Siler's to become gated community

For 61 years Siler's Shady Acres has been a family-owned and -operated golf course, making it the oldest public course in Springfield. However, Larry and Peggy Siler say this season will be its last.

Local developer Bill Jester has the 93-acre property under contract and is planning to create a "master-planned gated community."

Herman D. Siler founded the golf course in 1940 and left it in the hands of his sons, Larry and Dale, when he died in 1987.

"Since Siler's was the first public golf course, a lot of people learned to play here," said Peggy Siler, wife of Larry Siler. "Herman did a lot to promote golf in the area. He just lived, ate, drank, breathed golf."

The Silers, who co-own the course with Dale Siler and his wife, who also is named Peggy, said they put it up for sale in February after experiencing some frustrations with the city of Springfield.

They said it began when the city changed their address from 6000 S. National to 6000 S. FR 163, making it hard for people to locate the course. Then they heard about a city street and parkway that might run through the middle of the golf course.

"When we heard that, we said, (Let's find) the best use for this land,'" Peggy Siler said. "We didn't have the money to fight ... so we put it on the market. It was really kind of time."

If there's any consolation in all of this, Siler said, she'd like to see the street named after Herman D. Siler.

"It would be nice. (Herman) carved this out of the hills," she said. "He was building his dream out here."

At that time, the course was seven miles outside the Springfield city limits. Now it's only 1 1/2 miles out and, according to Jester, the city will annex it before he starts developing.

Jester signed the contract March 24 and is now sharing his development plans with city officials.

He said his $5 million to $6 million gated community, which will be named Eagle's Gate, will be a blend of different housing including single-family residences, town houses and upscale patio homes. He also plans to keep a three-hole chipping course, expand the course's lake, add a community swimming pool and renovate the clubhouse into a community center. In addition, the development will have walking trails and a couple of bridges.

"We're going to try and make it a very natural setting and keep as many of the existing trees as is possible; that's a real priority of ours," Jester said. "We're going to make it a beautiful place."

But before any action takes place, Jester said he must file his planned development and conduct neighborhood meetings to inform nearby residents of the plans. Then his proposal goes to Planning & Zoning and finally to City Council for a vote, which will include a voluntary annexation of the land, he said.

According to Fred May, director of Planning & Development in the city, there are two options for that street. One would go through Siler's land and the other would go further south along James River.

"The city has approved a major thoroughfare plan that shows an east-west arterial running from the Evans Road and 65 interchange to the extension of Kansas Expressway," May said. "We'll try to coordinate with Mr. Jester over the next couple of weeks."

Jester said he hopes the latter of the two options is chosen.

"We're just asking them to choose a more southerly route along the James River and not through the middle of those neighborhoods," he said.

Jester said he anticipates closing on the deal in late fall and beginning construction with his partner, Chuck Heidelberg, in the spring of 2002. The two also have subdivisions in Republic and other parts of Greene County. Other Jester developments in Springfield include the French Quarter Plaza, Battlefield Towers, Tuscany Court and Georgetown Square I and II.

"What we intend to do is create a really special destination for people who want a great place to live, a little recreation ... and want a touch of nature," Jester said. "That's a real important thing for us."

No matter what happens with the freeway, the Silers will still be losing a piece of family history.

"In a way it's a little sad," Peggy Siler said. "On the other hand, too, it was bound to come progress just keeps marching on anyway. We're happy with Bill buying it and putting an upscale development on it."

The course will stay open through the end of this golf season and will conclude its life with the annual Herman Siler Memorial tournament.

"It's always filled and this year ... everybody's asking because they all want to be in the last one," Peggy Siler said. "We expect to be here through October or November, but if something were to happen and we would close things sooner, we'd still have the Herman Siler Memorial that (last) week."

Herman D. Siler would have it no other way, she added.