LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Dec. 6, 2023) – Storyliving by Disney announces plans for Asteria, a new residential community located near Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Inspired by the spirit of discovery, the Asteria community is being designed to encourage exploration of the region’s natural beauty and spark life-long learning. The Asteria community is in the beginning stages of planning with Walt Disney Imagineering and DMB Development. Homes in the community will be built by select homebuilders with sales anticipated to begin by 2027.

“The announcement of the Asteria community builds upon strong initial interest for our first Storyliving by Disney community in California and will expand Disney-branded communities to the East Coast,” said Claire Bilby, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Signature Experiences Emerging Businesses.

The community will come to life on 1,500 acres in the heart of North Carolina’s picturesque Chatham County. Ideally situated in the town of Pittsboro, residents will have access to metropolitan amenities with the charm of a small town. Plans call for more than 4,000 residential units including single-family and multi-family homes, with some home sites specifically designated for 55+ adults. The Asteria community will be part of the larger, award-winning Chatham Park master-planned community by Preston Development Company, co-founded by Julian “Bubba” Rawl and Tim Smith.

“For nearly 15 years, Chatham Park has set the standard for innovative growth and thoughtful planning. We feel an extraordinary sense of responsibility to our residents and the broader community with this project and we’re incredibly fortunate to work with Disney, DMB Development and homebuilders to create something truly special,” said Rawl.

The Asteria community will offer future residents a unique lifestyle thanks to distinctive Disney placemaking. A range of home styles will line quaint streets leading to a mix of community amenities designed to showcase the area’s surrounding natural beauty. Aligning with Chatham Park’s commitment to open green space and to encourage exploration, the community will feature acres of neighborhood parks and miles of beautiful walking and biking trails where residents can connect with the outdoors.

Asteria community homeowners will become part of a club with amenities planned to include a wellness and recreation center, restaurant, sport courts, swimming pools, community garden and plenty of outdoor space for lawn games, events and fire pits. The club will feature enrichment programming only Disney can deliver. Some of the experiences under consideration include storytelling dinners inspired by Disney tales, lessons with Disney artists and family fun days with Disney-themed activities.

“We’re looking forward to collaborating with Disney to bring another Storyliving by Disney community to life,” said DMB Development CEO Brent Herrington. “Just as the desert setting inspired our teams with the Cotino community, North Carolina’s rich landscape and history is at the heart of our initial planning work with Walt Disney Imagineering. We’ve got a lot of great ideas to showcase the beauty of this area.”

The team at Walt Disney Imagineering has spent significant time researching, visiting and immersing themselves in the region to develop the Asteria community’s unique theme. Influenced by the nearby universities in the famed Research Triangle, the community is envisioned as a campus of discovery – a place for exploring and learning.

“We had an incredible time developing the creative brand and story for Asteria, the new Storyliving by Disney community,” said Shawn Montague, site portfolio executive, Walt Disney Imagineering. “We chose the community’s name to pay homage to the native North Carolina aster flower. The flower is also a namesake of the Greek goddess Asteria whose tears of stardust fell to the Earth and sprouted the first aster flowers. We thought it was a beautiful way to honor North Carolina’s natural beauty from the Earth to the sky, in our campus of discovery.”

The Asteria community is the second announced Storyliving by Disney community in the U.S. following the Cotino community, which is currently under development in Rancho Mirage, California. Pre-sales appointments for homebuying in the Cotino community are now underway. Additional Storyliving by Disney locations are under exploration.

Vibrant Storyliving by Disney new-home communities will be infused with the company’s special brand of magic. Each community is thoughtfully designed with creative guidance from Disney Imagineers who take inspiration from the region’s history, community and landscape to create a one-of-a-kind place that inspires residents to write their next chapter. The legendary Disney placemaking and attention to detail within each community are complemented by renowned guest service delivered by Disney cast members.

Asteria, a Storyliving by Disney community, is in the very early stages of planning. Additional information including details on future homes in the community will be released as they become available. Those interested in more information or in joining the community’s email list can visit www.storylivingbydisney.com/asteria.

The post Storyliving by Disney Announces Asteria, New Residential Community in North Carolina appeared first on Chatham County Economic Development Corporation.

The 43-acre parcel, located just south of the US 64 Bypass and the Chatham Park Way transportation corridors, can accommodate up to 700,000 square feet of medical care facilities. The parcel will complement existing UNC Health facilities in Chatham Park and the UNC Health Chatham Hospital in Siler City.

“We’ve built a substantial presence at Chatham Park and are delighted to be a part of the growing Chatham Park community as we take this opportunity to expand much-needed medical care for that region,” said Janet Hadar, President, UNC Hospitals. “This acquisition reaffirms our commitment to providing high-quality, accessible care to the residents of Chatham County and beyond. Hadar’s remarks were echoed by Chatham Hospital President Jeff Strickler who noted, “We believe that our presence within Chatham Park not only elevates the standard of healthcare in the region, but also contributes positively to the overall wellness and vitality of the community.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with UNC Health,” said Julian “Bubba” Rawl, of Preston Development, master developers of Chatham Park. “This partnership reflects our shared vision of creating a vibrant, inclusive community that prioritizes the well-being of its residents. UNC Health’s expanded presence will undoubtedly enhance the quality of life for everyone who calls Chatham Park home as well as the many people who are moving to our area.”

“Our regional, mega manufacturing sites will bring thousands of families, jobs and economic activity to this area of Chatham County, and we want Chatham Park to be the top choice for families to relocate and plant roots,” continued Tim Smith, of Preston Development. “Adding additional healthcare to our learning, employment and retail opportunities is another step towards building Chatham Park into the multi-faceted, iconic community we envisioned.”
More than 1,000 residents currently call Chatham Park home. The age-targeted neighborhood, Encore by David Weekley, began selling in August 2023. Del Webb at Chatham Park is expected to begin selling in 2025 and plans are being finalized to start delivery of an additional 4,500 lots in Chatham Park’s North Village in 2024.

The growing healthcare infrastructure at Chatham Park is part of a wide array of services and amenities that will establish Chatham Park as a major residential and economic destination within the region. The community is already home to Pittsboro’s Knight Farm community park, a future Chatham County elementary school and over 200,000 square feet of office, retail and soon to open, a 121-room Hampton Inn. Site development is underway on a new Chatham Park YMCA. The future 34,000+ square-foot facility will include a variety of state-of-the-art features for the whole family. The facility is the first post-COVID designed YMCA in the region, optimized for healthy interaction both inside and out.

Following the recent Town of Pittsboro and Sanford utilities merger, Chatham Park is also positioned to have secure and stable water and wastewater utilities to further support growth in the area. The merger also paves the way for the Chatham Park Water Treatment Center, the award-winning facility that uses technology and biology to treat and replenish wastewater for the community, to increase capacity. “The groundwork is being placed for an exciting future,” states Rawl. “With future water and sewer utilities in place with The Town of Sanford, the region is poised for balanced growth. We are building new schools and new businesses are opening every day. It’s an exciting time for Pittsboro and Chatham Park.”

The post Preston Development and UNC Health Plan Healthcare Services for Chatham Park appeared first on Chatham County Economic Development Corporation.