Park Crossing High School, located adjacent to New Park, was featured in July at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.  Below is the article featured on  the AL.com website.

Montgomery’s new Park Crossing High School was featured this month as part of an exhibition at Washington, D.C.’s National Building Museum.  The school features storm shelters designed by Alabama architectural and design firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood that can protect students and teachers from winds up to 250 mph.  An entire storm shelter just like the ones at Park Crossing was set up inside the museum.

The exhibit, entitled, “Designing for Disaster,” features buildings and structures around the country that are built to withstand natural disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fire.  Because Alabama is the only state to require “tornado safe rooms” to be built as part of all new schools, the state – and Park Crossing High School – were featured.

According to a statement by architects Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, the shelters are unique because they are smaller and integrated into classrooms throughout the school, making them safer than one large singular space.  They are also enclosed by rebar-reinforced concrete walls, and steel shutters in the classrooms can be closed to block flying debris during a storm.

Park Crossing has enough safe areas to protect 1,200 students and teachers.

This article was written by Kathryn Jacoby of AL.com on July 25, 2014.  The picture to the right is the sample Park Crossing High School tornado shelter set up in the National Building Museum taken from the article on the AL.com website.

New Park offers an array of the areas most respected and experienced Home Builders in Montgomery, Alabama and New Homes Montgomery, Alabama.  Park Crossing High School is one of the newest schools in Montgomery, Alabama.  Visit us today!

Montgomery, Alabama. July 17, 2014.  Starting July 15, 2014, construction and development began on another 34 lots at New Park, the largest new residential development in Montgomery County and located on Park Crossing Road in East Montgomery.  Developer, Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC, is expanding the residential project, originally begun in 2008, with the addition of 34 new, fifty (50) foot lots.  Marketed by Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC, these lots will be available for purchase in October 2014.  Available builders for customers include DR Horton, Hugh Cole Builder, Inc., Elegant Homes, LLC, Excel Construction, LLC, Nathan Watson Builder, Inc., W.J. Sellers Custom Homes, Inc., and Milton Strickland Builders, Inc.

New Park, a 1,000 acre master-planned community, began in 2008 with over 180 residential lots and has since grown to over 209 lots with development expansion in 2014.  Now, the development is growing again to offer additional, new residential lots that allow customers to select beautiful, livable, and affordable home designs by Montgomery’s premier builders with home prices beginning around $200,000.  Located in East Montgomery on Park Crossing Road, the neighborhood features beautiful landscaping, a fourteen acre lake, a neighborhood pool, outstanding access to nearby retail and schools, including Park Crossing High School, the city’s newest, state of the art high school, Johnnie Carr Middle School and Wilson Elementary, and the James W. Wilson YMCA, the regions newest YMCA.  For more New Park information, visit www.newparkliving.com.

Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC, (JWA) based in Montgomery, Alabama, is a privately owned real estate company specializing in real estate development including shopping centers, residential real estate investments, offices, condominiums, hotels and mixed-use developments. With over three decades of real estate experience, JWA has developed in excess of 21 million square-feet of shopping center space. The company’s development portfolio includes residential communities and condominium residences, mixed-use developments, Class A office buildings and hotel and country club assets.  For more information, visit www.jwamalls.com.

River Region Living Magazine recently published an article on New Park in their June 2014 Issue.  We are so happy with the article, we thought we’d share it with you!

Homebuyers, broadly speaking, can be placed into one of three main categories: the cautious first-timers, the bursting-at-the-seams upgraders and the downsizing empty nesters.

The first category consists of everyone from singles tired of throwing their rent money down the drain to newlyweds to folks whose growing families are packed in like sardines.  Upgraders typically have more than one child and have worked their way up the career ladder far enough to be drawing a higher paycheck – perfect time to move on from their starter home and find a place with a boneus room and a big backyard.  Then there are the empty nesters looking to leave their suddenly quiet single-family homes for something smaller, yet perhaps even more luxurious.

Do any of these describe you?  Great news.

New Park, a 1,400-plus acres master plan community located in the center of East Montgomery has the conveniences of city life, but provides the secluded country setting many buyers are looking for.  It is convenienctly situated between Ray Thorington and Taylor Road.  The overall master plan consists of new homes for every budget and every lifestyle – no matter what stage of life you’re in.

Rarely does a community live up to its marketing slogan but New Park truly does have it all and showcases “the smartest address in town” and “where life is a breeze.”  Inspired by the casual elegance and craftsmanship of the cottage-style home, the community blends Old World charm with sleek modern amenities.  The lush surroundings create a unique, neighborhood ideally located in the central part of east Montgomery.

At New Park, residents are within walking distance of the James Wilson Elementary School, the Wilson YMCa and the new Park Crossing High School.  You’ll also have the ease of being just a couple of miles to the Eastchase Shopping Center.  Living in New Park offers you the conveniences of shopping, entertainment and a diverse selection of dining options.  It’s the perfect combination of quaint living and quick access to all the necessities.  As you know in real estate, it’s all about location, location, location!!

“The wonderful thing about New Park is how many different niches we have,” says Anita Carter, vice president of Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC.  “The variety of housing options is fantastic, but still very affordable.  Ranging upward from the low $200’s.”

“The kind of home you buy should be dictated by your lifestyle and how you spend your time – and where your friends are,” says Anita Carter, who has over 20 years experience selling homes in the River Region.

“This is a community where people want to live because we offer an excellent quality of life.  This community provides a safe, small-town settin, with easy access to Taylor Road and its location allows for a short drive to the hubbub of city living.  This community prides itself on its quiet tree-lines streets, meticulously maintained grounds and friendly environment.”

Life at New Park as described by Anita Carter, VP, “is he result of a community of couples, families and individuals who are looking for camaraderie, security and a strong neighborhood spirit.  Here they find a wonderful place to make friends and enjoy the lifestyle they have earned.”  Families with children are often attracted to the aread by the exceptional educational opportunities nearby, headlined by the new public Park Crossing High School.

Thank you River Region Living for writing such a wonderful article about our beautiful neighborhood!

New Park offers an array of the areas most respected and experienced Home Builders in Montgomery, Alabama and New Homes Montgomery, Alabama, with a comprehensive range of new house designs and packages.  New Park is also home to the newest YMCA and the newest public schools in Montgomery, Alabama.  Visit us today!

Hugh Cole Builder, Inc.

New Park proudly collaborates with a selection of reputable and skilled new home builders in Montgomery, Alabama. Among these builders stands Hugh Cole Builder, Inc.

With over 33 years of experience in home building, Hugh Cole is a trusted name. His active involvement with the Greater Montgomery Home Builders Association and his past leadership roles highlight his commitment to excellence. Having served as president of GMHBA in both 1986 and 2010, Hugh’s reputation extends beyond the local level. His recognition in the Home Builders Association of Alabama’s Hall of Fame in 2004 speaks to his outstanding contributions.

Hugh Cole Builder, Inc. is dedicated to crafting homes that align with your lifestyle, preferences, and unique taste with impeccable craftsmanship and versatile floor plans. This dedication is rooted in the aspiration to provide homeowners with exceptional homes at the best possible price point.

Why Build Your New Home in New Park?

With its prime location in Montgomery, Alabama and an unparalleled list of neighborhood amenities, New Park offers the perfect blend of comfort, convenience, and community. Ready to embark on your home building journey? If you have questions about Hugh Cole Builder, Inc. or any of the builders in the New Park Builders Guild, we’re here to help!

Contact New Park today to get all the answers you need and start building your new home in Montgomery, Alabama.

Montgomery Teachers Nominated for State Awards

Two Montgomery teachers have been selected from more than 150 Alabama educators to make the top 16 in the search for the state’s teacher of the year.

Denise Nelson of Wilson Elementary School (pictured on right) and Rachel Dudley of Booker T. Washington Magnet School now will wait to hear if they have been selected for the “Final Four.”

The 2014-2015 Teacher of the Year will be announced at a ceremony May 14 at the RSA Plaza Terrace conducted by the Alabama State Board of Education and the Alabama State Department of Education.

“We’re very proud of both of them,” said Tom Salter, Montgomery Public Schools spokesman.  “They are perfect examples of the fantastic teachers we have in our system.  As far as we know, we have never had wo in the top 16 before.”

“That means we have wonderful teachers.  We have so many good teachers that it’s hard to pick just one, and they had to put two in there.  It’s a great honor.”

The teachers in the “Sweet 16” were chosen from a pool of educators statewide who submitted applications for the Alabama Teacher of the Year Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious award programs for teachers.

Dudley has been the visual arts instructor at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School since 2001 and values creative thought during the learning process.  Dudley has guided students to win prestigious state, regional and national art awards.

She also has modeled volunteerism by working with her students to create murals for the Montgomery Area Women, Infant and Children’s Center, Hutchinson Street Missionary Baptist Church and MPS Children’s Center.  She and her students have conducted art workshops for students who have special needs.

Nelson has been a teacher for 20 years – five years at Wilson Elementary School – and has been recognized with other awards, including Teahcer of the Year honors from Garrett and Wilson Elementary Schools.  She has a National Master Certification in reading through Renaissance Learning and has won the Alabama Power Co.’s Power Educator Award and National Board Certification – one of the teaching profession’s highest credentials.

Alison Grizzle, a math teacher at P.D. Jackson Olin High School in Birmingham, is the state’s 2013-2014 teacher of the year.

Alabama’s Teacher of the Year spends the majority of the school year serving as a full-time ambassador for education and the teaching profession as well as presenting workshops to various groups.  Additionally, Alabama’s representative is a candidate for the National Teacher of the Year.

This article was written by Kym Klass of the Montgomery Advertiser on April 9, 2014.  The picture of Denise Nelson was taken by the Montgomery Advertiser and copied from their website.  For more information or to see the original article, please click the link below.

2 MPS Teachers Up for Statewide Award

Contact us at New Park today for more information about our community, builders, developer, or for assistance with any additional questions.

Park Crossing High School is very pleased to announce Coach Walter “Smitty” Grider as Head Football Coach and Athletic Director. Coach Grider is a Montgomery native and we are excited to welcome him back home.

Coach Grider coached in the MPS junior high school system for several years in the 1990’s, helping to develop athletes that went on to compete for state championships at the high school level. He left Montgomery to coach with Spence McCracken at Opelika, eventually becoming defensive coordinator there and later at Smiths Station before becoming head coach at Central of Coosa and then Beauregard. He is regarded highly for his establishment of Beauregard as a state power as head coach over the past 8 years.

Some of Coach Grider’s accomplishments include:

– 69-33 overall record as head coach in rebuilding 2 programs, including significant turnaround in first year of each program.

– Selected as Head Coach for the AHSAA 2013 North South All Star Football Game.

– 64-28 record at Beauregard High School, most wins in school history.

– 2012 Alabama Sports Writers 4A Coach of the Year.

– 2011 Opelika Auburn News Coach of the Year.

– Selected as Defensive Coordinator for the AHSAA 2011 North South All Star Football Game.

– 2010 Selected as Head Coach for the Alabama vs Georgia Indoor Classic All Star Football Game.

– 7-4 record in first year at Beauregard, improving on the previous two seasons of 1-9, 1-9.

– 5-5 record in first year as Head Coach, improving on the previous 2 season records of 1-9 & 3-7.

– Led the state in scoring defense in 1998, 1999 and 2000 with 7.8, 7.5 & 6.9 per game average as defensive coordinator.

– Top 5 scoring defense every year as defensive coordinator (Opelike, Smiths Station).

– Number one state rankings in 1998, 1999 and 2002.

– Number 12 USA Today national ranking in 1999.

– Number 17 USA Today national ranking in 2002.