Under Construction: Six Harper Homes with open courtyards coming to North Shore

photo Collier Construction is working a new residential construction on Harper Street, between Bell Avenue and Cherokee Blvd.

Project: The Harper Homes.

Owner and contractor: Collier Construction.

Location: 400 Harper St.

Architect: Taylor Bowers.

No. of units: Six.

Unit sizes: 2,000 to 2,400 square feet.

Price per home: $300,000 to $365,000.

Timeline: Finished by mid-2014.

Scope: Mini development will include a half dozen homes along Harper Street on the North Shore. The homes will be U-shaped with open, 400-square-foot courtyards in the middle, president & CEO Ethan Collier said. Houses have finished basements and will sit on small lots with about 12 feet between homes. "It's a good cross between a townhouse and a single family home," Collier said. Two houses are already under contract.

History: This is Collier Construction's first foray into subdivision development. Usually the company focuses on custom work and individual single-family homes. But Collier said the development fits with the company's overall vision, which is to fully develop the city's urban core and increase population and density downtown."When we purchased in 2008, crime in this area was very high, in part because of rental homes on the property," Collier said. "Just coming in and building single-family homes and moving families into that area will increase the value of everyone's property around it."

Future: Collier expects the company to continue to tackle multi-house projects in urban areas that are underserving the city and not being used for the best purpose.

- Complied by Shelly Bradbury, who may be reached at sbradbury@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6525.

Upcoming Events