St. Valery Downs Won?t Horse Around With Quality of Living

It’s probably fitting that John Lehman chose St. Valeria, the patron Saint of hay-making, to be the namesake for his new residential development in Cave Springs. Hay, as they say, is for horses.

St. Valery Downs is a 120-acre, upscale equestrian community with 81 lots in its first phase and 25 more to come. Lehman, who along with his father Arnold “Tuffy” Lehman is an owner of Arnold Lehman Builders, said the developed infrastructure — including streets, curbs and utility work — is now worth about $6 million. Their company is also the general contractor.

Another eight acres at St. Valery surround a 7,000-SF horse barn that features paddocks, up to 22 upscale stalls, modern feeding and cleaning equipment, a tack room, wash and grooming bays, decorative weather veins and eventually will have a “round pen.”

And those facilities aren’t even included in the $6 million valuation.

“We spent a lot of time planning the horse barn,” Lehman said. “We’re going to have the ability to order feed for delivery out here, a veterinarian come treat the horses and a number of things that will just make enjoying a horse a lot cheaper and easier for residents.”

The Lehmans purchased the land from Jerry Cook and Dr. Charles Hatfield through several transactions completed during 2000.

St. Valery Downs fronts more than 4,000 feet along Arkansas Highway 122 in north Cave Springs. It’s about 1.5 miles to Interstate 540 and, John Lehman said, probably 5-10 minutes from the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Highfill.

It runs nearly from Elk Road south to the Arkansas State Highway Department office near Ozark Acres Road.

Another residential development with more than 200 lots, Lockmoore Club, is going up directly across Arkansas Highway 112 from St. Valery’s northern entry gate. Brownstone Development, a $1 billion commercial development, is within a mile.

Construction of St. Valery Downs started during the summer of 2001. Phase two, Lehman said, will begin “in a couple of years.” The project’s final plat was accepted in September.

The Lehmans have planned a barbecue in conjunction with St. Valeria’s Day, April 28, for their subcontractors and families interested in learning more about the subdivision. The Cate Brothers are scheduled to play at the event.

Taking the Reins

John Lehman, 28, has taken a more prominent role in the development of this project. He helped his father, who has more than 35 years experience as a builder, develop Bentonville’s exclusive Heathrow and Stonehenge subdivisions. But when it comes to St. Valery Downs, Arnold Lehman thumbs at his son and says, “this one is his deal.”

John Lehman said working with his father gives him the advantage of a lot of institutional knowledge.

“Really, it’s like working with your wife,” John said. “We’re the odd couple, but it works for us. Dad is very creative, and I have mostly been involved in quality control and making sure things get done the right way. We don’t like the ‘just get it done’ approach. We want it done right the first time.”

John Lehman earned a bachelor’s degree in residential finance at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He also later interned at Ebby Halliday Realtors, that city’s third largest real estate agency.

He said he’s been working in real estate for seven years, even while in college, but that his experience in Cave Springs has been one of the best so far.

“It’s a breath of fresh air to deal with a mayor who talks with me and helps me get issues resolved,” Lehman said.

First Class

Cave Springs Mayor Thekla Wallace said the development is her city’s first gated community and an addition that can only enhance property values.

“[The Lehmans] are good stewards of the environment,” Wallace said. “They’ve been a good developer to work with.”

The lots range in size from 0.79 acres to 1.6 acres and price from $60,000 to $80,000. Some have full-grown trees, but the second phase is in a heavily wooded area and will contain more lots with existing shade. Lehman said a number of the first-phase lots also back up to large trees.

Covenant requirements are similar to those at Heathrow and Stonehenge and homes must be at least 3,000 SF.

Property Owner’s Association dues will cover the cost of maintaining two guard houses, electricity for lights and security gates and some irrigation work. Lehman estimated that will run about $75 per month. Membership in St. Valery’s Horse Owner’s Association will be optional for those who want to use the barn facilities, but details about that cost are still being worked out.

Lehman said he’s particularly proud of the development’s security gates, which will feature a Web camera with the ability to take still photographs. Residents, when buzzed from the gate, will be able to view a picture of the visitor who’s requesting entry. Resident’s themselves will have a “clicker” similar to a garage door opener.

Antique-style street signs and 20-foot street lights will help give the neighborhood character, Lehman said. The signs in particular are distinctive because of their large six-by 32-inch size.

Lots will include septic tanks, and utility providers include Arkansas Western Gas, Cox Cablevision and Carroll County Electric Co.

“There’s a big advantage to being in Cave Springs,” Lehman said. “This 4,200-SF home we’re building right now would have cost the owners $6,000 more because of impact fees if we’d just been across [Highway 122] in Bentonville.”

Lehman said although equestrian facilities and activities are a key component at St. Valery, the neighborhood is not centered on that theme. It’s centered, he said, on comfortable living.

“The only other local development that I know of with this kind of controlled access is Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers,” Lehman said.

“This is going to be very unique, and the gently rolling hills make for some of the prettiest land in Northwest Arkansas.”