Stonington — Construction has started on the 50 townhouses of the Perkins Farm project on Jerry Browne Road.

Connecticut-based company EG Home recently bought the townhouse portion of the property from developer David Lattizori for $2.9 million. The firm has dubbed its section of the 70-acre site the Perkins Reserve.

What was once supposed to be a project in three successive phases — a 121-unit apartment complex, a state-of-the-art medical center and townhouses — is being done at once.

"The way its worked out due to the market demand is that all three of these phases are happening all at once," First Selectman Rob Simmons said. "The site is having infrastructure work done right now, which isn't too pretty to look at, but once that is done they'll start planting and the site will recover and begin to look really nice."

The Perkins Reserve will feature two types of homes: a 1,850-square-foot townhouse that EG Home estimates will cost in the upper $300,000 price range, and a carriage house that will range from 2,270 to 2,400 square feet and will cost in the mid to upper $400,000 price range.

EG Home co-owner Matt Gilchrist said that he hopes to begin presales of the townhouses by the end of the summer but the high amount of rain recently has put them behind schedule.

"I had to go out and buy 20 swamp mats to help us have some solid ground to work on," Gilchrist said. "We have to do what we have to do to make it work. We're a little bit behind on the roadwork but I feel once we get moving, we'll be able to catch up to our timeline and meet our goals."

Gilchrist said that he is hoping for somewhat better weather and to have a model opening in January 2020.

"I think that the vision David (Lattizori) has always had for this property is so much better than it was originally zoned for," Simmons said. "This is a classic example of what visionary zoning can do for a project that fits the character of this town. This helps fill the demand to rent or buy property in an environmental setting and a state-of-the-art health care facility. This is a truly visonary project."

The apartment complex will be developed by Lattizori's firm and will cost $16.3 million and feature 121 single-family dwellings. Hartford Healthcare has begun construction on the $24 million health care center. At least half of the property will feature open space, including open grass areas, a dog park and grilling areas. The open space will be maintained by the nonprofit Avalon, whose clients include the Smithsonian National Air and Space museum and the National Parks Conservation Association.

EG Home oversees two other communities in Connecticut, a 140-acre property in Beacon Falls known as Chatfield Farms, and Trailside Reserve, a 19-home community in Monroe. Gilchrist said that the recent developments in New London County made the firm's new project an exciting opportunity.

"Honestly, this area has a lot of energy," Gilchrist said. "Right now it's hard to find an area with a lot of positive things going on. We saw what was happening and we had the opportunity and it felt right in our wheelhouse."