This article originally appeared on Franklin Homepage.com: https://franklinhomepage.com/parade-of-homes-gems-rise-on-historic-holtlandwildwood-property/
The Witherspoon subdivision surrounding the historic Holtland/Wildwood mansion is bringing more homes to Brentwood as well as a designated trust fund to the city’s library.
The land upon which Witherspoon sits was sold in 2016 to Mike Ford Custom Builders LLC for $10.5 million by Charles Witherspoon Jr., the Holt family heir. The property had been in the Holt family since the early 1800s. Homes now under construction there will be open to the public in an upcoming fall Parade of Homes.
Witherspoon died on Aug. 9 at the age of 90. He inherited a life estate for one half of the property from his aunt, O’Delle Holt. Under the circumstances of Holt’s will, when Witherspoon sold the property in 2016, half of the proceeds after taxes and fees, $3.9 million, went to Brentwood United Methodist Church.
Witherspoon was given an annual payment from the other half while he was alive. Now that he has passed away, Holt’s will states that Witherspoon’s half of the money should be donated to the city of Brentwood either to build a new library or to help sustain an existing library.
There is a string attached, however. The money can only go to an existing library if the city chooses to rename the library “The John P. Holt Library,” after O’Delle’s husband, according to City of Brentwood documents.
“It’s sitting in a trust fund now and I guess in time the city will make that decision of whether it wants to accept that money and rename the library,” City Attorney Roger Horner said. “It should be a pretty simple process to get that money transferred to the city.”
Elected officials are expected to eventually make that decision.
“The Library Board might make a recommendation, but it’s ultimately up to the City Commission,” Horner said.
Witherspoon’s memories of the property
Charles Witherspoon grew up on the property and was the one who decided to sell. In 2014, he told the Brentwood Home Page about his life on the family farm, which was owned by his aunt and uncle. The picture he painted was of a type of country life that has become increasingly rare in Brentwood over the intervening decades.
“I didn’t find it lonely at all,” he said in that article. “I was able to entertain myself pretty much riding horses and ponies, riding bicycles. Playing around in the big woodpile in the back. I used to enjoy playing out there jumping from log to log, that kind of thing. I’d invent games and things to do to pass the time. Did a lot of reading also.”
The new subdivision featured in Parade of Homes
The new Witherspoon subdivision, which is located on the mansion’s former property, will eventually feature 153 homes. Although now still in its early phases, the burgeoning neighborhood will soon be in the spotlight. Some of the homes currently near completion will be featured from Oct. 7 through Oct. 22 as part of the 2017 Pinnacle Financial Partners Parade of Homes.
“We have six homes that will be featured in the parade,” Mary Kocina, a realtor working with Fridrich & Clark Realty, LLC, said. These homes will be fully decorated and open to the public.
Overall, 26 homes in the subdivision, which is located just off Crockett Road, are under construction now. Kocina said 14 homes and one lot have already been sold.
The first homeowners should start moving into their new homes in Witherspoon at the end of September. Homes at Witherspoon range in price from $800,000 to $3 million.
So far, phase one and phase two construction is underway in the subdivision. Kocina said there are eight planned phases of construction in total.
All of the work going on in Witherspoon surrounds the historic home. The Holtland/Wildwood mansion has been purchased by a Brentwood family as a private residence, Kocina said. The family is refurbishing the house.
Six builders and interior design teams will be featured at this year’s Parade of Homes, according to a news release:
Austin Pennington, Barlow Builders, and Julie Paranjape, mrs.paranjape designs
Alan Looney, Castle Homes, and Castle Homes’ in-house design team partnering with Rozanne Jackson, Ginny Garett and Katy Austin from The Iron Gate
Mike Ford, Ford Custom Classic Homes, and Autumnflora Miklich, Bella Vita Designs
Doug Herman, Legend Homes, and Marie-Joe Bouffard, JFY Designs
Keith Schumacher, Schumacher Homes, and Tim Clausey and Chuck Feltner, Recreations
Paul Huff, Stonegate Homes, and Julie Davis, Julie Davis Interiors
In addition to these homes, Kocina said the community’s pool and clubhouse should be done by parade time as well.
“The builders and designers are working non-stop to create truly inspiring homes that attendees won’t soon forget,” Danny Hester, of Pinnacle Financial Partners, said. “We’re excited about the October show and are proud to sponsor this year’s event.”
For more information visit www.theparadeofhomes.org or follow the event on the 2017 Pinnacle Financial Partners Parade of Homes Facebook page.
On Tuesday, Pinnacle announced on that Facebook page that the Williamson County Animal Center will be the benefitting charity of this year’s Parade of Homes.
For more information about the Witherspoon development, visit its website.