In another sign that Turlock has left the housing market crash in the past, the city will soon see a new subdivision under construction.

Fitzpatrick Homes has submitted an application to the City of Turlock Planning Commission, which proposes the construction of 20, single-family homes on the southeast corner of North Johnson Road and East Tuolumne Road. The Planning Commission will review the application at their meeting on March 2, and if approved, Fitzpatrick Homes President Dennis Fitzpatrick expects construction on the subdivision to begin in May.

“There haven’t been any new projects in Turlock for a number of years,” said Fitzpatrick. “Most of the homes built in town were projects completed prior to the housing recession.”

The new subdivision will be the first project to subdivide land, install new streets and build new homes in Turlock since the recession, said Fitzpatrick, and the improving economy has provided a suitable financial environment to construct a new neighborhood.

“What makes right now a good time is that there are no new homes in Turlock – we’re the only builder in Turlock building new houses,” said Fitzpatrick. “We’re hoping this project will continue the supply of homes for people who are living in the city.”

The proposed location for the subdivision is owned by the First Free Methodist Church of Turlock, with the existing church located at the northwest corner of the property and a residential home located in the northeast corner. The south half of the property is currently vacant, which is the area which will be developed into the housing subdivision. The north half of the property will remain as is, with the church and existing home in the northwest and northeast corners.

“It’s a great location,” said Fitzpatrick, adding that infill pieces of land where the surrounding area is already developed, like the proposed site, are difficult to find in Turlock. “With all of the surrounding infrastructure already in place, it made it feasible to go in and build new homes.”

The 20 new homes will have an average lot size of 8,700 square feet, providing a large amount of space for each home’s front and backyards. There will be three floor plans for the subdivision – two single-story plans and one two-story plan, which will all range from 2,000 to just over 3,000 square feet.

“They are definitely move-up homes, meaning most families have already owned a home and this will be their second home,” said Fitzpatrick. “But, any typical family in Turlock that qualifies would be able to buy one of the homes.”

In 2013, Fitzpatrick Homes constructed an all American-made housing development, built completely with materials only manufactured in the United States. Though this new subdivision does not feature the same American-made exclusivity, Fitzpatrick Homes still places emphasis on supporting workers from the Central Valley for its construction.

“Historically, we’ve always used subcontractors and suppliers in the Valley,” said Fitzpatrick. “We want to keep the jobs and resources here locally where the homes are being built. It’s important to help the economy in the geographical location that we’re building the homes.”

Fitzpatrick said that development on the subdivision’s infrastructure, such as roadwork, will begin in May following approval from the Planning Commission and home construction is expected to start in July. He hopes for the subdivision to be completed by the end of the year, but information on the new homes will be available at www.fitzpatrickhomes.com by late spring.

“We’re excited to bring a new housing community to Turlock,” said Fitzpatrick. “It’s exciting to get this one off the ground and running.”