Toll Brothers, Inc, a major Pennsylvania-based homebuilder, is well into the construction of Newtown Woods, an age-restricted 178-unit condominium complex at a 50-acre site off Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville.

The project represents the fourth time since 1998 that various firms have sought to develop the site with a large-scale, high-density housing project for people over age 55. All three previously proposed projects, two of which gained approvals from the town, failed to materialize.

Toll gained approvals for Newtown Woods from the town in October 2011. Toll serves as the project’s general contractor, hiring many subcontractors to build various portions of the project.

The rocky site was humming with activity this week as dozens of workers plied their respective trades in assembling the dwellings.

Newtown Woods is the largest age-restricted condo complex to be built locally since the 189-unit Walnut Tree Village on Walnut Tree Hill Road in Sandy Hook, which started construction in the mid-1990s.

David Sands, project manager for Newtown Woods, said that about 25 people are living at the complex so far, occupying 14 units there. Those residents are living in townhouse-style units.

Builders have completed 21 townhouse units so far, and 24 more are under construction. Most townhouses will be located within four-unit buildings, with others included in three-unit and two-unit structures.

Nearing completion at the site is the first of six large buildings that will house flats or apartment-style condos. The first large building contains 17 dwellings.

Newtown Woods is planned to contain 67 dwellings within 19 multiple-unit two-story, townhouse-style buildings; 111 single-level dwellings within six large multistory buildings; a community clubhouse; a swimming pool; and bocce courts. When completed, the complex will have more than 200,000 square feet of enclosed space. All residential units will be for sale to people over age 55.

Mr Sands said he expects all townhouses planned for the site to be constructed in about 18 to 24 months.

The various style townhouses in the project range from 1,537 to 2,173 square feet in floor area. The prices for such units range from $391,995 to $489,995, plus options.

Considering the sloped topography of the site, roughly one-half of the townhouse units would have walkout basements, Mr Sands said.

The flats located inside the large buildings will range from 1,484 to 1,918 square feet in size. Prices for flats range from $319,995 to $389,995, plus options. Three of the large multistory buildings would have 17 units each, with the other three large buildings containing 20 units each.

Mr Sands said he expects the first occupancy in the first large building to occur in late April.

Greg Kamedulski, Toll’s group president for New England, said the firm expects to complete Newtown Woods within five years. The clubhouse at the site is now under construction, he said.

“A lot of people are interested” in living at the complex, he said, adding that “empty nesters” from Newtown and elsewhere are the likely residents of Newtown Woods.

“Newtown is a beautiful town…It’s very attractive…There are great people living in Newtown,” he said.

The Newtown Woods site is conveniently near Interstate 84, he said.

Site access is provided from Mt Pleasant Road via a private street, known as Splendid Place, which also serves the adjacent Maplewood at Newtown, a 100-unit assisted-living rental complex.