Field of Progress: Bunch previews neighborhood that will be built in the heart of Morristown

Just off of Sandstone Dr. in Morristown, Massengill Landing will be a neighborhood planted in a field rich in family history.

The Massengill family has taken care of the land that was on the outskirts of Morristown for generations, but as time passed, what was once the outskirts of town became more and more central to the city. With progress and expansion, schools, churches and homes grew in areas once the exclusive realm of produce and livestock.

A single, large field with rolling slopes, nearly 50 acres, is the last, large piece of undeveloped land next to the Massengill Springs commercial development that includes a grocery store, a gym, some medical offices and more.

“We want to pay homage to the Massengill family,” developer Michael Bunch said. “They’ve owned this property for generations and we want to recognize them as the caretakers of this beautiful property for years and years.”

The Massengill Landing residential development is being planned and implemented in four phases.

Phase one plans show 57 residential lots that will have mostly one-level homes ranging in size from 1700 to 1900 square-feet. Plans for a 2200 square-foot, two-level home have been developed, as well.

“Michael Bunch Development and Bunch Builders are striving to build the best homes available,” Bunch said.

He described plans for homes built with advanced and high quality materials, including galvanized metal framing.

“This (galvanized metal) structure, while more costly, will guarantee stronger walls, no worry of termites and faster construction time.

“Everyone involved in the development, including my father Don Bunch, wants to make sure our new homeowners have the best product available right in the heart of Morristown.”

Massengill Landing accomplishes the task with premium location, materials and design.

Bunch said the location puts residents within walking distance or “just a golf cart ride away” from many conveniences including:

• Food City

• Dollar Tree

• Workout Anytime

• East Tennessee Center for Orthopaedic Excellence

• U.S. Diabetes

• LaBoe Hair Salon

• Mildred’s Florist

• TCBY

Travis Earls, a Realtor at Re/Max and one of the real estate professionals working on the project, said the convenience of the location is hard to overstate.

“When people say ‘location, location, location…’ this one hits all the boxes,” he said. “These are going to be unlike any other houses in this town with this metal construction. When the foundation’s set, the construction goes together because a computer’s generated it, and a computer’s cut it and it goes together like a puzzle.

“As long as that foundation’s correct, you’ll have about as close to a perfect house as you’re going to get from a framing standpoint.”

The metal framing and other fire resistant materials should mean lower insurance costs according to developers.

Those materials include premium siding and no vinyl products will be used except for the soffits.

Another feature developers mentioned will be a garage large enough to accommodate larger, more modern vehicles.

“All homes will have large, two-car garages big enough for two SUVs,” Bunch said.

Bunch Builders, owned and operated by Bunch’s brother-in-law Moe Jones, is going to be making sure construction is held to high standards.

“If you drive by a lot of these commercial buildings in Morristown, Moe Jones has either renovated them or he’s built them,” Earls said. “He’s done residential and commercial. Moe’s a straight-up guy.”

Bunch said the plan is to make sure quality construction and attention to detail produce a pleasing result.

“We’ve always tried to beautify Morristown with each building and development,” he said. “We love investing back in our hometown, and you know, I want to continue to do so. We want to beautify any development, but we want to beautify Morristown one development at a time.

“We love our hometown, all of us — my brother-in-law, my father, and me — we want to take things up a notch because we feel like the citizens of Morristown deserve it.”

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