A national homebuilder is planting its flag in the Pee Dee.
Stanley Martin Homes is opening its first two neighborhoods in the Florence area, Queens Landing and Alligator West, with a combined 227 planned single-family homes, the company announced in a release dated Sept. 29 and posted to its website Oct. 6. Alligator West is planned for 171 homes and Queens Landing for 56.
Homes are expected to be priced from the mid-$200s to the upper $300s, and both communities are scheduled to officially begin sales this month.
Two neighborhoods, one new market
Queens Landing will have a pool, cabana and playground. Both communities are near Interstates 95 and 20, with access to Florence County schools, major employers, shopping, dining and health care. The company points to nearby destinations including downtown Florence, Magnolia Mall, McLeod Regional Medical Center, CarolinaBank Field and the future AESC battery plant.
"The grand opening of Queens Landing and Alligator West represents an exciting milestone for Stanley Martin Homes as we officially expand into the Florence market," said Mike Cancilla, division president. "We are honored to partner with the Florence community and look forward to providing thoughtfully designed homes that meet the needs of today's homebuyers while contributing to the continued growth and vitality of the region."
The move follows Stanley Martin's recent acquisition of United Home Group. The company said the new neighborhoods show its long-term commitment to the Florence market and to building throughout South Carolina.
Stanley Martin has been building homes since 1966. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, it has built more than 40,000 homes and operates in 19 metro areas across seven states: Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. It's a subsidiary of Japan's Daiwa House Group, one of the world's largest housing, construction and development companies.
About that battery plant
The AESC plant the company mentions is a big part of Florence's growth story, but it's on hold. AESC suspended construction on its Florence County battery plant in June 2025, and as of this summer it remained paused, WPDE reported in July.
That story carries a lesson for anyone in the building trades. Clayco Inc., the plant's design-build contractor, filed a complaint against AESC Florence LLC seeking more than $26.2 million, alleging AESC failed to pay for completed work and related costs after it unilaterally suspended the project on June 8, 2025. Clayco's claims include foreclosure of a mechanic's lien against AESC's leasehold interest in the site. The allegations haven't been heard in court.
The contract was signed March 9, 2023, with substantial completion scheduled for June 1, 2025, according to the complaint. AESC spokesperson Brad Grantham said construction stopped because of policy and market uncertainties, and that the company remains "committed to delivering 1,600 jobs in the region and over $1.6 billion in direct investment."
In a separate statement, Grantham said AESC has invested more than $1 billion in Florence, doesn't comment on pending litigation and remains "confident of a timely resolution."
Clayco CEO Anthony Johnson said his company "paid every subcontractor in full, including demobilization costs, using our own funds to protect the project and the construction community."
Stanley Martin's announcement refers to the "future AESC Battery Plant" as a nearby destination and doesn't address the pause. We found no free source reporting a restart date.
Stanley Martin didn't say how many homes will be built at a time, how long buildout will take or which trades it will use.
Why it matters for Contractors
Two new production communities with 227 planned homes, from a builder new to the market, is good news for Pee Dee subcontractors. A builder entering a new area needs to line up framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, drywall, paint, flooring, concrete and landscaping crews, and that's an opening for local companies to get on the list early. The United Home Group acquisition may mean some existing relationships carry over, so it's worth reaching out now. The AESC case is a reminder, too. Big projects can stop without warning, and contractors and subs should know their lien rights, keep their paperwork current, and watch their exposure on any single job. Homebuilding on this scale tends to be steadier than one giant industrial project, but good contracts and prompt notices matter everywhere.