CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Blackard Companies (“Blackard”) is pleased to announce that a settlement has been reached between all parties in the Garrigues et al. v. Hardie et al. lawsuit (the “Lawsuit”). This settlement represents an end to what, in Blackard’s view, was the final hurdle to the successful development of Blackard’s Barisi village project and draws to a close more than five years of litigation over the fate of Blackard’s vision for this village.
The Lawsuit was originally filed in 2015 after a petition that same year was circulated in favor of changing prior restrictions on the derelict golf course that is now planned to be the site of the village. This petition garnered support from over 80% of adjacent property owners.
This Barisi Village project is a 127-acre development that follows Blackard’s NeoRetroism village philosophy. Originally undertaken in 2013 by Founder and CEO Jeffory Blackard, Barisi takes its design cues from the coastal regions of Italy and follows the village methods pioneered by the firm—seeking to bring communities together and meet the everyday needs of those who live, work, or visit the village. This project will build on the successful history of evolution-based villages, including Blackard's own Adriatica Village—one of the most visited locations in the Dallas Metroplex.
Earlier this year, Blackard finalized on their purchase of the Barisi site—a step that had long been delayed by ensuing litigation. A cleanup operation has been underway since that time to pave the way for a start to construction on the first phase of vertical development on the site slated for early 2021, pending a proposed Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone for the site.
"As president of the Pharaoh Valley Neighborhood Association, I am contacted regularly by my neighbors and by many others who care about the future of Corpus Christi. I can honestly say that EVERYONE I talk to is so thrilled and relieved that this long ordeal with the abandoned golf course is finally over, and Pharaoh Valley can finally look forward to a bright future. We are so grateful to Jeff Blackard and his vision for Barisi Village, and we feel truly blessed that Mr. Blackard has stayed with us through these long years. At last—something wonderful has happened in 2020!" -Chris Kuehn, President, Pharaoh Valley Neighborhood Association
"Praise the Lord, it’s over! I’m so happy we can look forward to seeing our neighborhood and city develop under Jeff Blackard’s beautiful Italy-inspired vision. Thank you, Ben Donnell and Sandy Sterba-Boatwright for being our brilliant legal advocates; thank you Chris Kuehn and Pharaoh Valley Neighborhood Association for making sure I never felt alone in this; and thank you to all who prayed and offered support. Finally, thank you to Jeff Blackard for working with us for eight years. You said you wouldn’t turn your back on praying people, and you didn’t." -Rev. John Hardie, circulator of 2015 petition and Pharaoh Valley resident
“It’s a great day for the people of Corpus Christi and our great neighbors in Pharaoh Valley. They’ve stuck with us every step of the way during this long journey and we’re excited to deliver on our commitments to the remarkable people in the neighborhood that we’ve come to know as friends. I also want to convey my respect for the other members of this community who made their voices heard. We hope to be good neighbors to those individuals and wish that one day they might enjoy our village, too.” -Jeffory Blackard, Founder and CEO, Blackard Companies
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About Blackard Companies
The Blackard Companies were formed in 1981 by founder & CEO Jeffory Blackard in Dallas, Texas. Since that time, the Blackard Companies have been responsible for the development of over $2 billion in real estate assets. Much of the company’s history was focused on master-planned communities—the firm has delivered over 15,000 single-family home sites in over 30 communities.
In the early 2000s, following an investment in the small nation of Croatia (a nation which is based largely on village life), the firm broadened its focus and began pioneering a philosophy of real estate based on its founder’s idea of developing contemporary self-sustaining villages. This philosophy has been named ‘NeoRetroism’ and represents the furthest evolution of modern real estate development—one in which people have diverse choices for how they live, work, and get around in their community. The first example of this NeoRetroism philosophy can be seen at the Adriatica Village near Dallas, Tx
The Blackard Companies are now the world’s foremost developer of modern-day villages, actively advocating for communities that better serve the needs of their villagers across the globe.