NEW FRANKLIN, Ohio — A Northeast Ohio business owner has a bright vision for a portion of a beloved golf course in Summit County. He's looking to invest millions of dollars into a new housing project that will maintain the space's character.
The concept is garnering major attention from developers and locals.
Timothy Adkins said the options are endless, and there is nothing better than New Franklin and the community he calls home. It's an investment he hopes will pay off for the long term.
He said he's doing it in part for his 6-year-old son and the people who love living and golfing there.
Work is already underway to begin clearing out countless trees along the picturesque Portage Lakes.
"I've always been drawn to water. And if you've lived on water, I think you have that same feeling," owner and developer Timothy Adkins said.
Construction crews are focused on building a seawall in the months ahead.
"We're gonna have the same seawall all the way around so that way it looks uniform," Adkins said.
It's a small piece of the larger puzzle for the local businessowner, and the New Franklin/Franklin Township native's grand vision.
"I love it here, and that's what got me involved in the golf course," Adkins said.
Adkins, who owns and operates the Upper Deck restaurant nearby and Basement Sports Bar and Grill, said it all starts at the beloved Turkeyfoot Lakes Golf Links.
Adkins aims to develop a portion of the course into the “Water 9” on Turkeyfoot Lake. He's still working out an official title for the project.
But the space between Turkeyfoot Lake and Mud Lake will ultimately feature 70 beautiful new homes with a waterfront view and a golf course steps away.
"This is the prime real estate," Adkins said.
All of the properties will have public sewer and water, underground utilities, sidewalks and street lighting.
"This is about 28 acres that we're gonna develop. The phase calls for about 70 homes on 70 lots," Adkins said.
Each home will be personalized, and the buyer can "bring their own builder" to personalize their design.
He stressed that 18 holes of the 27-hole Turkeyfoot course will remain intact—it's something he's doing with his little boy in mind.
"I want this to be a place where he can grow up, and we can spend quality time together. I started out working on golf courses," Adkins said.
Adkins beat out a national buyer for the space—they wanted to develop more than 400 homes there.
Adkins aims to maintain the vibe that's kept him around after all these years.
He said he believes in this community and is looking forward to the future.
"I don't know of any place like this north of Key West except right here in Portage Lakes. I love it. Out here it's a different lifestyle—it's laid back," Adkins said.
The project isn’t a done deal just yet.
It has to go through New Franklin Zoning and Planning as well as the council.
A meeting is set for March 27.
To check out future plans and inquire about properties, click here.
Adkins says 95% of the people love it and support it.
A few don't want the construction, but he said to imagine if someone came in and built 450 homes versus his 70.
He said his phone has been ringing off the hook from interested future homeowners and developers, and he received a thousand inquiries and hits on the website when this went public.
News 5 will continue to follow through for the latest developments.
