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What Is Scottish Hollow?
Scottish Hollow is a new 55+ community being built by THP Homes in Amity Township near Birdsboro, Pennsylvania.
The community is planned to include more than 330 homes across five phases, with a mix of paired villas and detached single-family homes. Designs focus on first-floor living, open layouts, and options that buyers can use to expand or customize their homes. [thp.homes], [thp.homes]
Planned amenities include:
- A clubhouse
- Swimming pool
- Fitness center
- Pickleball courts
- Walking trails
- Outdoor gathering areas
Scottish Hollow is already under construction, but the full community could take approximately seven to ten years to complete.
What makes this project especially interesting is everything that had to happen before the first house could be built.
Touring Scottish Hollow Through R-BAR
I recently attended a development tour organized by the Reading-Berks Association of REALTORS® Commercial and Industrial Council.
Before walking through the construction site, we heard from Mark Mohn with R-BAR, Jeremy Zaborowski with Berks IDA, Sean with THP Homes, and others involved in the project.
Jeremy explained the financing and public infrastructure behind the development. Sean and the THP team discussed the homes, sales process, planned amenities, and long-term buildout.
We then toured Scottish Hollow and walked through homes in several stages of construction.
Some properties were still foundations. Others were framed or had drywall and paint. Several homes were nearing completion, while others were already sold or under contract.
The tour made one thing clear: Scottish Hollow is no longer just a plan on paper.
Project representatives discussed the planning, construction, and long-term vision for Scottish Hollow.
A Project Years in the Making
According to the presentation, it took approximately five years to move from the early conversations about Scottish Hollow to the active construction happening today.
Before building could begin, the project required:
- Financing
- Zoning
- Engineering
- Public water and sewer
- Municipal cooperation
- Site preparation
- Road construction
- Long-term planning
The property was already zoned Planned Business, Office and Industrial, commonly called PBOI. A low-density residential overlay and permitted age-restricted use allowed Scottish Hollow to move forward as a 55+ community while the underlying zoning remained in place.
That zoning solution was only one part of the process. The largest obstacle was infrastructure.
The $5 Million Water and Sewer Project
Scottish Hollow needed public water and sewer service before the development could move forward.
Berks IDA obtained approximately $5 million in financing through M&T Bank. Berks IDA then helped finance the contractor responsible for extending water and sewer infrastructure from the Route 422 area to the site.
That investment made Scottish Hollow possible, but its effect extends beyond this one community.
According to the presentation, the water and sewer improvements created development potential across approximately 600 surrounding acres.
That does not mean all 600 acres are scheduled for construction. It means the infrastructure now exists to support development proposals that may not have been practical before.
The Pennsylvania Economic Development Association recognized Berks IDA with its 2026 Project of the Year Award for this work. PEDA described the project as an effort that provided infrastructure to the 113-acre housing site and the wider 600-acre property. PEDA also identified 338 age-restricted homes in the development plan. [linkedin.com]
Berks IDA explained how infrastructure financing and Tax Increment Financing helped make Scottish Hollow possible.
What Is Tax Increment Financing?
A TIF, or Tax Increment Financing, helped support the infrastructure project.
A TIF does not create a new tax.
Instead, it uses part of the additional tax revenue created when a property is developed and increases in value. That new revenue, or tax increment, can help repay eligible project costs such as water, sewer, roads, or other infrastructure.
In simple terms:
- The property has a certain taxable value before development.
- New homes increase the property’s value.
- The development produces additional tax revenue.
- A portion of that increase helps repay the infrastructure investment.
- After the TIF period ends, the full tax revenue flows through the normal taxing structure.
TIF financing is more commonly connected to commercial or industrial development. According to the presentation, the Scottish Hollow project was the first Berks County TIF used exclusively for residential development.
Why the 55+ Design Mattered
Scottish Hollow’s age restriction was an important part of the plan.
Residential development normally creates new property-tax revenue, but it can also increase enrollment in the local school district. A 55+ community is expected to create less school-enrollment demand than a traditional neighborhood designed for households of all ages.
That mattered because part of the new tax revenue is being used to repay the water and sewer investment.
Scottish Hollow can expand Amity Township’s housing supply and tax base without creating the same expected school-enrollment effect as a non-age-restricted development of similar size.
For current residents, that means the project is not only about adding houses. It is also about balancing growth, infrastructure costs, municipal services, and the effect on the school district.
Tax Revenue May Exceed the Early Estimate
The presentation compared approximately $400,000 in taxable revenue before the completed development with an early estimate of roughly $2 million after the TIF is complete.
Those projections were reportedly based on homes worth around $390,000.
The housing market has changed since those estimates were prepared.
THP currently markets Scottish Hollow homes from the $400,000s, with paired villas and single-family plans available. Public listings have shown base prices including approximately $414,900 for the Blairmore, $439,900 for the Glengarry, and $447,490 for the Caldwell. Final prices depend on the homesite, model, options, and finishes. [thp.homes], [zillow.com], [redfin.com], [realtor.com]
The information provided during the tour also showed customized homes reaching the $500,000, $600,000, and $700,000 ranges.
If higher values continue across future phases, Scottish Hollow may eventually generate more tax revenue than originally projected. That remains a possibility, not a guarantee, because future values and construction costs can change.
What Homes Are Being Built?
Scottish Hollow includes two main types of housing.
Paired Villas
The paired-villa plans include:
- Blairmore
- Glengarry
These designs offer two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two-car garages, and first-floor living. The Blairmore begins around 1,587 square feet, while the Glengarry is approximately 1,724 square feet. [zillow.com], [redfin.com]
Phase 1 includes new homes at several stages of construction.
Detached Single-Family Homes
The single-family plans include:
- Caldwell
- MacGregor
- Dunvegan
The Caldwell begins around 1,500 square feet. Depending on the model and selected options, expanded homes can exceed 3,000 square feet.
Options may include:
- Second-floor lofts
- Additional bedrooms
- Additional bathrooms
- Studies
- Sitting areas
- Storage
- Different exterior elevations
- Interior finish selections
This gives buyers more flexibility than choosing a fixed floor plan with no changes.
Prices, options, and availability may change as construction continues.
Homes in Phase 1 range from foundations and framing to properties nearing completion.
Construction Is Already Underway
Scottish Hollow is currently in Phase 1 of 5 planned phases.
During the tour, I saw:
- Undeveloped land prepared for future phases
- New roads extending through the site
- Home foundations
- Framed houses
- Roof and window installation
- Drywall and paint work
- Nearly completed interiors
- Homes marked sold or under contract
Walking through the homes made the progression easy to understand.
One property was still open framing inside. Another had drywall, paint, a fireplace, and most of its interior layout in place. A larger home included an open second-floor space overlooking the first-floor living room.
The different stages showed how quickly a development can appear to change once roads, utilities, and foundations are in place.
The Phase 1 plan identifies home lots, roads, planned amenities, homes under construction, and properties sold or under contract.
Planned Amenities and HOA Services
The completed community is expected to include a clubhouse with social space, a pool, fitness facilities, pickleball courts, walking trails, and outdoor gathering areas. [thp.homes]
The homeowners association is expected to cover services such as:
- Lawn care
- Snow removal
- Trash and recycling
- Common-area maintenance
- Community amenities
Certain homeowner responsibilities, including parts of the individual home and owner-installed improvements, would remain outside HOA coverage.
Residents considering Scottish Hollow should review the current HOA documents, fees, services, restrictions, and maintenance responsibilities directly with THP before making a decision.
What Does Scottish Hollow Mean for Amity Township?
Scottish Hollow affects Amity Township in several ways.
The project can:
- Add age-restricted housing
- Expand the township’s tax base
- Create construction activity
- Bring public water and sewer to a larger area
- Support future development proposals
- Add residents without the same expected school-enrollment effect
- Encourage long-term planning around roads and municipal services
Growth can also bring questions about traffic, public services, open land, future zoning, and the character of the surrounding area.
The water and sewer extension does not determine what will be built across the remaining acreage. Future proposals would still need to go through the appropriate planning, zoning, and approval processes.
For Amity Township residents, Scottish Hollow matters because its infrastructure could shape development decisions well beyond the boundaries of the 55+ community.
My Takeaway
The most important part of Scottish Hollow is not simply the number of homes being built.
It is how financing, zoning, public utilities, private construction, and years of cooperation turned a long-discussed opportunity into active development.
Standing on the site, I could see homes nearing completion in one direction and undeveloped land with new roads extending toward future phases in another. That made the project’s scale much easier to understand.
I want to thank Sean, Chris, Jill, Karen, and the THP Homes team for allowing us to tour the development. I also want to thank Jeremy Zaborowski and Berks IDA for explaining the infrastructure and financing, along with Mark Mohn and R-BAR’s Commercial and Industrial Council for organizing the event.
Representatives from THP Homes, Berks IDA, R-BAR, and the Commercial and Industrial Council during the Scottish Hollow development tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Scottish Hollow?
Scottish Hollow is a new 55+ active-adult community by THP Homes with paired villas, detached homes, first-floor living, and planned private amenities.
Where is Scottish Hollow located?
Scottish Hollow is located at 28 Scottish Hollow Drive in Amity Township near Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. [thp.homes]
How many homes are planned?
The wider development plan calls for approximately 338 age-restricted homes across multiple phases. [thp.homes], [linkedin.com]
What amenities are planned?
Planned amenities include a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, pickleball courts, walking trails, and outdoor gathering areas. [thp.homes]
Are homes already under construction?
Yes. Phase 1 includes homes at several construction stages, with some properties already sold or under contract.
How long could Scottish Hollow take to complete?
The full five-phase buildout could take approximately seven to ten years. The timing may change based on sales, construction, market conditions, and approvals.
Interested in Scottish Hollow or Berks County Real Estate?
If you are considering buying in Scottish Hollow, moving to the Birdsboro or Amity Township area, selling a home, or investing in Berks County, I can help you understand the local market and connect you with the right people.
I am not the builder’s sales representative, and community details, prices, incentives, fees, floor plans, and availability should be confirmed directly with THP Homes.
Contact Ben Perfetto, REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Realty, to discuss your real estate goals and next steps.
