In 1940, Tom Hartness purchased the Pepsi-Cola Bottling rights in Greenville, S.C. Over the next 70 years, the Hartness company evolved as a total packaging solutions provider with over 100 patents and a worldwide network of clients. Tom’s son, Pat, grew up in the business and eventually assumed the CEO role and his son Sean became a senior executive in the business. After a decades-long run as one of Greenville’s most successful home-grown business ventures, the family sold Hartness International in 2009.

The land that serves as the canvas for the Hartness community has been gradually acquired over the past several decades by Pat and now totals 449 acres. Pat and his wife, Mary Lou, have lived in an estate located on this land for over 25 years. The land itself represents something rare in Greenville. Located on State Highway 14 about fifteen minutes from downtown and less than ten minutes from the GSP airport, it’s in a prime location with beautiful creeks and forests running throughout the 449 contiguous acres.

In the 2000s, Pat and Sean entertained a number of offers for their property from several large regional and national home builders but ultimately decided to develop it themselves as a family legacy project for the city of Greenville. Sean leads the development as CEO and is active in the business on a daily basis. Sean’s brother, David, serves as the Broker of Hartness Real Estate and is an integral part of the planning and strategic envisioning processes for the project.