INFLUENCING COMMUNITY LIVING
Bob McCaffrey, Brent McCaffrey, and Ash Knowlton tell the story behind the 14 years of research that went into the creation of Tesoro Viejo
Famed author and business consultant Dr. Ken Blanchard once said, “The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.” It is this style of influential leadership—through commitment, research, and credibility—which has encircled the team that dreamed up the award-winning Tesoro Viejo. Now known as the 2023 National Association of Home Builders “National Community of the Year,” Tesoro Viejo is the Central Valley’s shining example of a master-planned community, and it is the premier location to live, work, and play.
It all started with three men, each with Central Valley roots and categorically big dreams. Bob McCaffrey, his son Brent McCaffrey, and son-in-law Ash Knowlton began a 14-year journey in 2007 that would change the course of their names, their business, and the landscape of California’s San Joaquin Valley. They packed their bags and headed to communities throughout Texas, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington and up and down California. The team took notes on the best practices adopted in renowned communities such as Windsong Ranch, Hollyhock, and Light Farms in Texas; Verrado in Arizona; The Cannery in Davis in California; Southern California’s Ladera Ranch, Baker Ranch, and Orchard Hills; and Northern California’s Blackhawk. From land planning, sustainability, trails, park design, and landscaping to infrastructure, amenities, and clubhouse design, these vibrant, high-quality communities influenced the underpinnings of a potential master-planned community in the picturesque countryside of Madera, California.
Their main motivation? The land. This team of seasoned developers knew that Tesoro Viejo was not your typical 40-acre or 80-acre standalone subdivision. Rather, this land is special. The beauty, scale, and scope of the land in Madera clearly reflected that this master-planned community was meant to offer its future residents a connection to nature and neighbors.
But it is the topography that differentiates this land from any other master-planned community in Texas, Arizona, the Pacific Northwest, or even in Southern California. The Central Valley’s rolling hills and scenic vistas are sights to behold—and the team wanted to keep it that way. The result? Tesoro Viejo boasts nearly 400 acres of preserved natural open space, parks, trails, and recreational amenities.
One of the key points that the team noted again and again in their research was the importance of mature landscaping. Studies have demonstrated that neighborhoods with trees exhibit increased property values, not to mention the fact that trees buffer noise and even filter drinking water. As such, the McCaffrey team decided to plant an onsite tree nursery. It was 11 years before breaking ground on Tesoro Viejo that 10,000 trees of 13 different species were planted. Today, these same trees line Tesoro Viejo’s major roads and parks, encircle the clubhouse, and stand tall at each home, providing a sense of establishment, shade, and beauty.
Another best practice to be included in Tesoro Viejo was walkability. So, planning included trails, walking paths connecting neighborhoods, villages, the Town Center, and recreational amenities even beyond the community with access to the San Joaquin River. Today, Tesoro Viejo’s kids ride bikes and walk to school, families walk to the Town Center, and podcast-listening runners, walkers, and bikers can be seen on the 14 miles of trails throughout. Ultimately, it has become a way of life at Tesoro Viejo.
“The community design of Tesoro Viejo is unique,” said Brent McCaffrey, president of The McCaffrey Group. “It’s an open design without walls separating neighborhoods, and we intermix our homebuilders so that the home across from you could be from a different builder. We feel like this variety expands the character of each village, and our residents love that.”
Tesoro Viejo’s Verano Collection is built by De Young Properties, the Bristol Collection is built by KB Home, and the Poppy Collection, Ivy Collection, and Savanna Collection are all built by The McCaffrey Group.
“We wanted to offer a wide range of housing choices for a true blending of generations,” said Ash Knowlton, president of construction at The McCaffrey Group. “Today we have several families with three generations buying homes within the master-planned community, all with options to stay within the community as their families evolve. It’s a generational thing—which, of course, resonates with our own McCaffrey family.”
As third-generation real estate developers, Brent McCaffrey and Ash Knowlton have a mission to continue the creation of vibrant, high-quality communities that support sustainable growth in the region for decades to come.
“I can honestly say there is a sense of community and neighborly interaction that has taken root at Tesoro Viejo,” said Bob McCaffrey, CEO of The McCaffrey Group. “From the weekly Farmers Markets, outdoor concert series, annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, and Veterans Day Breakfast to our Spring Classic Half Marathon/5k walk when all of our trails are occupied with runners and athletes, we see the community living as intended. Children are outdoors, residents are walking the trails, and neighbors are meeting at the parks, neighborhood coffee bar, and the clubhouse—everyone is enjoying the natural beauty of the land and community fellowship.”
Features Contributor Holly Clinard
Photographer RPM PR
