We made the Oregonian...NY Times is next

[Greg Steckler]

Not a home run, but hey....

[Greg Steckler]

Here's page 4....
He's happy to show off two Hobbit holes otherwise known as storage sheds.
"If you look inside there right now," said Meyer, pointing to one, "you'll find a lawn mower."
When built out at 6.5-acres, The Shire will have 15 cottages and 16 town houses encircling a central gathering place called the sanctuary. The first properties will go on sale this winter.
But for now the spot is overrun -- not by orcs but by backhoes, dump trucks and surveyors. You have to overlook the Caterpillar equipment and the mobile home park next door to grasp The Shire's magic.
Still, the parts of The Shire that are complete -- the small amphitheater, paved pathways, flowery gardens -- have an undeniable Middle Earth quality.

Meyers said he hasn't been flooded by Tolkien groupies eager to live in a re-creation of the fanciful Hobbiton, though his Web site has gotten a lot of hits originating from LOTR fan sites.
"I'm not selling 'Lord of the Rings,' " Meyers said. "I'm selling finely crafted homes with a European flair."
Other neighborhoods in Oregon have employed "Lord of the Rings" vocabularies, if not architecture. The Kinsgate neighborhood in Durham, near Portland, features streets named Rivendell, Arkenstone and Brandywine.

Most potential buyers of The Shire appear to be ordinary people seeking an out-of-the-ordinary neighborhood, Meyers said.
Patti Freese, a Bend retiree, has reserved The Shire's only finished structures, a model home and accompanying guest house. "I love it because it's out-of-the-box thinking," she said. "This is a vision."
Hobbits and dragons don't particularly interest her, but the development's green building principles and quality craftsmanship do.
"I think the community will end up being one of like-minded people," she said, "looking for a place of harmony."
Matthew Preusch: 541-382-2006; preusch@bendbroadband.com

[Jon Fife]

Congrats Greg!! What a good feeling to be recognized for something you've dedicated a big part of yourself to. FWIW, I've forwarded links of "The Shire" to friends of mine from around the country, and the overwhelming response is, "that is the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Unfortunately, most of my friends are no wealthier than myself, so we'll be stuck trimming hedges in the Shire or something:) Again, glad you were part of that recognition,

[Susan]

Congrats Greg!:)