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The Builders Outreach Foundation...
The Builders Outreach Foundation, the charitable arm of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC), has been making a difference one home at a time by constructing homes for low-income families since 1994, mostly in the Frogtown area of St. Paul. The Foundation has completed homes within a few block radius for over a dozen families who otherwise would not be able to enjoy the benefits of homeownership, helping to improve the neighborhood in the process. The Foundation’s most recent home, constructed with Builder Partner Aulik & Associates, was sold in November to a single woman seeking an affordable route to homeownership.
The Foundation’s work in Frogtown has replaced vacant lots and dilapidated housing stock with well-constructed new homes for homeowners who take pride in their residence and their neighborhood. “The City of Saint Paul is thankful that the Builders Outreach Foundation has chosen to bring their work to the Frogtown area,” said St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. “Now families that otherwise couldn’t afford to own are proudly taking care of their new homes and improving the entire neighborhood.”
In addition to its work in Frogtown, the Foundation has partnered with other local charities and agencies across the region, including Habitat for Humanity and Homeward Bound. These projects traded the building community’s expertise for the joy and satisfaction of helping to serve the community. The newest partnership is with Project for Pride in Living, which is building affordable homes on the old Lowell Curve school site. With Builder Partner Lake Country Builders, the Foundation will complete one of the dozen or so homes at the site.
Another exciting new project the Foundation has undertaken this winter is the complete renovation of an injured Iraqi war veteran’s home. Remodeler Partners Flynn Construction and New Spaces are working with the Foundation and dozens of BATC member firms to ensure Kyle Anderson, a heroic Marine who suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in Iraq, will find his home more comfortable and livable. Read more about Kyle and this project online at www.operationdreammakeover.com.
To achieve its goals, the Foundation relies upon the time and energy of many, many BATC members as well as a variety of funding sources.. Since 2001, Builder Partners for each new home have served as project managers, ensuring each home is well-constructed and completed in a timely manner. These companies, as well as many of their subcontractors and vendors, donate incredible amounts of time and materials to these projects.
One of the Foundation’s most popular fund-raising programs has been the Parade of HomesSM Dream Home project where the public is invited to help with their mission. Visitors to one or two fabulous million-dollar homes during each Parade of HomesSM tour are asked to pay a small $5.00 admission fee at the door. Last fall the Dream Home program raised almost $20,000 that will go toward building homes for deserving families.
This spring, you can help give the gift of homeownership simply by visiting either of our two incredible Dream Homes for a donation of $5.00 at the door.
#433
Smuckler Custom Builders, Inc.
4215 Overlook Drive
Bloomington
$2,850,000
If you’ve ever been in a Smuckler Custom home in the past, you’ll know you’re in for a treat when you visit our Dream Home West! This fabulous home boasts 7,300 square feet, four bedrooms, five baths, and Smuckler’s trademark eye for detail. Set to take full advantage of its river bluff site, the contemporary designed home, with interior design by Martha O’Hara Interiors, combines cream-colored stone with plenty of glass for an elegant first impression.
A step into the two-story foyer reveals dramatic sight lines and graceful architectural forms which will delight family and guests alike. Linger to take in the birdseye maple at ceiling and the large salt water aquarium separating foyer from den. More birdseye maple sculpts the kitchen cabinetry into works of art, while granite counters and bamboo floors offer additional flair. With a truly grand island, incredible walk-in pantry, and plenty of top-line appliances, this is a kitchen you’ll adore.
Flanking the open kitchen are the comfortable sitting area and gracious great room, with formal dining room just steps away. Custom glass-art design panels accent the entry and dining room, while more granite surfaces set off the great room, den and powder room. A complete laundry, mud room and maple-paneled elevator are tucked off the six-car garage for the ultimate in convenience.
Also comfortably ensconced on the main floor is an owners’ suite of dreams. Fireplace and deck embellish the bedroom, while the very special and sizeable closet doubles as a dressing room. The private owner’s bath literally exhales luxury, with heated floor, whirlpool tub, oversized shower, and limestone dual vanity.
Three spacious bedrooms, two full baths as well as a second complete laundry are located on the upper level. Also upstairs is the huge multi-purpose bonus room above the garage. This space is designed as a home theater and game room, becoming the perfect family hideaway.
In typical Smuckler style, this home also offers a computer-operated lighting system and automated window coverings to create just the right mood for every occasion. And, with an eye towards green, a geothermal heat system was chosen to keep everyone cozy warm while drastically reducing energy costs.
Jack Smuckler, president of Smuckler Architecture Inc, and Smuckler Custom Builders, Inc., has been designing and building homes, as well as remodeling them, for 25 years. His personal involvement, artistic style, and dedication to excellence have earned him prestigious awards both locally and nationally. The combined talents of a competent staff assure that Smuckler Architecture and Smuckler Custom Builders will design and build every dream home to perfection.
“The client’s satisfaction is our measure of success,” explains Jack. “We strive to create a space that is both functional and unique. Our foundations of exceptional design blended with technical skill have created a collection of homes that have become fine works of artistic vision.”
This gorgeous home from Smuckler Custom Builders is the epitome of a Dream Home. You’ll definitely want to make it your first stop during the 2008 Parade of Homes Spring Preview.SM Remember, your $5.00 admission is tax-deductible, and will aid the Builders Outreach Foundation in continuing their work to help deserving families attain their dream of homeownership. Enjoy your tour!
#199
Bob Micheals Construction Inc.
11055 - 66th Street N.
Stillwater
$2,149,000
This home takes time to welcome you with its covered front porch, and oversized foyer trimmed with wide planks of locally grown oak. The floor plan is open enough to be honest, while charming details keep you guessing what could be around the next corner. The entrance to the den is well proportioned, and the pocket doors feel like well kept secrets. The room features repurposed bead board, lending truth to the ‘elegant farmstead’ appeal.
The foyer opens up to the heart of the home; the kitchen/dining/hearth room. Beautifully crafted (durability of factory finished wood) Dura Supreme cabinetry feels at home with the rustic oak wood floor in the kitchen area. The amount of light let in by the bank of transom windows is refreshing, and also lets in views of pasture land, rolling and serene. If you can take your eyes off of the views, you'll notice an intricate ‘strapped ceiling’ installation, framed by crown moulding of substantial width. This is a space well suited to entertaining, but would remain cozy with two people lounging in front of the hearth. Just off the kitchen is a covered grilling patio, also perfect for simple relaxation.
Back inside the appliances, including Wolf and Sub-Zero® components remind you that this is an innovative home of the 21st century, outfitted with iPod® docks, multi-media cables, all encased by Icynene insulated walls, and energy-efficient windows. And yes, that is in-floor radiant heat you'll feel warming your toes. The heat is generated by a geothermal unit which warms and cools the entire home at a fraction of the cost of traditional heating sources. The other green components of this home are covered in the “Green Mini-Tour” section of this guidebook. The mud room includes a laundry area with built-in raised niches for the front-loading washer and dryer, remembering that chores can be lightened by good design.
The main floor also houses the master suite, entered by way of French doors that would make a French country squire envious. Spacious and graceful, this room embodies warmth, aided by a gorgeous fireplace. The master bath includes a free-standing claw-foot tub accompanied by a tiled walk-in shower which is quite in keeping with the retro-gone-modern ambiance.
The second floor finds two well-proportioned bedrooms and a recreation of an authentic Irish pub, complete with distressed wood in the bar area, an exposed brick wall, a pool table, and storage for plenty of pints (sorry, they are not serving during Parade of HomesSM hours). A custom fit, flat-screen television enclave rounds out this bonus room.
The three-car garage is fully finished and boasts not only acid-washed concrete floors, but insulated, painted and trimmed walls, making this a great space to take in one of the many events planned for the Parade of Homes Spring PreviewSM weekends.
The home’s exterior is a combination of brick, Hardie Board,® shakes and siding plus fir bead board. The grounds are well landscaped, with a firepit that calls for friends to gather round and stay a while. The pole barn is another showpiece for modern invention staying true to traditional form. All the latest building techniques and materials went into this barn that looks as if it had been there for generations.
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