Developer Plans Upscale Tiny Home Community South of Graham

A Graham developer said on December 31, 2025 that work is advancing on plans to convert the former Hidden Lake Campgrounds into an upscale tiny home community along N.C. Highway 54 south of Graham. The site, anchored by a private lake and a proposed half-mile walking path, could ultimately include 378 pads for tiny homes on wheels based on a preliminary site plan shared with this newspaper.

VennTerra, led by founder and CEO Shawn Cummings, is developing the project in partnership with J.M. Holt & Associates of Graham. The partners purchased two parcels that make up the majority of the 147-acre Hidden Lake property in spring 2025, and VennTerra separately bought an adjacent 77-acre portion of the former campground around the same time. Cummings said the team was close to finishing design work: “We’re probably two or three weeks from [completing the] final design,” he said, and planned to meet with Alamance County officials to seek the approvals needed for site work and construction.

The development would be built in phases, with the first phase offering about 60 lots for residents to rent and place tiny homes on. Cummings described the product as deliberately targeted: “I call it a niche of a niche.” Project materials list amenities that include pickleball and other athletic courts, a pool, community garden, lighted garden, outdoor recreation area, a gym with a climbing wall, dog parks and fire pits.

Before any construction can begin, the former campground will require significant cleanup and infrastructure work. Developers say that will include overhauling an existing warehouse building, removing debris and abandoned campers, and repairing and resurfacing the private roadway that connects the property to N.C. Highway 54. Cummings said the partners hope to start construction in May 2026, with the first residents moving in in early 2027 if approvals and cleanup proceed on schedule.

For Alamance County residents, the project presents several practical implications. The phased build would add new rental-oriented housing stock that explicitly targets commuters to nearby job centers such as Chapel Hill and UNC Hospital, potentially shifting local commuting patterns and demand on N.C. Highway 54. Construction and site remediation would create local work and contract opportunities, while the development’s long-term presence would expand the county’s taxable property base and add maintenance responsibilities for private road access and site infrastructure.

The Hidden Lake plan also fits a broader trend toward compact, amenity-driven living options marketed to professionals seeking shorter commutes and lower-maintenance housing. County officials will weigh those market dynamics alongside environmental, infrastructure and land-use considerations during the approvals process that now stands between the concept and breaking ground.