For more information, contact:
Jim Cheney
615-202-8936
jim.cheney@southernland.com
Alison Cooke
615-778-1206
alison.cooke@southernland.com
Tucker Hill - Founders Square Fountain - Media Release
Created in Alexander City, Alabama by Robinson Iron, the fountain weighs 13,000 pounds and stands 27-feet above the ground. The fountain will be installed on December 17-18, 2007 at Founders Square in Tucker Hill - a Southern Land Company traditional neighborhood in McKinney, Texas. The fountain is an original design and will mark one of the first open space amenities in Tucker Hill. Robinson Iron is widely recognized as one of the leading designers of fountains in the United States. For more information on the company, visit robinsoniron.com. For more information on Tucker Hill, visit www.tuckerhilltx.com.
TUCKER HILL FOUNDERS SQUARE ADORNED WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST IRON FOUNTAINS IN THE U.S.
McKinney, Texas – One of the signature amenities at Tucker Hill – a Southern Land Company traditional neighborhood development now underway in McKinney, Texas – will be installed in mid-December, just in time for the community’s official 2008 launch.
Standing 27-feet above the ground and weighing approximately 13,000 pounds, Tucker Hill’s Founders Square fountain is estimated to be one of the largest wrought iron fountains in the United States. Constructed by Alabama-based Robinson Iron (www.robinsoniron.com) – one of the country’s most prestigious and successful architectural metal foundries – the fountain will be the centerpiece for the already distinctive Tucker Hill community.
Tucker Hill (www.tuckerhilltx.com) is a 772-acre residential, mixed-use community located on Highway 380 just north of Stonebridge Ranch, within the city limits of McKinney. Tucker Hill is a traditional neighborhood development that will consist of more than 2,100 new homes upon build-out with an elementary school. It will contain more than 50 acres of open space, community amenities such as pools, two Residents’ Clubs with activities directors, and two retail villages with restaurants, shops and offices.
“This is the second fountain that Southern Land Company has commissioned with Robinson Iron,” said Mary Day, marketing director for Tucker Hill. “The size and the detail of these magnificent iron sculptures capture the imagination of the young and the old, and they provide a very natural attraction for community gathering and activities.
“We have installed the fountain during phase one of development as a testament to our long-term commitment to Tucker Hill and the McKinney community,” said Day. “We hope everyone will come and visit once it is installed.”
From design to construction, the fountain took more than a year to create. It is patterned after a number of famous fountains in the U.S., but its final design is completely unique to North Dallas. Tucker Hill’s sister fountain (also created by Robinson) is located in Franklin, Tennessee in Southern Land Company’s Westhaven community. Images of the Westhaven fountain which is white and slightly smaller can be viewed at
http://westhaventn.com/Community/tabid/438/Default.aspx.
“Fountains and the locations that support them have historic significance in cities and villages all over the world,” said Ben Crenshaw, VP of Landscape Architecture for Southern Land Company. “They create a sense of purpose and destination. They serve as both formal and informal gathering spots. They bring people together to celebrate or be reflective. They represent much more than sculpted iron.
“The installation of Tucker Hill’s fountain is monumental – literally and figuratively,” said Crenshaw. “Many years from now, this fountain will be the defining icon within the neighborhood.”
Robinson Iron, which is located on 50 acres in Alexander City, Alabama, employs more than 300 professionals with specialties in design, engineering, pattern-making, casting, finishing and installation. Every discipline related to the art of metal working is represented in-house.
The company is best know for its historic reproductions. Its portfolio includes an extensive array of 19th century cast iron patterns, dating as far back as 1854. Some of the company’s more notable clients include the White House, The Library of Congress, Carnegie Hall, Grand Central Station, Forsythe Park in Savannah, Georgia, Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, and the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
“Like architecture, horticulture and community design, the Tucker Hill fountain represents Southern Land Company’s passion for creating sustainable communities,” Day said. “At its core, Tucker Hill is reminiscent of established neighborhoods throughout North Texas, such as downtown McKinney and the Park Cities. And, with amenities such as the Fountain, we are installing the framework for a McKinney community that will be a
source of pride for its residents for generations to come.”
Southern Land Company is based in Franklin, Tennessee, 15 miles south of downtown Nashville. It is a full service Real Estate development firm with more than 325 employees between its Tennessee and Texas offices. The company employs architects, landscape architects, homebuilders, town planners, engineers, heavy construction professionals, marketing and sales teams, horticulturalists, and a broad scope of community development professionals. The private firm was founded 21 years ago by the current CEO, Timothy W. Downey. To learn more about Southern Land Company, visit www.southernland.com.
###