MACON – Chimeral Stevens Brewer, the owner of Assigned Homes Inc., remembers the joy she felt growing up in her family home on Pearl Street in the 1990s.

It’s those fond memories that inspired her new development on that same street that’s been two years in the making, she said.

‘It feels deeply rooted (and) connected,” Brewer said of the development. “(The street) still feels like family. I feel like it’s an obligation for me. I feel like I have to do something to make a larger impact. … It’s just something that I want to do to impact more lives because I love that city.”

Earlier this month Brewer purchased a 3.5-acre wooded lot on Pearl Street just north of Central Academy. Brewer said she intends to develop that land into a new subdivision she is dubbing “Magnolia Legacy,” which will include between 10 to 12 single-family homes.

Brewer said initial plans for the lot are to clear the trees and begin to prepare the land for construction within the next month. She expects construction to begin shortly after and to be complete sometime in spring.

The homes will be designed as modern ranch-style at roughly 1,300 square feet each, Brewer said. She expects prices will run between $230,000 and $245,000.

Brewer has scheduled an informational meeting for potential homeowners that will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 7 at the Noxubee County Civic Center, where she intends to show renderings and have lenders and financial consultants available to discuss potential purchases.

Though her business is based in Columbus, Brewer said she has been searching for a way to give back to her hometown and potentially entice additional development.

“It’s going to bring more money to the city as well,” Brewer said. “The city could use more money. … Everything is just coming together for that city. And I just want to be a part of the growth that they’re doing down there.”

Christy Ferguson, Main Street Macon’s director, said she believes the housing development could help with the recently revived organization’s mission to usher in additional development for the city’s largely vacant downtown on the adjacent Jefferson Street.

“This is a lovely start to revitalizing (downtown),” Ferguson said. “For somebody to come in and see the potential, because … they wouldn’t be building here if they didn’t see potential for it to be successful. So I feel like with that, that would just be great, and maybe would inspire others to invest in our town as well.”

Ferguson said with the recent announcement of an $8.3 million expansion of Barge Forest Products’ lumber facility, she believes the area is primed to see additional growth, with new businesses and restaurants in the city’s downtown.

“I would love to have more development with restaurants,” Ferguson said. “We have some lovely restaurants, but we don’t really have any sit-down afternoon, Friday night, Saturday night restaurants. People are having to go outside of town, so I would love to inspire some others to come in and to invest in other buildings on Jefferson Street.”