After a 13-year delay that started with a recession and included a pandemic, the Evergreen subdivision project in Lakeland is finally — finally! — about to get underway.

The 79.6-acre development by the father-and-son team of Bill and Ron May at Old Brownsville and Evergreen got approval from the suburb’s Board of Commissioners in 2007. That was just before the Great Recession, an economic downturn that stalled the project for more than a decade.

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The site changed ownership last year when Betty Axton and the Mays bought the land. Bill and Ron May developed the 32-lot Evergreen Manor a couple of years ago, and homes are under construction on that site.

“We were looking for some more land to develop and came across the Evergreen property,” said Ron May, also a realtor with Crye-Leike. “Then taking it through the development process in Lakeland has worked out pretty well.”

The first phase will include developing roughly 40 lots with the land ready for home construction by October. McLemore Home Builders and the Dave Moore Companies are expected to be the main builders.

The Mays purchased the property with the intention of developing it in accordance with all prior approvals, according to project representative Cory Brady, principal/owner of Integrated Land Solutions.

“I’m thrilled to see this project move forward for the May family and the city,” said Brady, who was involved with the original planning for the project in 2007 but left until 2019 when he reconnected with the May family. “The site has challenges, and I believe the collaboration resulted in an improved development.” 

Evergreen initially was approved with 149 alley-loaded, single-family lots. A later revision dropped the number to 140 with the removal of the alleys. Last year, the plan was adjusted to 138 lots.

“In the spring of 2019, the May family agreed to purchase the undeveloped property,” Brady said. “Unfortunately, the previous developers had failed to extend the PD in 2017, so the Evergreen Planned Development had technically expired.” 

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A year ago, Lakeland approved a request to extend the planned development, and while doing so informally requested a revised plan.

“Although this was incorrect procedurally, the May family agreed to improve the plan,” Brady said. He reconfigured the project’s pieces to improve the overall design, maximize tree preservation and provide more usable common open spaces. 

“Lakeland’s political leadership was very clear that preservation of mature tree stands is a priority,” Brady said. “We gave up a few lots, but the plan retains approximately 91% of the pre-development tree stand, reserves 45% of the site’s land area as common open space, and locates 55% of all lots adjacent to or adjoining common open space.”

Lakeland Mayor Mike Cunningham expressed excitement that the developers listened and took his recommendations based on their initial sketch plan and incorporated what he believes makes their development right for Lakeland.

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“They increased their lot sizes, reconfigured their common open areas and entrances to work around and save as many of the old growth trees as possible,” Cunningham said. “My hat’s off to them for understanding that my vision for Lakeland is to keep our city unique and upscale by using common sense conservancy when we consider new opportunities for ‘Smart Growth’.”

Phase One construction drawings are approved and developers hope for a spring start. Homes are expected to start from the high $400,000s to the mid-$500,000s.

The Mays also own 150 acres of additional land in Lakeland and Arlington off U.S. 64.

“But it’s been an issue to get sewer to it,” Ron May said. “We thought of developing it with bigger lots, so you could use other types of sewage systems. But we really want to use sewer, so we’re going to have to talk to Mayor (Mike) Wissman and Arlington and see where we can go.”