‘Not So Big’ concept works in Illinois
For the first time, Sarah Susanka, architect and best-selling author of the popular Not So Big House book series, has designed a house for a development — SchoolStreet Homes in the Village of Libertyville, Illinois. The new urban infill project, located 35 miles north of Chicago with commuter rail service to the city, has been selling well — at odds with national trends.
Only about three acres in size, the development has sold 24 of 26 lots in 10 months. The formula is to provide architect-designed houses with many of the same materials so that prices can be kept down. “By using the same pallet of high quality materials in each of the 26 houses, SchoolStreet Homes is able to bring a semi-custom house to the marketplace at a reasonable price point,” Susanka says.
The developer is calling the units “Front-Porch Revival” houses, designed with a combination of bungalow and Craftsman details. The houses are designed to fit in well with early 20th Century houses in surrounding neighborhoods.
The project also includes the conversion of a historic school into 15 lofts. The houses and rehabilitated school fill a streetscape that connects to Libertyville’s main street, Milwaukee Avenue. The “Walkscore” of the site is 88. In addition, another three-acre parcel — now covered with surface parking — between the 41-unit project and Milwaukee Avenue is being planned as a mixed-use development by the architecture and urban design firm HOK.
In today’s economic environment, the “Not So Big” idea is appealing, says SchoolStreet’s developer, John McLinden. “The success of SchoolStreet is due largely to offering homeowners the opportunity to interact with our architects, and also to a level of customization that was previously unheard of in residential development,” he says. “We truly have found a like-minded visionary in Sarah.”
The Susanka “Showhouse” sold within days of its announcement in November 2010. Susanka is known for her “build better, not bigger” approach to residential architecture. A decade ago, Susanka’s message from her first book, The Not So Big House, became the rallying cry for professionals and homeowners seeking houses designed with quality, character and sustainability in mind, rather than sheer square footage.
Both Susanka and McLinden see this development as embodying these same principles for more a compact life. “What excites me most is that the Showhouse will give people an unprecedented opportunity to explore what it means to build Not So Big,” says Susanka. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring this design to life in a charming community such as Libertyville—a Not So Big village, if you will.”
The 2,450 square foot Showhouse features informal, multiuse rooms with lots of built-in cabinetry. “People today want houses that are more proportioned to their actual needs, rather than designed to knock the socks off the neighbors,” says Susanka. “… This home is designed so that every space is used every day, without the formal rooms that only get used once in a blue moon. It also sports a number of spaces that can do double duty.”
