First Annual Community Vision Award Honors HomeTown Aurora, Block Y

MPC Joins ULI Chicago and Home Builders Association of Great Chicago in Presenting First Annual Award for Exceptional Work in the Home Building Industry

October 11, 2004

(Chicago) – ULI Chicago, the local district council of the Urban Land Institute, and the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) have joined with the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago (HBAGC) to introduce the new Community Vision Award. This first-time award was presented October 8 as part of HBAGC’s 2004 Key Awards, which recognize exceptional work in the home building industry.

The Community Vision Award was conceived to publicly acknowledge and reward projects that demonstrate excellence in applying sound land use principles and best practices in the Chicago region. Each year, the Community Vision Award will recognize one urban/in-fill project and one suburban project that demonstrate unique development vision based on several key criteria: location, density and design; access and transportation; and environment and public benefits.

“The Community Vision Award is the preeminent land use award that will be given when a development sets an example of the responsible use of land to enhance the built and natural environment in the Chicago region,” said David Galowich, ULI Chicago Executive Committee member. “The Award also acknowledges that what may be a good example of development in a specific setting may not be totally applicable in a different part of the region, but that valuable lessons can be learned from looking at how elements of these developments may be used as examples that both the private and public sectors can learn from.”

The two companies whose projects are recipients of the 2004 Community Vision Award are Chicago-based Thrush Companies for its West Loop development, the Block Y community; and Aurora-based Bigelow Homes for its suburban project, HomeTown Aurora. Each project met the stringent criteria for the award according to a panel consisting of staff members from ULI Chicago, MPC and HBAGC.

Thrush Companies’ $80 million Block Y project converted mostly vacant industrial space to a mixed-use residential and retail community. Some 255 residential units – ranging from lofts to townhomes, and available at a variety of pricepoints – provide the density to support 27,000 square feet of retail space. The community’s design takes advantage of urban amenities – transit, a public school and Skinner Park – and builds upon existing structures.

“The Block Y design incorporates the contextual nature of the surrounding block,” said William J. Wolk, director of business development for Thrush Companies. “For example, there’s an adaptive reuse of a heavy timber loft building, a three-story add-on to an existing concrete structure, a six-story new construction 'concrete loft,' and townhomes oriented toward the existing Skinner Park andsited around the new private park.”

Hometown Aurora , located in Aurora , Ill. , is a groundbreaking development that conserves 273 acres of farmland because it is a pedestrian friendly compact community, allowing for a range of housing types and pricepoints. The Bigelow design creates a “sense of place” with a variety of walkable destinations, including a Town Center, 12 parks, prairies, ponds, HomeTown Café and General Store, post office, church and offices. Even though the housing is more affordable than some neighboring developments, total assessed value per acre is more than twice as much.

“Our dream was to create an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable greenfield community with a mixed use Town Center ,” said Perry Bigelow, president of Bigelow Homes. “It is very gratifying to me when residents in HomeTown tell me (I live here too) that living in HomeTown has changed how they live every day – they walk more, they and their children have more friends, they are outside enjoying nature more, they drive less . . . . . We think more suburban developers should provide communities like HomeTown Aurora with a more human scale and human pace that are uplifting to the human spirit.”

The creation of the Community Vision Award marks the first time that ULI, MPC and HBAGC have joined together to recognize outstanding vision in responsible land use. The three organizations also are joining forces on specific initiatives to help shape the growth of Chicagoland in the decades ahead.

“This partnership marks an important turning point in the future of this region,” said Peter Schwartz , CEO of the HBAGC. “By identifying and working toward shared goals, we can help create a more vibrant region in which to live and work.”

“The three organizations sponsoring this award work every day to make the Chicago metropolitan region a livable place, with affordable homes near jobs, public transit, quality schools and open space for relaxation and recreation,” said MarySue Barrett,

MPC’s president. “The region’s best developers are doing the same work, creating attractive new communities where people want to live, work and play. Our hope is that recognizing industry leaders with the Community Vision Award will encourage more developers to make use of best practices in sensible development.”

The HBAGC is a trade association whose members are involved in the home building industry and allied segments of residential construction. A not-for-profit organization, the Association provides its members with networking and educational opportunities and represents them in matters of government relations and advocacy. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in Lombard , Illinois , the HBAGC covers Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties and is the oldest affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders located in Washington , D.C. The Association has conferred Key Awards since 1972.

Founded 70 years ago, MPC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of business and civic leaders committed to serving the public interest through the promotion and implementation of sensible planning and development policies necessary for a world-class Chicago region. MPC conducts policy analysis, outreach and advocacy in partnership with public officials and community leaders to improve equity of opportunity and quality of life throughout metropolitan Chicago.

ULI—the Urban Land Institute—is a national nonprofit research and education organization supported by its members. Founded in 1936, the institute now has more than 22,000 members worldwide representing the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines, working in private enterprise and public service. As the preeminent, multidisciplinary real estate forum, ULI facilitates the open exchange of ideas, information and experience among local, national and international industry leaders and policy makers dedicated to creating better places. The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to provide responsible leadership in the use of land to enhance the total environment.