Builders hold key to housing boom

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By Dal Cannady bio | email

HINESVILLE, GA (WTOC) -Third Infantry leaders confirmed Wednesday they'll add three thousand soldiers and maybe twice as many civilian family members over the next 18 months.

They're already designing office space, barracks and other facilities for them. That construction will cost half a billion dollars. They also stress they need the surrounding community to begin construction for those who'll live off post.

John Hopkins and other home builders could be considered the foundation for Liberty County's next growth boom. But just like a house, John said, they need detailed plans.

"We've got to have the right house for the right family. Without knowing specifics, it's a difficult job to do. We need to be able to contact the actual customers," he noted.

Developers have some subdivisions already mapped out and paved. Most can't get construction loans right now to build homes if they don't already have a buyer.

But the Army doesn't release that kind of info on its soldiers, let alone for troops who won't live here for another year. Commanders are still urging banks to loan builders what they need to prepare. Major General Tony Cucolo understands speculative construction isn't what anyone wants to hear in a bad economy. However, he lived at Fort Drum years ago when the community didn't build and soldiers suffered.

"I've stood in front of 30-40 folks ( of community leaders) and said let me tell you what happened at Drum and I don't want that to happen here," he noted.

Hinesville still has some large mobile home parks that date back to the 1970's. Locals put them up as a quick fix response to an influx of troops when the community didn't get this much notice.

Local realtor Alan Brown said everyone should remember the existing houses already on the market. Too many vacancies could hurt the people moving in and the people moving out.

"When a guy leaves for a new assignment, he needs to be able to rent his home if he wants or sell it in a reasonable time," Brown noted.

Hopkins said if he could get sketches and other things in front of potential buyers, the region's next boom could start even sooner and plenty of vacant lots wouldn't be vacant for long.

Brown said many in the housing business are trying to market to the soldiers who will be moving here so the troops can contact builders.