Russell Update

Additions and enhancements continue

For us, Russell Lands on Lake Martin is a special place, and in fact, it is a pretty large place. At the beginning of this century, our property holdings were approximately 25,000 acres of land along 300 miles of shoreline. For the most part, our land is contiguous and situated in the center of Lake Martin dissected by Alabama Highway 63.

At the southern boundary of our property is the Lake Martin Amphitheater, and the northern boundary is Ourtown. While those boundaries are not “official,” most people recognize a difference to the land, forest, and right of ways when those landmarks are reached.

Since the land is contiguous, we are able to create a special place where all of the major amenities have a common purpose and control. Unlike many real estate developers who sell off tracts of land or allow outside businesses to operate key amenities, Russell Lands maintains ownership and development with a common purpose. That purpose is to make this a very special place. As an update for our property owners and for those interested in Russell Lands on Lake Martin, we offer this update.

 

 

Russell Crossroads Area

Fifteen years ago, we converted what was once the central hub of the farming operations to the town center of our land holdings. The long-term vision is for our neighborhoods to tie back into this location, hence the name Russell Crossroads. This has proven to be a great decision. Catherine’s Market, SpringHouse, The Stables, the Discovery Center, and newcomers BRU 63 and Fanny Goldmine Diner are landmark locations and businesses on Lake Martin.

The creation of Russell Crossroads and those businesses has caused our neighborhoods to grow, and with a larger population comes more restaurant patrons—many more. Two years ago, we started the design, development and construction process of the Fanny Goldmine Diner. This fast-casual restaurant will provide a much-needed venue for casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Construction is nearly complete, and the grand opening announcement will come soon, so stay tuned.

We are frequently asked what is being built just south of town on Highway 63. That is the Windermere Road extension that will provide a much-needed second entry into the south end of Russell Crossroads. This will also help to define the boundaries for the commercial area of the town center. Planning for additional businesses and entertainment venues are ongoing.

 

 

Kowaliga Marina

Kowaliga, thanks to Hank Williams’ song, is the most famous location on Lake Martin, and we are proud that it is part of our community. This peninsula is home to Kowaliga Restaurant, Church in the Pines, and Kowaliga Marina. The central location is easily accessible by car and by boat which makes this an ideal location for a marina.

Russell Lands began an expansion to the already large boat storage facility at Kowaliga this year. When completed, this new dry-stack storage facility will provide space for 240 boats. Completion of this much-desired new facility will be during the 2023 boating season.

 

 

Wicker Point Road

Wicker Point Road will be the grand entry road into Russell Lands’ newest master-planned community, The Heritage, which includes Wicker Point Golf Club. While the original road was a “normal” county road, it needed a significant upgrade to provide the safe and impressive access one would expect for a world-class development and golf course.

As part of this road work, the old road had to be taken up, a wider road width created with a new subgrade, and much-improved paving material applied. The road actually has three owners—Tallapoosa County, the City of Alexander City, and Russell Lands, Inc. Thanks to our development agreement with local governments, we are able to work together to create a safe, attractive entry into The Heritage.

 

 

Highway 63 Beautification

Ben Russell, the grandson of Benjamin Russell (Mr. Ben), has challenged all of us at Russell Lands to care for the land that Mr. Ben amassed in advance of Lake Martin’s creation. Read the full history >

The care of this land and surrounding forest is appreciated by long-time property owners. The Russell Forest, with several thousand acres of land, may be accessed and enjoyed via multiple trailheads which are connected by over 100 miles of trails.

Over the last two years, Mr. Russell has been directing the selective cutting and clearing along Highway 63. He calls this effort Pride Drive, and the results are immediately noticeable when entering Russell Lands. This is, in our opinion, the prettiest section of highway in Alabama.

We hope that this news is useful to you. If you would like to hear anything else about Russell Lands’ activities, contact one of our Realtors^® today.