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At Mungo Homes, every community begins the same way: with the land. Before plans are drawn, branding takes shape, or a name is chosen, we begin with site walks. Spending time on the property allows us to understand the lay of the land and what will lead the process forward. It’s how we always approach planning, branding, and positioning—from the ground up.
Understanding the Neuse River Corridor
Before stepping on site at BanksTwenty, our early research into the river corridor led us to the City of Raleigh’s Blueway concept, a forward-looking idea for how waterways could function as a more connected recreational network. While this is still in a conceptual stage, the idea is informed by community feedback and shaped by how people already use the river.
It introduced us to a different way of thinking about the Neuse: not just as a backdrop, but as part of an interconnected system.
Through conversations with city officials, we learned that if a Blueway system is realized, it would likely follow the same mile marker framework already in place along the Neuse River Greenway. That connection brought us back to what exists today—and gave us a way to ground the idea in something real.
The Site Walk That Shifted Everything
Then came the site walk.
Like many early visits, it meant working through dense brush in pre-clearing conditions, navigating topography, and experiencing the land as it has existed for years. This is where assumptions get tested, and where direction starts to take shape.
When we reached the portion of the site with direct access to the Neuse River, the experience changed immediately. The views opened up, the horizon extended, and the sun dropped toward the skyline, revealing something that we couldn’t ignore: the river wasn’t adjacent to the property—it defined it.
A Plan Shaped in Real Time
That moment led to an immediate decision—we repositioned the community’s main amenity to fully capture sweeping views of the skyline. This shift opened the door for a new plan, including:
- A gatehouse with an elevated terrace designed for year-round sunset views
- A clubhouse experience oriented around the natural lay of the land
- A trail connection linking the amenity to the Greenway, tying the heart of the community directly back to its natural anchor
Our experience with the land had reworked our plan entirely, and even carried into the brand, with a community color palette informed by sunset views, and language and patterns influenced by the movement of the river. The result is a cohesive identity we call Rivercountry—not a separately created brand, but a direct result of the place itself.
Encapsulating an Experience
Like most projects, we explored a range of naming directions, from the widely used “Neuse” to the general “Riverbanks”, but nothing quite captured the story that was already unfolding. After the site walk, we returned to the Blueway concept with a clearer lens. The proposed mile marker system gave structure to what we experienced on site—turning a feeling into something measurable.
The connection between that concept and the existing Greenway system became the bridge between possibility and certainty. While the Blueway itself is not guaranteed, the Greenway mile markers are already in place, with consistent, definitive reference points along the river corridor. With this in mind, we confirmed the community’s location precisely: mile marker 20.
More Than a Name: How BanksTwenty Came to Be
What began as a concept materialized into a verifiable location—one that would come to define the community’s name. Mile marker 20 was specific: a grounded, real nod to the location and the land. We translated this idea directly—”banks” for the edge of the river and “twenty” for mile marker 20—to form BanksTwenty.
By incorporating the mile marker system, the name BanksTwenty goes beyond drawing inspiration from the river—it reflects exactly where this community has planted its roots.
