NewsStudent LifeAlumniAdvancementService
’92 alumnus builds on “new urbanism”
Oct 6, 2005 9:55 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Sikes Ragan’s love for the outdoors began in the early 90s during his days as a Darlington student. When he wasn’t in the classroom, he spent his time mountain biking, diving, swimming, running or playing tennis.
Since his graduation from Darlington in 1992, Ragan has turned his passion into a lifestyle at the Village of Cheshire, located 15 miles east of Asheville, N.C. Sparked by the novel concept of “new urbanism,” he founded and developed the area in 1998.
Ragan’s interest in building was ignited when he studied architecture at St. John’s College in Oxford, England, under the University of the South’s study-abroad program. A friend gave him a copy of “The New Urbanism,” and the concept of walking-scale towns became a vivid image in his mind.
“Memories inspired the model for Cheshire,” said Ragan. “Born from a place of mountain towns, rural roads, camps and assemblies, hand-crafted buildings and scenic vistas, the Village of Cheshire [is] a new sense of place for tomorrow with lessons learned from the past.”
Cheshire is a 58-acre traditional neighborhood development (TND) designed to flourish on the basics of nature and health and simple living. Named in memory of Sikes’ grandmother, Jocelyn Cheshire Sikes Ragan, Cheshire features a variety of homes within walking distance to a traditional center of shops, cafes, offices, parks, walking trails and an outdoor amphitheatre. All of the homes follow an architectural and landscape code, and, according to Ragan, his team of builders and architects have succeeded in manifesting his vision.
In the beginning, Ragan researched pre-World War II building practices of Black Mountain and Asheville for inspiration. Highlights of the rustic-style architecture include spacious porches, deep roof overhangs with bolted timber brackets, shingle-clad exteriors, simple rooflines and exposed rafter tails. Streets are lines with trees, native stone is used for retaining walls, and street signs are made from wrought iron designed by a local craftsman. The slogan, “Creating a New Sense of Place,” is posted throughout the small community on signs and on the tags of residents’ cars.
“Cheshire is a place where scale and proportions are welcoming and natural beauty causes us to linger. Where attention to the public spaces recognizes their role in our physical and emotional wellness, where opportunities for intimacy and privacy are not hard to find in a town plan that also encourages community with neighbors and awe of nature’s magnificence,” said Ragan.
Upon completion, the Village of Cheshire will include approximately 90 single-family homes, 25 three-story “tree houses,” 100 multi-family units, a fitness center and racquet club, an inn, a bed and breakfast, and approximately 80,000 square feet of work/live space. Of the 58 acres, Ragan has set aside 56 percent of the development for open spaces, park areas or trails.
“We chose to build our home in Cheshire because it suits our lifestyle,” said Cheshire homeowner Brooke Klebe. “We were tired of feeling spread thin – both literally and figuratively. Here we have everything we need within a five-minute walk, which has reduced the need for driving. We can spend our time doing the things we enjoy.”
Ragan currently resides in one of Cheshire’s town homes. In addition to wearing many hats at Cheshire, he is an EMT Intermediate and a volunteer firefighter for the town of Black Mountain. The development and Ragan have been featured in various publications including “Sewanee Magazine” and “Southern Accents.” For more information on the Village of Cheshire, click here.
Since his graduation from Darlington in 1992, Ragan has turned his passion into a lifestyle at the Village of Cheshire, located 15 miles east of Asheville, N.C. Sparked by the novel concept of “new urbanism,” he founded and developed the area in 1998.
Ragan’s interest in building was ignited when he studied architecture at St. John’s College in Oxford, England, under the University of the South’s study-abroad program. A friend gave him a copy of “The New Urbanism,” and the concept of walking-scale towns became a vivid image in his mind.
“Memories inspired the model for Cheshire,” said Ragan. “Born from a place of mountain towns, rural roads, camps and assemblies, hand-crafted buildings and scenic vistas, the Village of Cheshire [is] a new sense of place for tomorrow with lessons learned from the past.”
Cheshire is a 58-acre traditional neighborhood development (TND) designed to flourish on the basics of nature and health and simple living. Named in memory of Sikes’ grandmother, Jocelyn Cheshire Sikes Ragan, Cheshire features a variety of homes within walking distance to a traditional center of shops, cafes, offices, parks, walking trails and an outdoor amphitheatre. All of the homes follow an architectural and landscape code, and, according to Ragan, his team of builders and architects have succeeded in manifesting his vision.
In the beginning, Ragan researched pre-World War II building practices of Black Mountain and Asheville for inspiration. Highlights of the rustic-style architecture include spacious porches, deep roof overhangs with bolted timber brackets, shingle-clad exteriors, simple rooflines and exposed rafter tails. Streets are lines with trees, native stone is used for retaining walls, and street signs are made from wrought iron designed by a local craftsman. The slogan, “Creating a New Sense of Place,” is posted throughout the small community on signs and on the tags of residents’ cars.
“Cheshire is a place where scale and proportions are welcoming and natural beauty causes us to linger. Where attention to the public spaces recognizes their role in our physical and emotional wellness, where opportunities for intimacy and privacy are not hard to find in a town plan that also encourages community with neighbors and awe of nature’s magnificence,” said Ragan.
Upon completion, the Village of Cheshire will include approximately 90 single-family homes, 25 three-story “tree houses,” 100 multi-family units, a fitness center and racquet club, an inn, a bed and breakfast, and approximately 80,000 square feet of work/live space. Of the 58 acres, Ragan has set aside 56 percent of the development for open spaces, park areas or trails.
“We chose to build our home in Cheshire because it suits our lifestyle,” said Cheshire homeowner Brooke Klebe. “We were tired of feeling spread thin – both literally and figuratively. Here we have everything we need within a five-minute walk, which has reduced the need for driving. We can spend our time doing the things we enjoy.”
Ragan currently resides in one of Cheshire’s town homes. In addition to wearing many hats at Cheshire, he is an EMT Intermediate and a volunteer firefighter for the town of Black Mountain. The development and Ragan have been featured in various publications including “Sewanee Magazine” and “Southern Accents.” For more information on the Village of Cheshire, click here.
