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Legacy Waterfall
By
Kathy Grant Westbrook
The Legacy, situated in Chatham County, consists of 628 acres and will eventually accommodate 463 homes. (Building is expected to begin on the first homes this summer.) When approaching this community from Raleigh, Cary and other points east, one is exposed to breathtaking views when crossing over Jordan Lake on U.S. 64. These views served as inspiration for what developer Holland Gaines wanted to achieve at the entrance to The Legacy. "We wanted something comparable in impact to that," says Gaines. "It had to be something really dramatic."
Dramatic, indeed. The Legacy's waterfall will be just under 25 feet in height, with water falling over a 30-foot-wide ledge. In addition to the sheer descent waterfall - and separated from it by a landscaped area filled with large rocks and plants there will be a series of rapids-style falls that will also drop a total of 24 to 25 feet. Three ponds will be incorporated into the setting: an upper pond above the falls; a middle pond, used to break up the rapids; and a 150-foot-wide lower pond that will capture the falling water. The final result will be a million-dollar-look with a half-million-dollar price tag. (At the time of this writing, the waterfall is under construction, and is expected to be fully operational early this summer.)
The Development Stage
The project is being carried out by two companies- ProScapes of NC, owned by Kim Newnam, and Paradise Pools, owned by Adam D'Alessandro. Gaines handpicked D'Alessandro for the project after researching?and rejecting?numerous companies that produced what he describes as "artificial-looking" waterfalls. He knew it was possible to achieve a natural-looking, man-made waterfall, since he and his wife, Becky, had discovered one a couple of years ago while in Aruba. "It looked so real, you could not tell it was man-made," recalls Gaines. When the couple showed photos of this waterfall to D'Alessandro, they found that he had been trained by none other than the man who built it. His enthusiasm for their project was immediately obvious. "We asked Adam, "How large a waterfall can you build?" recalls Gaines. "He said, "How large a waterfall do you want?" and we knew we had the right guy."
As with most projects of this magnitude, the initial design was tweaked over a period of time. "A year in the design process actually made it [the waterfall] this big," says D'Alessandro. "It's gone through several different revisions. It started out a little bit smaller and not nearly as wide."
The material being used to construct The Legacy's waterfall is the same material that was used for the Aruban waterfall that the Gaineses had admired "RicoRock, fiberglass reinforced concrete that is hand-textured and stained to achieve a look that is incredibly close to that of natural rock.
RicoRock is made by casting molds of actual rock formations in South Dakota and then applying concrete to the molds, a process that preserves features in the rock such as bedding planes and striations. The final step in achieving a natural appearance is to stain and hand-texture the RicoRock; at The Legacy, naturally occurring boulders will be stained, as well, to make it even more difficult to differentiate between the RicoRock and the real rocks. ?If you can tell it's man-made, then we have failed in what we wanted to accomplish," says Gaines. In fact, he says, the waterfall will be so "real" that it will reflect current environmental factors, with water flow decreasing during times of drought and increasing during times when there is plenty of rain.
In A Class By Itself
According to D'Alessandro, The Legacy?s waterfall will be the largest RicoRock waterfall in the world, inching out one that is being constructed in the Netherlands. ?This is, by far, the largest waterfall I've ever done," says D'Alessandro. "The biggest, other than this, that I've done is maybe a 12-foot drop and a five-foot weir.? ("Weir" simply refers to the section over which the water falls.) It will require eight or nine men working two solid months to complete the project.
Another indication of the waterfall's impressive size is the fact that it will require three commercial grade pumps pumping 8000 gallons a minute, which is the equivalent of filling a swimming pool every two minutes, D'Alessandro says. Local building inspectors had never encountered a project like this, he notes, "so I actually had to go to them with this plan and teach them a little about it so they would know what to inspect."
Input from numerous experts?including an engineer, an architect, and a geotech?has helped not only with the design and construction of the waterfall, but also with ensuring that it will be as maintenance-free as possible. The ponds won't even require filtration systems because of the aeration produced by the rapidly flowing water, according to D?Alessandro.
While the waterfall is definitely the focal point, it certainly isn?t the only feature of this carefully crafted landscape. Other details include boulders- some real, some RicoRock?that will provide casual seating areas beside the falls, along with a vast number of plants being brought in. The idea, says ProScapes? Kim Newnam, was "to naturalize the whole area." She points out that all of these details were addressed during the initial planning process. In other words, the waterfall wasn't designed as an isolated feature, but rather as one part (albeit a very important part) of an entire enchanting landscape.
?Native-variety types of plants? will be used, says Newnam, both for the purpose of creating an authentic look and also to help ensure minimal maintenance. She emphasizes that plants such as palm trees, which are not found naturally in North Carolina, will not have a place here.
A Lasting First Impression
The beautiful setting that is being created by ProScapes and Paradise Pools will provide an unforgettable first impression for anyone who visits The Legacy; immediately after passing through the security entry gate, drivers will find themselves at a T-intersection, directly facing the falls. But, it wasn?t just ?first impressions? that Gaines, the developer, had in mind when he began planning this project. He wanted this wondrous waterfall to provide future residents with constant enjoyment. ?It?s going to be a fantastic feature for them to see? as they come and go on a daily basis, he says. To further encourage residents to take advantage of the setting, a trail system has been designed to take walkers and joggers right by the waterfall. Anyone who has ever visited rural Chatham County knows that this area is also blessed with plenty of natural beauty, and Gaines is developing The Legacy with that in mind. Builders will carefully consider the surrounding scenery when determining how to situate homes on lots, he says, noting that the streets will also be strategically located to maximize views.
Homes in The Legacy will generally range upwards from $800,000 and will be custom built by one of 10 builders, all of whom ?were specially selected and offered the opportunity to participate,? Gaines says. Only builders who demonstrated an awareness of green (environmentally responsible) building practices and principles were chosen, he adds. Amenities in the community will include an upscale clubhouse owned by the homeowner's association (and, therefore, open to all residents) and a privately-owned spa.
While the waterfall at The Legacy is on a scale befitting a gated community, Paradise Pools and ProScapes also design and install RicoRock pools and waterfalls and surrounding landscapes on much smaller, residential scales. The cost of a RicoRock pool generally runs no more than 10 percent over the cost of a concrete pool, D'Alessandro says, adding that he is currently building 12 to 20 a year in the Triangle. (He can also remodel existing swimming pools, giving them a custom look with RicoRock.) Unlike other pools, which are often covered during the winter, D'Alessandro notes, ?I have not had any of my customers cover them [RicoRock pools]; they leave them open year-round, because they are water features and part of the backyard landscape.?
There?s no doubt that The Legacy's waterfall will be enjoyed year-round. Spring, summer, winter and fall?the cascading water will make a lasting impression on all who visit or live in this community.
Kathy Grant Westbrook is a freelance writer
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