2020_Summer_VMag_forweb

HAPPY AT HOME
>> our control to make that happen.” Stonebridge
enhances life not only for its residents but for the
surrounding community as well. A major part of Porter
County’s approval of Stonebridge was drainage and,
since ground was broken, there’s been no flooding on
the property. “Stonebridge houses three ponds on over
eleven acres of green space, which means drainage is
releasing at a slower rate.”
The Brooks at Vale Park (1775 Ransom Rd) is also
providing stormwater relief for the community thanks
to stormwater mitigation features incorporated into
its design. The Brooks is ideally located to provide
relief from the historically flooding-prone Beauty
Creek and Candlewood Creek. The design was done
in collaboration with the City of Valparaiso, and after
consulting with leading hydrologists, soil scientists,
environmental land planners, utility providers, and the
Army Corp of Engineers. “I believe that no one is as
smart as everyone, so we assembled the best team to
create an extraordinary living space that benefits the
larger community,” says Jake Wagner, owner of VJW
Limited, the developer for The Brooks. “By partnering
with the city, The Brooks becomes more than a residential
community. It’s also a regional stormwater mitigation
facility that offers benefits to residents all along the
Beauty Creek watershed and those further downstream.”
Benefits at The Brooks start with the environmentally
sustainable design of its 152 acres, which incorporates
brooks, stairstep waterfalls, streams, and rain gardens.
Pedestrian-friendly trails connect to the existing trail
system without compromising over 50 acres of green
space. The planned community of 284 units will combine
large estate lots, maintenance-free multiplex units,
cottages, and townhomes, as well as varied lot and home
sizes. Wagner says, “We’re committed to delivering
lasting quality and designing spaces where people
want to put down roots. Building communities is more
than carving out roads and plotting homes. It’s about
creating a sense of place where you look forward to
spending time together and conceiving a place that feels
comfortably familiar.”
This has been a year that in many respects has been
anything but comfortable or familiar. A virus and the
resulting closures, financial impact, and uncertainty have
left no one untouched. Welter wrote a letter to his tenants
at the beginning of the lockdown to offer assistance if
anyone had trouble making payments. >>
8 VALPARAISO MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2020