Construction on the first homesite at Sewee Preserve, a 500-acre conservation development project is now underway. The Craftsman/Cape Cod style home is designed with the latest "green" features to complement the nature of the project, and will highlight the views of the salt marsh of Sewee Bay and the beauty of the unspoiled nature that surrounds it. Ilderton Contractors Inc., based on Sullivan's Island and known for their environmentally friendly homes, expects to finish construction within a year.

The home at 4249 Longmarsh Rd. will be 4,200 square feet with five bedrooms and four and half baths. The house, with rustic cedar shake siding and exposed rafters, is nestled within a live oak and pine forest and is designed to take advantage of the marsh and natural vistas that surround it. It features 2,000 square feet of porches, deck and expansive windows in a T-shape design, yielding natural light on three sides of nearly every room in the house.

To continue Sewee Preserve's environmentally friendly mission, the home also includes the latest "green" technologies designed to have minimal adverse effect on the environment. Water conservation systems, energy efficient water heaters, a radiant barrier roof to minimize the sun's heat in the heat in the summer, fluorescent lighting, cork flooring, energy star appliances, a programmable thermostat, carpet made from recycled materials, and paint that absorbs the sun's heat are examples of "green" features of the new home.

"In keeping with Sewee Preserve's goal of protecting and enhancing its environment, it's only fitting that the first home set a high standard by using many of the latest innovations in 'green' construction," says Dennis Avery, developer of Sewee Preserve.
Pat Ilderton, owner of Ilderton Contractors, says he decided to purchase a lot at Sewee Preserve because of the unique concept and Avery's dedication to protecting the environment. 'To be within this great expanse of coastal forest and to live in harmony with the environment offers a tremendous lifestyle," he says. "The feeling of nature and wide open space you get at Sewee Preserve, coupled with the knowledge that you're part of something very special, is indeed rare," he added.

Sewee Preserve is located within the Sewee to Santee corridor, which runs from just north of Mount Pleasant to the Santee River Delta. The property serves as a key link in the preservation of this strip of South Carolina coastline, completing a seamless network of more than 300,000 acres in the form of a "greenbelt" from Sewee to Santee, including the Francis Marion National Forest and the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge.

More than 400 acres of the 500-acre community are permanently protected from further development through a conservation statement held by Wetlands America Trust. The goal of preserving this tract of land is to demonstrate that it is possible to balance ecology and economy by offering super low-density housing while protecting the Lowcountry's natural heritage. For more information, visit www.seweepreserve.com.

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