Carillon at Heatherstone in north suburban Beach Park is among the smaller “active adult” developments popping up in the Chicago area.
Unlike the recent past, when behemoth developments such as Sun City Huntley were planned for thousands of homes, this Cambridge Homes subdivision for buyers 55 and older is planned for only 159 units: 51 houses and 108 townhouses.
A few words about terminology if you are new to this category as I am.
“Active adult” subdivisions are distinguished by an age restriction for the buyers and include a recreation center.
Typically, as at Carillon at Heatherstone, the project is intended for residents 55 and older with no permanent residents younger than 18. And though only one-third of the Carillon at Heatherstone units have been sold, the 4,000-square-foot community clubhouse, which accounts for the “active” designation, is up and running.
There is a lounge with fireplace, large meeting room for community activities, exercise room and rooms furnished for shooting pool, playing poker and other recreation. The outside pool, tennis court and walking trail also are completed.
This Carillon differs from the other Chicago-area projects with the same buyer focus because it is an enclave in the larger Heatherstone, a single-family and multifamily development with another 400 homes for all ages.
The jury is still out on whether this intergenerational approach is a sales winner, but early Carillon buyers have been on the younger end of the 55-and-up group, said sales representative Derek Isaily.
The best-selling floor plans are those with the most square footage, he said. Several buyers are empty-nesters with a second home elsewhere who opt to spend the summer and keep a boat in nearby Winthrop Harbor or who take advantage of the facilities at Illinois Beach State Park.
Several golf courses are nearby, as is the Waukegan Regional Airport.
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As a House Hunter who qualifies as an “active adult,” I know the lure of paring down after the kids have gone, as well as the desire to eliminate stairs and yard work from daily living.
Still, empty-nester refers to the absence of children, not of furniture, mementos and other paraphernalia accumulated during those acquisitive child-rearing years.
These are houses for those who have–or are ready–to make some hard choices in clearing out the closets or who may be dividing possessions between two homes. Closet space is so limited in most models, I found myself staring into the empty garages trying to gauge whether there is room for storage shelves along the walls.
The Tanterra model, with 1,680 square feet, is the biggest and most appealing of the two house models and the one with the most closet space. It has a usable front porch, which keeps the front of the house from being overwhelmed by the two-car garage that sticks out toward the street.
Inside, the living and dining areas are combined and much enhanced by the fireplace and a bay window, two upgrades. Behind the dining area is an open kitchen, breakfast area and family room/den area, where an optional sunroom and high ceiling add light and space.
The two bedrooms in the Tanterra are smallish, however. The master bedroom is 15- by-12-feet, big enough for only a bed, chest of drawers and a nightstand without the 10-by-3 1/2-foot extension shown in the model.
The secondary bedroom is a cozy 10-by-11 feet. Still, there are several decent-sized closets in the Tanterra, a big plus, and the laundry room is big enough for the washer/dryer plus some storage.
Walls are reinforced
The bathrooms in Tanterra, as in all of the six Carillon models, are big enough to accommodate wheelchairs, as are the hallways and doors, according to Isaily. While grab bars and other mobility aids are not installed, the walls in the bathrooms are reinforced to handle grab bars.
Accessibility is demonstrated at one of the townhouse models shown with an inclining front walkway. Built in groups of four, the townhouses have living areas at each corner of the four-unit building, with garages in between.
This quadplex configuration means any of the four townhouse floor plans can be used in any building or in any corner. It is flexible and utilitarian, but clunky looking.
Ranging from 1,107 to 1,332 square feet, the floor plans are for two bedrooms, one bath–with a second bath option–to two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Unless you live alone and never have guests, the over-55er should consider the second bath upgrade if it can be afforded.
The Whitney, at 1,332 square feet, is the biggest townhouse model and has a simple traffic plan. After entering the front door, the living room, dining area and kitchen are to the right, a home office or bedroom to the left. A hallway straight ahead leads to the second bath, the laundry room with access to the garage and the master bedroom suite at the back of the unit.
As with accessibility, the builder should win plaudits for building Energy Star homes, a designation that means they are at least 30 percent more energy-efficient than standard homes, a consideration for those living on reduced or fixed incomes.
The budget-minded should keep a careful tab on the cost of upgrades, however. Like a Chevy loaded with all the options, several models as shown are loftier in cost than the base prices. The Tanterra model, for example, is base-priced at $202,000 but costs about $270,000 as shown.
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Carillon at Heatherstone
Address: 39437 N. Cambridge Blvd., Beach Park
Developer: Cambridge Homes
Phone: 847-984-4672 or www.mycambridgehome.com
Description: 51 houses and 108 townhouses designated for active adults, 55 years and older. Part of a development planned for a total of 650 houses and townhouses. Two bedroom, 2 bathroom and three bedroom 2 bath ranch-style houses from 1,414 square feet to 1,951 square feet. Two-bedroom 1 bath to two-bedroom 2 bath ranch townhouses from 1,107 to 1,332 square feet.
Base prices: Houses, from $193,000 to $214,500. Townhouses, from $149,500 to $159,000. Monthly assessments range from $176.02 to $203.75. Prices as of Dec. 5.
Amenities: Attached two-car garage, air conditioning, laundry room, Energy Star construction. Community center with exercise room, pool and tennis court.
Neighborhood: Near Waukegan and Wadsworth. Access to shopping at Gurnee Mills, near Interstate Highway 94. Metra service from Waukegan station.
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Past House Hunter columns: CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM/HOMES