HomeTown Aurora Receives Esteemed Award...
For Release: 1/9/2006 12:00:55 PM
HomeTown Aurora recently received one of the state's most prestigious landscaping awards for two spectacular parks that go way beyond the typical community recreation areas.
The award recognizes the commitment to quality, user-friendly landscape design by HomeTown developer Perry Bigelow.
"The award is about more than the actual landscaping," Rick Hitchcock, president of Hitchcock Design Group, the project's landscape designer, explained. "It's the fact that these two parks exist at all. Perry thought it was important for the people who live in the community to have two beautiful parks. He was under no obligation to create either one. He thought the quality of public open space was important.
"Other builders spend a lot of money on the entrance and things like that, but Perry spent close to $1 million making fabulous spaces for the residents to use."
The 2005 Public Recognition Award is given out annually by the Illinois Chapter of The American Society of Landscape Architects and honors members of the community who have promoted, enhanced, or strengthened the public awareness and perception of landscape architecture in the state.
The idea behind HomeTown's landscaping follows the Bigelow Homes credo: to respect and value people, foster interdependent relationships, and respect and care for the natural environment.
As the most recent award recipient, Bigelow is in good company. Last year's award-winner was Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who won for Millennium Park.
"The award was a pleasant surprise," Bigelow said. "It wasn't something we anticipated or sought after. Our intent was to create a center for the community that people would naturally gravitate toward."
Town Center Park is right out of a small-town musical. At the west end, there is a large playful resin polar bear wearing a tropical shirt and inviting children to swing and jump on the brightly colored equipment. A stately white-pillared gazebo with elegant steps anchors the center. An interactive fountain invites children to get wet on hot summer days, while a small amphitheater and open festival area encourage the spirit of community that is so important to Bigelow.
Ravine Park is a study in botanical beauty with a lush garden area and meandering path - pure food for the soul.
"It was just a leftover open space," Hitchcock said of Ravine Park. "Now it's the kind of improvement you'd see in high-end developments. It just blows my mind."
"He came to us for these two projects because he thought they were significant," Hitchcock said. "We considered it an honor that he asked us to do the work. He is a true pioneer who was doing those projects before they were the rage."
The Town Center will be surrounded by loft homes, which are currently under construction. Starting in the low $200s, these 2-3 bedroom, 2-3 bath homes have features found in higher-priced domiciles such as polished concrete floors, gourmet kitchens with granite island countertops, 10-foot ceilings, large linen and guest closets, and 3-sided gas fireplaces. They also come with the same energy-saving features, and the heating guarantee, that Bigelow homes are famous for.
Lew and Susan Sisco, who moved into their loft home last October, especially value the landscape of Town Center Park.
"We enjoy the atmosphere," Lew Sisco said. "We have a very scenic view and love watching the people and seeing the activity. They did a wonderful job making a space for everyone to appreciate."
Bigelow's care in creating HomeTown extends way beyond the parks. It's palpable feeling of community is encouraged by front porches; white picket fences; six-foot wide sidewalks; streets designed to slow traffic; and inviting destinations within walking distance - examples are the Town Center, the HomeTown Cafe, a general store, a post office, church, and a full compliment of stores and offices.
"It was nice to receive a public recognition award because the parks were built for the people who live here," Bigelow said. "We did something good that had a real public benefit to it."