Manufactured homes subdivision nearing completion

Business Today

For the first time in Cape Girardeau city limits, people will be able to buy the land on which they place their manufactured home.

The streets and sewers are already in place for a 24-acre manufactured home subdivision, called Cape West Village, being built behind Bud Shell's Auto World and Wieser Honda on Siemers Drive.

The development, owned by Drury Southwest Inc., will have room for about 70 lots.

Larry Westrich, vice president of Drury Southwest, said what makes the subdivision different from mobile home parks is that homeowners will be able to buy the property, although Drury will lease some of the lots.

"If you go out and try to finance a manufactured home that's going to be put on a piece of leased real estate, people are paying 11 percent interest," Westrich said. "If you've got a place that you own, you can get them in the 7 to 8 percent range."

The lots will vary in size and be comparable to the lot sizes in R-2 single-family zoning, with all of the lots being greater than 7,000 square feet.

On these lots will sit 1,400 to 1,800 square-foot homes that sell for up to $100,000. Lot prices will be between $21,000 and $27,000.

People will be able to have a 1,400 square-foot home and own the property for about $85,000, said Westrich.

The subdivision will also come with a strict covenant. All the homes will be required to have vinyl siding, brick or block skirting, a carport or closed-in garage. There will also be cleanliness and maintenance standards.

Drury is hoping the development will harmonize with its manufactured home sales. The company owns D-Mart Mobile Homes, a large manufactured home sales facility in Fruitland.

Drury initiated development of the subdivision by extending Richmond Drive as well as constructing Champion Drive and the northern sections of Hart Drive and Chandelier Drive. The subdivision streets are 30 feet wide.

The property was annexed by the city and rezoned to MH-1, Mobile Home Park District in February 2000.

City planner Kent Bratton said there were no hang-ups in approving the subdivision.