First homes going up in VW subdivision

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

It may have been cold and wintry on Friday, but workers were still preparing lots for four new houses being built in The Landing at Dickinson Farms residential subdivision.

On hand to watch the proceedings were three of the partners in the venture Andy Czajkowski, Chuck Koch, and Tom Turnwald, as well as Rockford area resident Dave Souers and Van Wert native Nathan Bidlack of Granite Ridge Builders in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the contractor and also a partner for the project.

According to Souers, Granite Ridge will be building four spec homes for the subdivision to provide examples of what the contractor can offer to prospective home buyers.

Souers said Granite Ridge workers have laid out the boundaries of each spec home and were digging out driveways and removing frost from the lots so that concrete workers can come in next week and cut footers and foundations for the homes.

After that, framing will begin to go up on the houses, which Souers said will be built over the winter and be ready for occupancy sometime in the spring. Typically, Granite Ridge can build a home in approximately 180 days, he noted.

Souers noted that Granite Ridge will be building homes for the subdivision in the $190,000 to $400,000 range, but could go higher than that if a buyer wants something more expensive.

“Every home we build is 100 percent custom built,” he said. “Our starting homes start at about $190,000, but with where interest rates are right now, that’s really affordable.”

Souers said monthly payments can start at $800 for a brand new, no-maintenance home.

In addition to the four spec homes, Souers said two homes have already been sold to buyers for the subdivision and will begin construction as soon as owners have completed the process of choosing what materials will go into the homes, which is done in Granite Ridge’s showroom.

“We have a 15,000-square-foot showroom in Fort Wayne (where people can see examples of the materials used in Granite Ridge homes), but also have our mobile office (at the subdivision site),” Souers noted.

The mobile office gives prospective buyers the opportunity to come to the subdivision, pick out a lot, and go to the main office in Fort Wayne and choose what will go into the home.

The first phase of the subdivision is expected to encompass approximately 40 acres of the 160-acre parcel, and provide 68 home lots for prospective buyers. A large retention pond will also be constructed in the center of the property.

Bidlack, who first got interested in the construction field while a senior at Van Wert High School, when he worked as an intern for Turnwald at National Door & Trim through VWHS’s CEO (Career Education Opportunity) program, said he loved working for Granite Ridge.