WestChesterBuzz.com

Homearama brings crowds, jobs and money to West Chester

WestChesterBuzz.com will count down the area’s top 11 stories of 2011 this month, concluding with West Chester’s most discussed topic of the year Dec. 30.

After skipping 2010, the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati held its 49th Homearama in the West Chester residential development of Foxborough June 11-26.

Executive Director of the HBA Dan Dressman said the event was skipping last year due to “the downturn in the economy.”

The successful return of the annual event brought in more than 20,000 people, as well as money and jobs to West Chester this summer.

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It is unclear how much money was generated from the 2011 edition of Homearama, but it is certain that the event contributed to the local economy by creating jobs and attracting people from different communities.

According to Dressman, an average of three jobs are created for every home that is built. The 2011 show featured five homes priced from $672,000 to 1,077,000.

“Homearama brought five home builders to the community, who invested in constructing five new homes and each of those homes required construction trade, decorators and landscapers. Building the homes required jobs and material purchases here in the community,” West Chester Township Administrator Judith Boyko said.

In addition to building costs and job creation, there has been a spillover effect into local businesses from the large crowds that attended the home showcase.

“It is impossible to say where the visitors have come from to attend Homearama, but it is likely that many of them came from other places besides West Chester and while they were here, they probably stopped and had dinner or visited a store or bought gas,” said Barbara Wilson, public information & marketing officer for West Chester. “In someway, they have probably contributed to the economy of West Chester.”

Homearama also featured 44 exhibits in its HOMEZONE and several outside exhibits on a variety of home-related products and services.

Foxborough, which is the residential community the event is being held, is located off Hamilton-Mason Road and State Route 747 in West Chester Township. It is near the Liberty Township border.

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Tags: Tags: Barbara Wilson, Collina Bella Casa, Dan Dressman, Daniels Hicks Homes, Drees, Foxborough, Greystone Custom Homes, Greystone Homes, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2011, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2011, Homearama West Chester, Homearama West Chester 2011, Jack H. Wieland Builders Inc., Judi Boyko, Judith Boyko, Justin Doyle Homes, Kimberly Ann, Manchester, New Brunswick, photo gallery, photos, The Augusta, The Drees Company, West Chester top 11 stories of 2011, West Chester top stories of 2011, Willig Greystone Custom Homes, Zaring Premier Homes

The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati (HBA) recently announced its Peoples’ Choice award winners from this year’s Homearama in West Chester. The home built by Daniels Hicks Homes was given the top awards in all three categories including Favorite Landscaping (Seiler’s Landscaping), Favorite Decorating (Designs on Madison) and Favorite Overall Home (Norris & Dierkers Architects).

The Daniels Hicks Homes’ “Collina Bella Casa” was the event’s largest (7,100 square feet) and most expensive ($1,077,000) home. It features 14 rooms, five bedrooms, five full and one half bathrooms. Its most noticeable feature has to be the half-court basketball area on the lower level. The lower level also features a full bar, billiards, game area, private suite with walk-in closet and a media center. Homearama visitors have also raved about the home’s two-layer deck, which featured a hot tub on the bottom level and a large flat-screen television on the second level.

Second place for Favorite Decorating (Kimberly Fox Designs) and Favorite Overall Home (Cox Design/RLT Design) went to Willig Greystone Custom Homes. Willig Greystone’s entry, “Kimberly Ann,” was the first LEED-certified home in Homearama and is still currently for sale for $849,000.

Zaring Premier Homes received second place honors for Favorite Landscaping (Rob Richter Landscaping). Zaring’s “New Brunswick” is also currently listed for sale at $834,900. The home will actually have an open house this Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

>>>PICTURES OF THE ZARING HOME<<<<

The Peoples’ Choice awards, established by the HBA in 1982, allow Homearama attendees to cast ballots for their favorites in the three show categories listed above.

The 49th Homearama was held June 11-26 at Foxborough, a community developed by Cobblestone/Drees Development, located in West Chester Township. The site of the 2012 Homearama will be announced in the next month.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Collina Bella Casa, Dan Dressman, Daniels Hicks Homes, Drees, Foxborough, Greystone Custom Homes, Greystone Homes, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2011, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2011, Homearama West Chester, Homearama West Chester 2011, Kimberly Ann, New Brunswick, photo gallery, photos, The Augusta, The Drees Company, Willig Greystone Custom Homes, Zaring Premier Homes

It is unclear how much money the 2011 edition of Homearama has bought to West Chester Township. However, it is certain that the annual event has contributed to the local economy by creating jobs and attracting people from different communities.

According to Dan Dressman, executive director of Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati, an average of three jobs are created for every home that is built.

“Homearama brought five home builders to the community, who invested in constructing five new homes and each of those homes required construction trade, decorators and landscapers. Building the homes required jobs and material purchases here in the community,” West Chester Township Administrator Judith Boyko said.

>>>HOME-BY-HOME BREAKDOWN AT HOMEARAMA 2011<<<

In addition to building costs and job creation, there has been a spillover effect into local businesses from the approximately 20,000 people who have attended the event between June 11 through June 23.

“It is impossible to say where the visitors have come from to attend Homearama, but it is likely that many of them came from other places besides West Chester and while they were here, they probably stopped and had dinner or visited a store or bought gas,” said Barbara Wilson, public information & marketing officer for West Chester. “In someway, they have probably contributed to the economy of West Chester.”

Homearama also features 44 exhibits in its HOMEZONE and several outside exhibits on a variety of home-related products and services.

The event ends after this weekend and will be open Friday, June 24, through Sunday, June 26, from noon to 10 p.m.

Tickets for this year’s Homearama cost $13 at the gate or $11 at Greater Cincinnati area Kroger stores. Children 12 and under will be admitted free of charge if accompanied by an adult.

For directions and more information visit the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati website.

Foxborough, which is the residential community the event is being held, is located off Hamilton-Mason Road and State Route 747 in West Chester Township. It is near the Liberty Township border.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Barbara Wilson, Collina Bella Casa, Dan Dressman, Daniels Hicks Homes, Drees, Foxborough, Greystone Custom Homes, Greystone Homes, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2011, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2011, Homearama West Chester, Homearama West Chester 2011, Jack H. Wieland Builders Inc., Judi Boyko, Judith Boyko, Justin Doyle Homes, Kimberly Ann, Manchester, New Brunswick, photo gallery, photos, The Augusta, The Drees Company, Willig Greystone Custom Homes, Zaring Premier Homes

Through this past weekend (June 11-19), approximately 16,000 people have attended Homearama in West Chester. Due to its popularity, WestChesterBuzz.com has provided information and pictures of all five of the featured homes.

Willig Greystone Custom Homes presents the “Kimberly Ann” – This home has impressed Homearama goers with its craftsman-style exterior, its spacious master bathroom and for the reason that it could be the only LEED certified home in West Chester (meaning it is of the highest standard of energy efficiency). It is also one of the two homes that is currently for sale and is priced for $849,000. – Pictures of the “Kimberly Ann” –

Zaring Premier Homes presents the “New Brunswick” – Like the “Kimberly Ann,” this home is also for sale. Previously listed at $973,000, the builder has it aggressively priced at $834,900. The “New Brunswick” has also impressed Homearama visitors with its kitchen and its basement. The white kitchen brings in a lot of light and offers stainless steel appliances, large cabinets and a lot of counter space. Meanwhile, the basement features a large Cincinnati Reds mural, a walk-up bar, billiards area, media room and a circular see-through Solaris fireplace by Heat & Glo. – Pictures of the “New Brunswick”

Daniels Hicks Homes presents “Collina Bella Casa” – This is the most expensive home (priced at $1,077,000) at Homearama. The 7,100 square-foot “Collina Bella Casa” features 14 rooms, five bedrooms, five full and one half bathrooms. Its most noticeable feature has to be the half-court basketball area on the lower level. The lower level also features a full bar, billiards, game area, private suite with walk-in closet and a media center. Homearama visitors have also raved about the home’s two-layer deck, which featured a hot tub on the bottom level and a large flat-screen television on the second level. – Pictures of the “Collina Bella Casa”

Justin Doyle Homes presents “The Augusta” – This home, which is 6,302 square feet, is also extremely energy efficient. According to its builder, the energy bill will be less than $200 in the winter. “The Augusta” features five bedrooms and four full and one half bathrooms. The basement features three bedrooms, each with walk-in closets and attached bathrooms. The basement also features a full bar, media area with a large screen television, a billiards area and a game area. The home itself has already sold for $815,000. – Pictures of “The Augusta”

Jack H. Wieland Builders Inc. presents the “Manchester” – Many Homearama visitors are calling this home the “best value” at this year’s event. Priced at $672,000, “The Manchester” was designed from scratch by the owner and its builder. The second floor features three bedrooms, personally designed for the owner’s three small children, two full bathrooms and a kids’ play area/media room. The home also features a master suite with a spacious bathroom on the first floor and a large deck that runs off from the kitchen. – Pictures of “The Manchester”

Tickets for this year’s Homearama cost $13 at the gate or $11 at Greater Cincinnati area Kroger stores. Children 12 and under will be admitted free of charge if accompanied by an adult.

The event, which takes place June 11-26, will be open to the public Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. then on Friday through Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.

For tickets, directions and more information visit the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati website.

Foxborough is located off Hamilton-Mason Road and State Route 747 in West Chester Township. It is near the Liberty Township border.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Collina Bella Casa, Dan Dressman, Daniels Hicks Homes, Drees, Foxborough, Greystone Custom Homes, Greystone Homes, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2011, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2011, Homearama West Chester, Homearama West Chester 2011, Jack H. Wieland Builders Inc., Justin Doyle Homes, Kimberly Ann, Manchester, New Brunswick, photo gallery, photos, The Augusta, The Drees Company, Willig Greystone Custom Homes, Zaring Premier Homes

Due to high readership about Cincinnati’s 2011 Homearama in West Chester, WestChesterBuzz.com provided information and pictures of all five of the featured homes in the show this week. Earlier this week, the Buzz featured the “Collina Bella Casa,” which is a 7,100-square foot home built by Daniels Hicks Homes, “The Augusta,” which was built by Justin Doyle Homes and is the show’s second largest home, the “New Brunswick,” which was built by Zaring Premier Homes and is the largest home at the show that is currently for sale, and the “Manchester,” which was built by Jack H. Wieland Builders Inc. and is being called by fans as the best value at Homearama.

Today, the featured home is the most energy efficient and grabs your attention before you set a foot in the door.

Willig Greystone Custom Homes presents the “Kimberly Ann”

When leaving the “Kimberly Ann” many Homearama visitors had many positive things to say about the exterior of the home.

“I really liked the craftsman style,” Barb Moringstar of Fairfield said of the exterior. “It reminds of an old-fashioned home. I want to say 1940s, when not all of the homes looked the same.”

>>>PICTURES OF THE KIMBERLY ANN AT HOMEARAMA 2011<<<

The house may have a different feel to it since the builder is just starting build more homes in the suburbs after focusing most of their time in the city and in rural areas.

At last years’ Citi-Rama Home Show, Willig Greystone Custom Homes won “favorite” floor plan from the critics for a home under $220,000. It was that popular floor plan that the builder decided to use in the “Kimberly Ann.”

“It is an easy flowing floor plan,” said Dan Willig, president of Willig Greystone Custom Homes. “It makes people comfortable right when they step in the home.”

The first floor features three bedrooms, all tucked away, including a master bedroom with an extremely large bathroom and two spacious walk-in closets.

In the basement, the “Kimberly Ann” features a storm shelter and walkout with access to the rear and connection up to outdoor covered porches. The basement also features an entertaining area with billiards room, bar, game area and media room, in addition to a bedroom, full bathroom and exercise room.

The “Kimberly Ann” is also the only home in the show with LEED certification, meaning it provides the home with the highest standard of energy efficiency at Homearama.

“This may be one of the only LEED homes to be built in West Chester,” Willig said. “This house also offers a fresh new style and updated design features like the kitchen and hearth room openness and the craftsman exterior.”

The home is approximately 5,000 square feet is for sale for $849,900.

The 2011 edition of Homearama in West Chester opened June 11 and has drawn more than 10,000 people through Thursday, June 16. Crowds are expected to grow larger as the event gets closer to its ending date (June 26).

“Typically attendance grows as the show goes a long,” said Dan Dressman, executive director of the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati. “Our last day is usually the busiest.”

Tickets for this year’s Homearama cost $13 at the gate or $11 at Greater Cincinnati area Kroger stores. Children 12 and under will be admitted free of charge if accompanied by an adult.

The event, which takes place June 11-26, will be open to the public Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. then on Friday through Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.

For tickets, directions and more information visit the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati website.

Foxborough is located off Hamilton-Mason Road and State Route 747 in West Chester Township. It is near the Liberty Township border.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Collina Bella Casa, Dan Dressman, Daniels Hicks Homes, Drees, Foxborough, Greystone Custom Homes, Greystone Homes, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2011, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2011, Homearama West Chester, Homearama West Chester 2011, Jack H. Wieland Builders Inc., Justin Doyle Homes, Kimberly Ann, Manchester, New Brunswick, photo gallery, photos, The Augusta, The Drees Company, Willig Greystone Custom Homes, Zaring Premier Homes