Doylestown has become one of the suburbs’ most desirable places to settle down, though opportunities to build the home of one’s dreams in the borough have been sparse … until now. A new private community planned for a site at the corner of Clinton and Union streets—The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill—is enabling both new and existing residents to take advantage of everything downtown Doylestown has to offer.
The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill is the brainchild of Joe Ventresca, owner of Chalfont-based Joseph Ventresca Group, who is developing the site with partners Rudy Blair and Chip Leaver. Ventresca’s firm obtained the land three years ago, with the long-term plan of “doing something interesting that has never been done before,” he says.
Based on development plans, which were done collaboratively with borough officials, Ventresca will accomplish his goal in spectacular fashion. The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill calls for 20 single-floor condominiums that combine highly sophisticated design with the exceptional materials and amenities designed to enhance residents’ lifestyles.
“I think the borough realized the need for this, and they were very instrumental in helping to shape the finished product,” Ventresca says. “As far as we know it is the only one like it in the area. … It has truly been a one-of-a-kind project.”
Doylestown’s natural beauty, rich history and award-winning schools, among other attractions, combine to make The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill one of the most sought-after addresses in all of Bucks County. It will also place residents within walking distance of dozens of excellent restaurants, five prominent museums and numerous shopping boutiques, as well as an independent theater and other cultural touchstones.
“We are looking for someone who wants to downsize without compromise and looking to simplify their lives,” says Chris Nisbet, associate broker with J. Carroll Molloy, the broker for The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill. “We are catering to the person who wants quintessential products in a turnkey residence. This is probably the person who has a home in Boca as well. That said, we certainly don’t want to exclude an upwardly mobile single or married couple; this is for anyone who’s looking to take advantage of metropolitan living in a Currier & Ives town.”
Although not an age-restricted community, The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill is for the sophisticated buyer. Every resident will enjoy a single-floor, maintenance-free lifestyle, with additional amenities such as elevator access to each unit, as well as secure underground parking, individual storage rooms and a state-of-art-security system. Inside each unit, standard features include 9-foot-tall ceilings, Viking appliances, granite countertops and hardwood floors throughout the living and dining areas.
Buyers who purchase early, however, will have the opportunity to customize their units’ floor plans, as well as ensure that they obtain a unit with a patio for enjoying a certain degree of outdoor living. In other words, according to Nisbet, “Make your appointment with us now.”
Furthermore, the community is LEED-certified, with sustainable features such as Energy Star appliances, high-efficiency water heaters and eco-friendly interior finishes, as well as drought-tolerate landscaping and charging stations for electric or hybrid vehicles. In addition, residents have access to a number of biking and walking trails nearby, while Peace Valley Park’s intricate trail system is a short drive away.
Although no earth has been moved yet, prospective residents have shown tremendous interest in the community, according to Nisbet. “For the people who have come to the sales center, it has been well received,” she says “Several deposits have already been received.”
Historic Partnership
Ventresca and Doylestown share some history. His family has strong ties to the borough, and he has worked on prior projects through Doylestown that met with high praise. A previous project he designed and built in the borough—converting an historic residence at the intersection of Hamilton Street and W. Oakland Avenue into office use, which included an underground parking garage similar to the one being planned for The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill—is where Ventresca earned respect from the community and borough officials.
The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill, with its masonry brick exterior, is being built on the site of Nyce’s Planing Mill and Concrete Supply, which employed many of the townspeople until it was eventually shuttered. Ventresca’s past experience with the borough, combined with his innovative plans for a vacant site that had been considered something of an eyesore, ensured buy-in from borough officials.
“This is a former industrial site that was ‘nonconforming,’ as we say in zoning,” says Phil Ehlinger, Doylestown’s director of planning and deputy borough manager. “Our comprehensive plan identified this type of development as desirable, using existing infrastructure where more compact developments can help reduce the pressure to develop farm fields. … We will be able to get 20 dwelling units in a town where they belong, as opposed to out in the country. These are mid- to higher-income residents who will contribute to the community, all within walking distance of downtown.”
Doylestown has long been known for high-quality rental properties, but Ehlinger and other borough officials are pleased with the prospect of providing more opportunities for home ownership—especially with such a “high-quality development of sustainable, green buildings,” as Ehlinger calls it.
“With the parking garage for cars and the elevators, these are prime units for older Doylestown residents and other people who want to be able to stay in their homes and walk to town, without relying on an automobile,” he says. “We have heard interest from existing homeowners who don’t want to move out of the borough, but at the same time, Doylestown has been discovered by the northeast region as very desirable place to live, so it will probably be a mix of existing and new residents.”
Word of The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill will likely travel quickly once construction gets underway later this month, and Ventresca expects units to sell quickly. Both phases are expected to be completed within 33 months, though he suggests some residents could be living on site by this time next year.
For more information on The Enclave at Nyce’s Mill, visit enclavenm.com or contact Chris Nisbet at J. Carroll Molloy by calling 215-348-3558 ext. 117 or 215-416-9249.
Photograph by Kim Billingsley
