan: Laureen Deibert (founder) – How did the band form? How did you all meet?

Deibert: I had started a ’50s band called Dreamland, but wanted to play music that was more my generation – ‘60s and ’70s classic rock, but with an acoustic flair. I first started Wildflower Station as an all-girl band. I found three other women, but soon found out women have priorities: family. So, I started bringing in musicians. We went from a trio to a quad, then five members, then six, now seven: four men and three women. Of all my members, I found them in church or on Craigslist. We come from California, Michigan, Maine, Georgia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and a local from Charleston. There have been several “iterations” of WFS, but the present band is the best. Every new member brings a style of music we can then expound upon.

R: How did it come to be that the band would have three prominent female singers?

L: Everyone does sing, which is a great way to also bring in different styles of rock. We started out more as a vocal band, so harmonies are key to any song we do. The four major singers on the front line are myself, Dan, Wanda and Audra. We pick songs that were chart-toppers, and then work hard on the harmonies. We can do songs by The Eagles, The Beatles and The Mamas & the Papas with layered vocals. We also have Ferris (bass player) who sings ’50s rock. Vito (keyboardist and lead guitar) sings great ’70s rock. Mike (drummer) sings funky rock hits. But the main line of the band is the four of us up front. Being the leader of the band, I stand front and center; the other ladies, Wanda and Audra, are next to me so we can hear each other’s harmonies.

R: How do you all decide which top songs to do?

L: The songs we do are usually going to be ’60s and ’70s classic rock, with specials thrown in, depending on where we play, and what age we will play for. I’ve always picked top-25 chart toppers for the years 1960 to 1975, but we will also sing songs that we make our own even if they weren’t exactly top hits. We have been blessed to play for Vietnam vets, so we really focus on the great songs of that time – “For What It’s Worth,” “Happy Together,” – those amazing songs that take you back to where you were. Since each of us have a certain quality, I tend to give those members a choice on which song they’d like to sing. Like, if I want to bring in some Fleetwood Mac, I’ve got the Christine McVie voice, and then Wanda or Audra will do Stevie Nicks. For “In the Midnight Hour,” I’ll get Mike to sing that, he is our Wilson Pickett. Vito is our ’70s rock guy, singing Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, etc. We have Dan, our very own John Lennon. I’ll sing the Paul McCartney harmony behind him. We always make it work.

R: Does anyone write original music?

L: I believe we have all written our own music, but we like to play the songs that people remember. I’ve heard too many times that we are the only band that plays the music we do — like “California Dreamin.’” When is the last time you heard a band play that? Great songs you just don’t hear out and about on the live music circuit, and all heavy on harmonies. No one drums like Mike. You’d think you’re in the same room as Ringo Starr. Each riff is exactly what you hear on The Beatles recordings. It’s amazing. Vito will get the leads and plays note for note. Ferris on bass is a wonder to see. I couldn’t ask for more.

R: How often do you rehearse?

L: As often as possible. In vocal practice, we must figure out all the harmonies, the key that we’ll be doing the song in, and then bring it to the band for final practice. Full band practice, a minimum of once weekly.

R: What are your favorite types of gigs? How many gigs do you do?

L: We have played a couple of “All Beatles Revue” gigs: three sets of Beatles hits from ’63-’70. The band loves them, and it is also so interesting that Generation X and Millennials love them, too, as well as classic rock. So far this year, we’ve played about 30 gigs, (private parties, weddings or public events). We are booking already into 2024. We generally will play once per weekend; however, we do back-to-back Fridays and Saturdays, too.

R: What is next?

L: We always want to bring in new music to keep our fans intrigued. That is a lot of work, but we all love doing this. So, I think we’ll keep our noses to the grindstone, and keep on making great music. To book, call us at 843-270-9361.

Mary E. Regan, columnist, is a freelance publicist with her ProPublicist.com consultancy. Seeking new publicity clients and writing projects. Story ideas? Email Mary@ProPublicist.com.