Those familiar with Steilacoom will notice fewer trees along the embankment to their right as they enter the states oldest incorporated town via Steilacoom Boulevard.
Where there was once a dense thicket of trees, now one can see all the way down to the waters of Puget Sound.
About half of a 6-acre parcel of land along Chambers Creek Road has been cleared to make room for a long-planned single-family residential project, Sunnyside Heights.
Plans call for custom houses to be built on 11 lots, offering the future homeowners a spectacular view of Puget Sound and easy access to Sunnyside Beach, located just across the street.
Each lot averages around 11,000 square feet, said Project Manager Terry Ferguson of Baseline Engineering in Fircrest.
Work on removing trees from the area began in early September, he said, and the area has been hydroseeded with grass.
The newly open space is already attracting visitors – flocks of hungry geese, as well as deer.
Construction is tentatively set to begin next spring, at the earliest, according to Ferguson.
Its too early to tell right now, Ferguson said, explaining the timing is dependent upon when the lots are sold.
With a huge chunk of the land cleared and grass growing, things will slow down for the next several months.
Its basically shut down for the winter, he noted.
Although work on the land has just started, Sunnyside Heights has been planned for some time.
The project has been under design since 1996, Fergson said.
The Town of Steilacoom, which was incorporated in 1854, is a residential community of just over 6,000 located 10 miles south of Tacoma.
