Scottsdale land developer Emmerson Holdings has pitched two dozen large lot homes in Scottsdale's Dynamite Foothills neighborhood.
Emmerson Holdings owns the 40-acre site where it plans to develop a 24-home community called Quail Crest Estates.
Chase Emmerson, principal of Emmerson Holdings, told Homes.com that his firm has been working on assembling the land for Quail Crest Estates over the last eight years.
"North Scottsdale’s stunning desert landscape is what first drew us to this part of the Valley, and it remains a truly special place. We are committed to doing our part to help keep it that way," Emmerson wrote in a statement to Homes.com.
Typically, the firm acquires the land, guides the project through the approval process, and prepares the site for a builder.
A recent nearby example is Preserve Ranch — a 30-acre, north Scottsdale community that Emmerson Holdings teed up for David Weekley Homes that it is now actively selling.
Quail Crest Estates leans into desert surroundings
In Scottsdale, Emmerson said that the architecture and site design will emphasize "natural materials, desert-inspired colors and low-profile massing" that blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
"Our philosophy has always been a ‘light-touch’ design approach that preserves as much natural open space as possible," Emmerson added.
A minimum of roughly 16 acres will be dedicated as natural area open space that serves as both a buffer to neighboring properties and wildlife corridors, according to project documents.
When asked if any builder is lined up for Quail Crest Estates, Emmerson declined to share details but added it will be a luxury community.
As of Nov. 20, a date has not been set for Quail Crest Estates' preliminary plat to be heard by the city's development review board. Emmerson added that he expects it will be about a nine-month process for the preliminary plat, and the timeline for final approvals and groundbreaking is unknown.
Should the project move forward, the community would join one of the most expensive neighborhoods across Phoenix.
Nearly 50% of homes in Dynamite Foothills are valued at $2.3 million or more. The average home value of $1.96 million is significantly higher than the Phoenix metropolitan area's mark of $569,411 as of November, according to Homes.com data.