A columnist at this paper once popularized the phrase “the land beyond O’Hare” to describe the outlying fringe of the metropolitan area. Well, we aren’t to Iowa yet, but the frontier for new housing in metropolitan Chicago now stretches to DeKalb.
Summit Enclave, a Lennar development planned for 318 units of one-, two- and three-level attached housing, is one of the projects by major Chicago-area builders creating an influx in the home town of Northern Illinois University.
The development is part of Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” program–several are also closer to Chicago–which means each floor plan has one price and no upgrades. Features such as 9-foot first floor ceilings and air conditioning are standard and units come equipped with appliances including refrigerator, garbage disposal, washer and dryer–items not included in many new homes–in the one-price package.
A unit on what is designated a premium home site will cost an additional $5,000, however.
The one-price rationale is “we’re able to greatly simplify–and thus enhance the efficiency–of our construction process. Our builders and installers know the game plan ahead of time, which makes their jobs faster, easier, and more quality-driven,” according to a Lennar brochure.
The one-price program seems tailored to people who find the home buying process daunting, are working on a budget, are part of an “instant gratification” culture or who are not planning to stay for long.
Personally, I wonder whether bulk buys and reliable production alone are the only means of cutting costs. Some of the interior wood details looked more “faux” wood than real to me.
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Even so, the idea of simplifying the process of buying a home is compelling. And give the builder credit for knowing prospective buyers well enough to be able to touch the emotional hot buttons. Is there a woman alive who doesn’t like the idea of a washer and dryer installed and waiting for move-in?
The early buyers in DeKalb are young couples, university graduate students and professors, said Tobey Sroga, a sales associate at Summit Enclave.
The development is next door to a sizable strip mall with a Lowe’s Home Center that is part of a extensive commercial district on the northern edge of town. Not ideal in my book, but it could work for those who like to be next door, literally, to shopping and the movies.
This is a project with nearly a dozen models. Since 80 the 107 three-level courthomes in the first phase already have been sold, I concentrated on the newly opened models for the two-story townhouses and the two ranch-style duplexes.
The development will have 125 townhouses and about 86 duplexes when completed.
All homes here have two-car garages that not only are attached but are an integral part of the plan.
Kudos to the builder for not allowing all the easy-access garages to face the street. The three-level court homes are six abreast and the garages are at the back of units. The six-unit complexes have driveway access between.
The garages of the townhouses, four to each cluster, face the street, but the models are located in a configuration that works both streetside and in the back.
The models are part of several townhouse clusters on the perimeter of a common grassy L-shaped quadrangle.
While it is not clear from the site plan that this configuration will be repeated, one of the pleasures of the models is that all the living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens look out onto this green central space. It is a spot where children can play away from the street and adults can sit on the back patio and wave to the neighbors.
The townhouses all have two-story ceilings in a portion of the living/dining area, a powder room and kitchen on the first floor. All have a door directly from the garage into the kitchen.
All the kitchens have an adjacent breakfast area with sliding doors to a small outdoor patio. The bedrooms (two or three), full baths (one or two) and laundry are on the second floor and one or more is over the garage.
Each of the townhouse plans is a variation on this theme, with most of the differences on the second floor. My favorite was the Sapphire model with two bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths in 1,400 square feet for $160,900.
A middle unit, the Sapphire’s front entry is a small covered porch next to the garage. Visitors are protected from the elements until they step into the small foyer where there is a door to a small powder room, a closet big enough for a dozen coats and stairs to the second floor to the right.
From the foyer, visitors look into the open living/dining room and to windows overlooking the center green.
Though not overly large at about 18 1/2 by 14 feet, the living/dining space is extended by opening onto a 10-by-8 1/2-foot breakfast area that is just big enough for a table and four chairs.
A counter with dual sinks divides the compact 12 1/2-by-9-foot kitchen from the breakfast area. All the kitchens in the townhouses have limited counter space and cabinets, but the Sapphire does have a walk-in pantry.
At the top of the stairs on the second floor is the laundry room. It is large enough for a full-size washer and dryer, laundry basket, cleaning supplies, a bed for Fido and the vacuum cleaner–maybe more items for the well-organized.
To the left of the laundry is the secondary bedroom, about 11 by 14 feet, overlooking the central quadrangle. A full, but small, bath is off the bedroom.
The master bedroom is over the garage toward the front of building. It has a high ceiling and has enough room, about 19 by 13 1/2 feet including a large alcove, for a big bed and a computer or home entertainment center.
The master bath has a dual sink vanity and a workable linen closet. The walk-in closet off the master bedroom is large enough for two, as long as both are not clothes horses.
The largest townhouse is the Diamond with three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths in 1,628 square feet. Those with more than one child–or planning more than one child–probably should look at this plan.
It is an end unit and the front door is at the side of the building, which I find unappealing. Further, visitors look directly into the powder room from the front door.
These are small homes and are shown with minimal furnishings selected carefully not to overwhelm the space and colorful enough to give it some pizazz.
Serious buyers who already have a big-screen television and several pieces of oversized furniture might want to measure carefully before signing on the dotted line.
Kitchens especially are short-changed in space, though they may work for those just beginning to set up a household or those who don’t do much cooking.
The kitchens seem marginally roomier in the ranch-style duplexes, which could be attractive to those downsizing. However, measurements on the floor plans do not indicate much size difference.
Other rooms in the ranch duplexes also feel like they have more elbow room than the other models probably because the space is not divided into two or three floors.
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Unfortunately, not all the one-level space is well planned. The Emerald at 1,658 square feet is the largest and most expensive of any plan. But it has a large room which I can only describe as a hall or gallery between the front door and the living room.
It might be used as a dining room on special occasions, but the space seems awkward for useful day-to-day living.
One miscue in the information packet for prospective buyers is the absence of total square footage numbers. Those are on the Web site. And before buying any attached housing, buyers should talk to current residents about noise transmission and soundproofing.
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Summit Enclave
Address: 1535 Grand Dr., DeKalb
Developer: Lennar Homes
Phone: 815-754-4843
Web: www.ei-summitenclave.com
Description: Development planned for 318 one-, two- and three-level attached homes. Three-level, two-bedroom, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 bath townhouses with 943 to 1,390 square feet. Base prices from $137,900 to $163,900. Two-level townhouses have two or three bedrooms, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 baths with 1,255 to 1,628 square feet. Base prices from $155,900 to $170,900. Monthly assessment averages $120 to $150. Ranch-style duplexes have two bedrooms, two baths and range from 1,486 to 1,658 square feet. Base prices from $176,900 to $181,900, monthly association fees are $58. Prices as of Nov. 8.
Amenities: Part of the Everything’s Included (EI) program, so all units have 9-foot first floor ceilings, central air, GE appliances and garage door opener.
Neighborhood: Near major shopping center, elementary school, park, nature trail, Northern Illinois University.