It was the summer of 2006; our dream of building a home in Florida had fallen apart over cost and we were not sure what we were going to do to replace that dream...
When we arrived at our summer home--at the Congregational Summer Assembly just north of Frankfort, Michigan--we learned of a group of investors, all members of the CSA, who were attempting to purchase the Frankfort Golf Course, a venerable institution where generations had learned to play golf and where family outings, along with five-somes and six-somes they produced, were the norm. Fond memories were attached to the little nine hole course.
The couple who owned the course were ready to retire. A Chicago developer saw promise in the land as the site for 60 future condos. Neighbors on all sides: the CSA, Golf Lane and Ness Road were horrified. An offer was made by our quickly pulled together group under the leadership of a retired executive, Bill. He had both the negotiation skills to close the deal and the diligence and collaboration skills to keep our group of 23 unified during the lengthy approval and development process.
Two entities emerged: Pilgrim Preserve, the homeowners' association, and the Frankfort Area Land Conservancy, a 503 (c) not-for-profit, entrusted with the care of the habitat that was afforded by the land which represented just over half of the original acreage.
During the lot selection process, we were granted Lot 3, sitting on a 70' ridge in the middle of the property. Our "building envelope" sat exactly on the tee box for the old Hole 8, the longest hole on the course. Trees, once representing a division between fairways, marked the western edge of our lot and two magnificent Blue Spruce marked the eastern edge. The view from what would be our front door was of a large meadow defined by maple, cherry and oak trees. The view from what would be our rear patio was of the land that lay below the ridge and--seasonally--of Crystal Lake.
We received title to our lot in the Spring of 2009. It was now time to think seriously about building. Our good friend and the builder of our CSA cottage, Dean Chamberlain, would erect our new home. That was a given. We also needed an architect who could design a home to our needs and desires. We searched long and hard, interviewing five architects from North Carolina to northern lower Michigan. We wanted someone who not only understood but had actually designed sustainable homes. We found him in Traverse City--a true wizard. Every home of his we visited (all his clients wanted to show off) was completely individual; it was clear his clients adored him. In the summer of 2010, we invited Ray Kendra to be our architect too. We pledged to build as sustainable a home as possible using local providers where they existed. We wanted the community to be proud of what we built and to be participants in the process. This the front elevation of our new design:
Following the regulatory approval process, the lifting of the Frost Laws and upon availability of our excavator, we broke ground in the Spring of 2011 on May 6.
