MOSES LAKE — Hayden Homes broke ground May 16 on its newest Moses Lake development.

Sand Hill Place, located off Hansen Road in Mae Valley, is Hayden’s 13th development in Moses Lake.

“Our goal at Hayden Homes is to offer homes to the area median-income wage earners, and that has allowed us to provide over 1,000 homes to hard-working families and individuals here in Moses Lake and in Grant County,” said Kristen Skinner, Hayden’s regional marketing specialist for the south Washington region.

The groundbreaking served as a bonus Business After Hours function with the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. Chamber members gathered at the site for the occasion, with lunch catered by Tacos El Rey of Moses Lake.

Sand Hill Place will have about 40 homes built in three phases when construction begins, said Regional Marketing Director Gina Donangelo Barnecut, with prices starting in the low $300,000 range. Sales haven’t begun yet, she said, but are expected to once the recording paperwork is finished. There is a sales agent on site, she added, and the model home at Polo Ridge near Park Orchard Elementary School is serving as a model until the new one can be put up.

Sand Hill Place is one of a number of developments that have sprung up in the former agricultural area of Mae Valley. The neighborhood has easy access to I-90 and Blue Heron Park, but has very few stores within walking distance. But that’s not a drawback, Donangelo Barnecut said.

“This location is pretty desirable,” she said. “I think people who move out here like being close to recreation and their amenities, and driving a little bit farther to those businesses isn’t a big deal. I think people try and find a sense of community and out here, we’ve been able to provide that.”

The homes at Sand Hill will look a little different from the ones in other Hayden developments, Donangelo Barnecut said.

“It’s got different exterior colors, different elements,” she said. “It’ll be a little different compared to the other communities that we’ve built here (but) the same high quality. In the interiors, we’ve made some modifications so the archways are a little more squared off. (They’re all based on) feedback that we’ve heard from our customers. We’re excited to be starting that in Sand Hill.”

Hayden Homes has more than 40 floor plans in its repertoire altogether, Donangelo Barnecut said, but typically only offers six to nine options in a given neighborhood, depending on the size of the home sites and the needs of the buyers.

Hayden Homes is based in Redmond, Ore., right in the middle of the state. Hayden started branching out into Washington in 1993 with a development in Othello and moved into Moses Lake in 1994 with the Hayden Estates neighborhood between Pioneer Way and State Route 17 south of Hill Avenue. The company has three developments still selling besides Sand Hill: Polo Ridge and nearby Barrington Point, and Maple Landing off Grape Drive north of SR 17. The company makes a point of keeping its prices moderate, Skinner said.

“We believe that we’re more than just a home builder,” she said. “We believe in giving as you go, so that together we can build a strong community and live fulfilled lives.”

    Hayden Homes Regional Marketing Specialist Kristen Skinner, left, talks with Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Marketing Director Lori Robins at the groundbreaking for Sand Hill Place May 16. Sand Hill Place is Skinner’s first new community, she said, and she’s proud that she gets to start it off in Moses Lake.
  

    Moses Lake Realtor Tara Zerbo, left, chats with Hayden Homes’ Kristen Skinner, right, and Gina Donangelo Barnecut at the groundbreaking for Sand Hill Place May 16.