Grand opening of final phase at Verona Ridge
Taylor Morrison, previously Orleans Homes, has announced the Saturday, Oct. 17, grand opening of its final phase of 47 homesites at Verona Ridge just west of Orchard Road and south of I-88 in Aurora.
“Verona Ridge has been very successful with earlier phases selling in record time,” says Bob Meyn, vice president for the Chicago Division of Taylor Morrison. “This final phase offers lookout and walkout basement locations with all homesites backing to forest preserve land or the community’s own open space. Additional homesites back to a walking/biking path and a future park district playground that leads to the Herget Middle School. We’re also introducing five new two-story plans designed with the needs of today’s homebuyers in mind.”
The grand opening celebration is planned Oct. 17, but interested buyers can tour the nearly completed Stockton model by appointment. A total of six floor plans, including one ranch design, are offered and range from 2,607 to 3,797 square feet in size with two to four bedrooms, 2.5 to 3.5 baths, basements and three-car or three-car side load garages. Homes are priced from $291,990 to $307,990 and offer four distinct exterior options such as Arts & Crafts, Manor, Low Country and Craftsman.
For more information, call 847-232-6480 or visit taylormorrison.com/new-homes/Illinois/Chicago.
Carpenter apprentices volunteer for Chesterton building trades program
The Chesterton High School Building Trades program called upon apprentices at the IKORCC (Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters) Training Center in Hobart to assist with Chesterton High School’s annual charity project.
For the past three years, in preparation for homecoming weekend, students in the CHS building trades program have built playhouses to replace traditional homecoming floats. The playhouses are decorated by students at the annual CHS block party during the week leading up to homecoming weekend and are displayed at half time during the homecoming football game.
This year, the building trades students were working at capacity on another project, so instructor Jeff Larson contacted the Carpenters Training Center in Hobart to enlist their help.
“It’s really an honor to have been brought in on this project,” says Dale Newlin, IKORCC/JATF Area coordinator. “What a huge compliment it is that the building trades instructor trusted our apprentices to build the playhouses for such a wonderful cause.”
Sixteen carpenter apprentices offered to volunteer, spending five total days building five playhouses. Thanks to sponsors, including Strack & Van Til, Construction Advancement Foundation, Dr. Brian McGue DDS, Trout Glass & Mirror and Metropolitan Steel, all materials needed to construct the playhouses were provided.
The student-led project is spearheaded by the CHS student government, which met over the course of a couple months to decide on decorations for the playhouses. Each graduating class, in addition to the Chesterton Community House, sponsors a playhouse and gets to choose which charity the proceeds from their playhouse will benefit.
After homecoming weekend, the playhouses were auctioned off and 100 percent of the funds raised will go to local charities, including Porter County Animal Shelter (Class of 2016), Parents as Teachers (Class of 2017), Dunebrook (Class of 2018), Family House (Class of 2019) and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County (Chesterton Community House).
