Leading the Way 

August 2005

 

Transformations Abound in Apple Hill

Apple Hill Farms is quickly becoming the most successful, luxury residential development north of Milwaukee. As early as three years ago I made this prediction and it is satisfying to see the result unfolding. As I drove through Apple Hill the other day I was faced with bustling activity of all sorts. The landscaped, brick-walled entry looks impressive. The waterfall there is taking shape. The streets are already blacktopped and the pond construction is almost complete. Landscaping on many of the homes is done with beautiful multi-tiered retaining walls emphasizing the community’s rolling topography.

There are 19 homes completed or still under construction. Of this number, four are ours, including one customer home, two completed models and one model just started. The values of the 19 homes, including land, range from around $600,000 to over $2,000,000. Four of the 19 homes are being shown as part of the Fox Cities parade of Homes.

Developer, Tom Purdy, must be just bursting with pride. He is doing a fabulous job in establishing the image of the community. Tom grew up in the house near the entrance to what once was the family farm. What we now see in Apple Hill Farms has been his vision for quite a few years. The first two phases of street and utility construction are complete and lot sales have been so brisk that he is starting phase three any day now.

More Places to Build in Oshkosh and Green Bay

In Oshkosh, the second phase of Quail Run Farm is open and two more lots have been sold. Andy Backus, Vice President of Andrew Homes, will be building his personal residence on one of these lots. His home will be showcased in the April 2006 Parade of Homes. Andrew Homes has lots available on which we can custom build your home. Many of the lots are wooded or have a wooded backdrop.

In Green Bay, a few remaining wooded lots are available in Sheltered Creek and Barnard Woods. A few golf course lots and one wooded lot are available to build on in Thornberry Creek Estates. We also have two large lots on the Bay of Green Bay, which could be combined for one huge waterfront lot.

Upcoming Must-See Events in Green Bay and Oshkosh

 

Valley Home Builders Association 2005 Parade of Homes

August 13-14 & 17-21, 2005

Andrew Homes invites you to visit our newest “Lancaster” model home, which will be showcased at the Valley Home Builders Association’s 2005 Parade of Homes August 13-14 and 17-21.

The Lancaster (for sale) is located on almost an acre lot with a beautiful wooded backdrop in Apple Hill Farms. Offering 7,148 square feet of old-world charm and casual elegance, it features a gourmet kitchen with a butler’s pantry adjoining a cozy hearth room with a cedar-beamed ceiling, stone arches, and a great view of the wooded natural area behind the home.

The second floor boasts a spacious master suite with a fireplace sitting area, a second laundry room, volume ceilings in all bedrooms, and a large kid’s retreat/hobby room. An innovative 2,158 square foot multi-level lower level includes a fireplace, large storage area under the Spancrete® garage, a bedroom/office, a full bath, extensive windows, walkout to backyard, and a fully furnished and equipped theater room.

The Valley Home Builders Association has chosen to feature our Lancaster home in the Parade television commercials. Watch for our home on Channel 5, ESPN, HGTV and various other cable channels during the next few weeks!

Brown County Home Builders Association Fall Showcase of New Homes

September 17-18 & 22-25, 2005

Andrew Homes will be introducing two homes in the Brown County Fall Showcase September 17-18 and 22-25.

The first is our 4,664 square foot new “Lakewood” model in Barnard Woods. A spacious kitchen/dinette with a large center island and natural maple hardwood flooring open to the 2-story family room with grand wall of windows and fireplace with maple surround. Maple columns throughout the first floor and volume ceilings throughout the second floor are just a few of the striking architectural details. A large finished lower level includes a full bath and bedroom, plus plenty of space for a game room, workout area, bar or theater area.

The second Showcase home was custom designed to take advantage of our homeowner’s beautiful wooded 2.5 acre lot on the ledge in Ledgeview. This beautiful all brick two-story home includes a gourmet kitchen that overlooks the dinette and hearth room, grand 2-story foyer, maple beamed ceiling in the family room and much more.

The Canadian Rocky Mountains   By Len Backus

Driving through the Canadian Rocky Mountains in a convertible sports car is like sitting on your back porch and watching the scenery pass you by! Kathy and I recently completed a nearly 4,000 mile round-trip drive to Banff and Jasper in Alberta through the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen. No one mountain peak in itself was more beautiful than what we have seen elsewhere. But nowhere else in the world can you drive for mile-after-mile with spectacular peaks at a close distance on both sides of a broad valley. The photo above is one of the many beautiful shots I took on the trip. Almost twenty years earlier we had made the same trip with our children but we never actually saw the mountain peaks. For three days back then, we were faced with low-hanging clouds, which obscured the view. Back then we got as far as the Athabasca glacier…which we couldn’t actually see. This time the weather cooperated and we saw both mountains and wild game including five black bears, numerous elk, bighorn sheep, coyotes and many birds. While driving through the mountains with the top down, we received a phone call from our daughter, Barbara. She was calling to tell us she got engaged. That was the icing on the cake for us!

Just For Fun!   By Andy Backus

Andrew Homes’ customers want their homes to be fun. We’ve noticed an increase in the number of spaces our customers are asking us to design into their new homes dedicated to recreation and entertainment. Theater rooms have grown in popularity as new technology provides more equipment options at lower costs. Many people are surprised to find how reasonably priced a home theater package can be. Theater rooms are a great way to take advantage of relatively inexpensive finished lower level space especially since windows are typically not needed or wanted.

Many of the recreation and entertainment spaces take advantage of finished lower levels. We are finding that the lower level is often being used as the “adult play area” with the second floor being dedicated to the kids. Large wet bars and wine cellars are popular and we have designed some with loads of character. We are currently building a large wine cellar with an entrance made to look like a wooden barrel. Inside, the cellar will look like a centuries old European cellar complete with antique looking brick arches that have begun to crumble over time.

We have built several golf putting greens in lower levels and even an extra deep area under a garage for a golf driving range. We are currently building a large gymnasium under a garage with a twenty-foot tall ceiling. It will be finished to look like a school gym. We are also working with two other customers on gyms under their garages.

Swimming pools seem to be growing in popularity in our area too. We currently have two homes under construction with large indoor pools and are about to begin construction on two more. You may have noticed the rear elevation of our customer’s home in Apple Hill Farms subdivision in North Appleton with all the windows. Inside is a large pool area with a built-in hot tub and separate sitting area complete with its own fireplace. An overlook from the kitchen/hearth room provides a dramatic view of the space. Outdoor pools are popular as well. A photo of one of our Green Bay customer’s outdoor pools is featured on the side of Pool Work’s trucks. That pool has a disappearing edge and swim-up bar as well as a resort style water slide and built-in hot tub.

Some of the spaces we’ve designed and built on the second floor are dedicated for entertaining the kids. You may have seen our customer’s play room built over the first floor great room in last September’s Green Bay Fall Showcase. It was the one with the huge built-in oak tree play house and floor to ceiling mural. On the same level was a bonus space over the garage set up as a crafting area with an easily washable floor where the kids could be creative without mom having to worry about the mess. In one of our homes each kid’s bedroom includes its own lofted play area accessed by a ladder. Bonus space over the garage or raised rooms over the first floor great room are often used as media rooms, play rooms, or study areas.  Let us know how we can incorporate some fun spaces into your next home!

Andrew Homes Fall Maintenance Tips   By Scott Oberstadt, Service Manager

Even though most of us would rather not think about winter just yet, here are a few home maintenance items that are a little more pleasant to do while the weather is still nice.

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