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By Mark Sheny
What started as the dream of Tod Hellmann and Oyvind Solvang is now reality for people like Tom and Penny Collier.
When Hellmann and Solvang set out to develop the Kettle Moraine Highlands subdivision in Glenbeulah, they had hopes of creating a beautiful and comfortable place for people to live among the natural and man-made, attractions of the area.
Mission accomplished say the Colliers, who are among the first residents of Kettle Moraine Highlands. "We love the place," Penny said recently while sitting in the living room of her new home. "We love the peacefulness out here. It's calm, serene."
An outdoorsman, Tom likes the fact that he is within walking distance of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and the millpond in Glenbeulah and minutes away by car to Elkhart Lake, Crystal Lake and other natural attractions.
"I grew up in the country,"
he said. "I love having woods and places to go, yet you're close to Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. Penny grew up in the city and she has her subdivision atmosphere here." |
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Tom and Penny Collier and their children Evan, 5, and Andrew, 2, just moved into their new home in Glenbeulah's Kettle Moraine Highlands around the start of February. They said they love the fireplace they are sitting in front of above, as well as the kitchen (below)
which they were able to customize before the spec home was completed. About half a dozen homes are already built in the subdivision with many more in the works.
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The Colliers were living in Green Bay but Tom was working in Sheboygan, a 70-minute commute. They began looking for a new home closer to Sheboygan when they learned about Kettle Moraine Highlands. They caught
Tod as he was about to leave one day from what was his make-shift office at the time at Glenbeulah's village hall, but he stayed for several hours to tell the couple about the Highlands.
The Colliers wound up purchasing a home which Solvang and Hellmann had already
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started as a spec home, but the process was not too far along so they were able to do some customization- their kitchen, an open staircase, rounded wall corners and wiring the entire home for surround-sound
speakers, among other details.
Now they have the home of their dreams just 18 minutes from Tom's place of work. The two-story home also has a full basement, the foundation walls of which are poured to resemble bricks.
Some of the other features about the house the Colliers especially like are the porches outside, a whirlpool tub in the master bathroom, his-and-her counters in the master bathroom, a finished garage, a laundry on the second floor hidden behind attractive wooden
doors, ceiling fans in all the bedrooms with speed controls by the wall light switches, and a fireplace in the living room.
The Colliers' children Evan, 5, and Andrew, 2-also provided a demonstration of their large play room. Evan, who is in junior kindergarten in the Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School District, said he likes everything about his new school-and his new home. Penny said she
likes that she will be able to let the kids play outside without worries about fast moving, through traffic. "The controlled traffic is great," Tom added. "The people who travel on these streets are the people who live here." Village Park is
also adjacent to Kettle Moraine Highlands.
Even when the Highlands is fully developed- and the first phase is well on its way to getting there-the Colliers said they expect it to be a beautiful, quiet, friendly place to live. |
"That's the quality kind of customer we're getting
here," Hellmann said of the Colliers and the other people already re-siding in Kettle Moraine Highlands.
The development is starting to snow-ball, and Hellmann said infrastructure for the second phase of Kettle Moraine Highlands will start this summer. That phase will include some larger lots, and already there is a list of people with first right of refusal on certain
lots.
"I'm just extremely excited about the progress we're making," Hellmann said; "People are noticing the details we're putting into our houses. I think we have a development here that people are going to feel proud to call home."
Solvang agrees, saying, "Things are going extremely well. Glenbeulah was a little bit of a hidden secret before we started. The only thing we were concerned about was how long it would take us, but it's really taking off. I think it's such a fantastic location.
The environment is still very good for building in the range we're in."
One advantage of Kettle Moraine Highlands is that prospective residents can visit the model home at the site and go into the selection room in the basement which has samples of cabinetry, flooring, plumbing, etc. Hellman said in a matter of hours and without traveling
anywhere else, clients can have all the options for their home selected.
Available building plans can also be viewed at the model, and Hellmann said they hope to have a total of 24 pre-priced plans from which to chose within the next few months. As Hillcrest Realtors/Developers/Builders, he and Solvang also serve as the general contractors
for off-site home builds. Projects have been or are being done in Gibbsville (near Sheboygan), Plymouth and Elkhart Lake. Streets in and near Kettle Moraine Highlands will be upgraded starting this spring, which will make it all the more easier to see in person
what this development has to offer. |
| For more information call Hillcrest at (920) 526-3600 or check out their website at www.hillcrest-realty.com. |
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