What's New at Cacapon East!

CACAPON EAST CHALET WINS "BEST IN WEST VIRGINIA"

MDG Companies of WV offers warmest congratulation to Cowles and Sons Construction for its recent recognition as "Best in WestVirginia" for its chalet project at Cacapon East. The "Best of WV" Competition is a production of the Homebuilders Association of West Virginia. It is a competitive comparison of homes throughout the entire state of WV, in specific square footage categories.

Cowles and Sons won the prestigious award for their Nicole Chalet entered into the Class II category for homes 1300 to 1800 square feet.

The award-winning Nicole Chalet is located in Cacapon East Subdivision on the corner lot at the entrance to the Terrace. The home features just over 1700 square feet of finished living area with a large masonry and stone chimney, three bedrooms, large great room, vaulted ceilings, open kitchen, Anderson windows, and much more!

MDG Companies of WV and the property owners of Cacapon East and Cacapon South are fortunate to have one of the finest builders in the entire state serving our area. To learn more about Cowles and Sons Construction and its award-winning chalet, visit www.cowlesandsons.com.

GOOD NEWS FOR BUYERS IN MORGAN COUNTY!

The March 2005 Quad-State Business Journal analyzed the increase in area real estate prices fueled by low mortgage rates and astronomical increases in real estate costs in the metro area to our east. While many local residents have enjoyed a steady increase in their real estate investments as property values continue to rise, hope also remains for those still home shopping in Morgan County. According to the Quad-State Business Journal, "Morgan County has shown the slowest price increase for both five and one-year periods" as compared to neighboring Northern Virginia and Eastern Panhandle counties.

Real estate analysts expect the growth in property values to continue to climb in the area, and Morgan County remains a welcoming and, by comparison, still affordable destination for that perfect weekend retreat or permanent residence. Further, individuals owning real estate in developed communities have seen the greatest increase in their real estate value.

"We have seen many speculators, both professional and personal, taking great interest in the Cacapon South and Cacapon East," says Justin Cowles, Project Coordinator. "They have seen the tremendous increase in values nearby push the market and expect values in Morgan County to grow even more rapidly in the near future. Many are interested in purchasing multiple lots when Section Five is opened."

NEW BUILDING RESOURCE CENTER AT INFORMATION CENTER!

MDG Companies of WV is proud to announce a new "Building Resource Center" at the Information Center. This resources center is available during regular office hours for property owners from Cacapon South and The Terrace at Cacapon East. Cochran's Lumber and Millwork provided a beautiful oak hutch which MDG stocked with resources related to most all aspects of residential construction including many product samples. Owners can browse the resources to familiarize themselves with building codes, materials and supplies, WV Contractor Licensing Law, innovative house plans, carpentry and building processes, construction forms and contracts, or our latest issues of Builder magazine and the Journal of Light Construction.

Justin Cowles, Project Coordinator with MDG Companies, is a licensed WV General Contractor and a certified Residential Building Inspector. He is available as a resource to property owners. All owners should schedule to meet with him to complete the "Request To Build" forms and to review the Architectural Guidelines prior to the start of construction.

NEW DELI AND STORE NOW OPEN!

John Schrider has purchased the old BP Station located between Cacapon South and Cacapon East. He and his workers have completed renovations to the new Wayside Market. Renovations feature gorgeous wood work to complement to natural setting of West Virginia. The store offers a wide range of convenience items ranging from chips and dip to tackle and bait. Stop by for that extra bag of charcoal or extra refreshment for those unexpected guests. BP gas is again available at the pumps. The deli offers a wide range of sandwiches, subs, pizzas, slaws and salads. The adjacent motel is also open and operating under the same Wayside management team.

GHS WINS AWARD FOR THE TERRACE AT CACAPON EAST

The West Virginia Conservation Agency recently awarded the second place State Conservation Contractor Award to GHS Excavating for outstanding conservation practices implemented during the construction of the The Terrace at Cacapon East.

This annual award presented by the Conservation agency recognizes efforts by contractors throughout West Virginia to limit soil erosion and sedimentation associated with sediment loads in the Chesapeake Bay.

Dennis Shaffer, owner of GHS, implemented several best management practices designed to minimize soil erosion and sedimentation during and after construction. Among the practices utilized were limited land disturbance, channel stabilization, seeding and mulching, and silt fences.

MDG Companies of WV is extremely proud of the quality of workmanship it has received from GHS Excavating on our many projects. GHS is also responsible for snow removal at both Cacapon East and Cacapon South and has done a wonderful job of insuring that our communities are truly "all-weather" accessible. We are grateful to be able to surround ourselves with such splendid talent and dedicated professionalism. We offer our warmest thanks and congratulations to Dennis Shaffer and the GHS crew.

CACAPON EAST'S SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM IS STATE-OF-THE-ART:

The disposal system installed at Cacapon South is a Recirculating Sand Filter system (RSF) designed and installed by Ashco-A-Corporation of Morgantown, WV. The system consists of a holding tank located on each lot and a variable grade collection and distribution system of piping to a plant were the effluent, by a series of pumps, is doused on cells containing a special sand filter. After recirculating approximately 12 times the very clear effluent is discharged.

Because of the failure of many of the individual wastewater systems, especially the typical septic system, The Freshwater Institute, a nonprofit organization located in nearby Shepherdstown, WV, researches and evaluates the many types of waste water treatment systems from Conventional Septic Systems to Sand Mound, Sand Filter Systems, etc. Constructed at the Shepherdstown facility are two complete systems, the Ashco-A-Corporation RSF and a Peat Filter System. A real time monitoring system is used to evaluate the systems as well as the feasibility of using telemonitoring in management districts with many small independent treatment systems.

The Institute also investigates the maintenance requirements, specific problems, etc of various systems. The end result of their investigation is the RSF system is extremely effective and easy to maintain. It eliminates odors previously experienced in RSF systems by ensuring an adequate supply of oxygen to the water and provides a very good effluent quality that well exceeds EPA criteria. For more information, please visit the Freshwater Institute's web site at www.freshwaterinstitute.org.