cohenhomesPo Box 250330
Franklin, MI 48025
Phone (248) 562-7174
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Po Box 250330 Franklin, MI 48025 Phone (248) 562-7174 |
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News Articles A MESSAGE FROM THE BUILDER "The Cohen commitment to the personal touch proves the adage that bigger is not always better. With most large corporations, the norm is voice recordings and electronic prompts, Cohen Homes concentrates its efforts on maintaining personal contact throughout the course of our relationship with the customer. The Cohen team, in both the field and the main office, understands that every buyer has unique requirements that deserve individual attention. While price is certainly an important factor when choosing a new home, the personal service you receive from Cohen Homes after you sign the contract distinguishes us from all the rest. From sales to service, this is a top down commitment - and it starts with me, Larry Cohen." Cohen HOMES, Robertson Brothers
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"Any new or enhanced downtown district needs four things to be successful: housing, office, civic and retail offerings," said Robert Gibbs, president of Gibbs Planning Group in Birmingham, a designer of new and updated town centers. "Sometimes you can get away with three of the four uses. Anything less than three is usually forced and doesn't work." For example, Gibbs, who helped design the Village of Rochester Hills, a collection of shops and eateries along a Main Street promenade at Adams and Walton roads, said an early suggestion to add housing above the storefronts was dismissed by the city. |
"We've been looking at various projects for two years," says Larry Cohen, president of Cohen Associates, during research of downtowns to prepare for the Wixom project. |
"Rochester Hills has asked us to look at adding housing now, but it's too late," Gibbs said. "We didn't build the stores to support anything above."
Two developers recently selected by Wixom leaders to design its village center say they visited several new downtown districts around the country, including Celebration at Walt Disney World in Orlando, to research traffic and pedestrian flow, retail offerings and housing.
"We've been looking at various projects for two years," said Larry Cohen, president of Cohen Associates Inc., a building and development firm in West Bloomfield that has partnered with Robertson Brothers Corp. in Bloomfield Hills on Wixom Village Center.
Their final design for Wixom includes a pedestrian plaza offering civic amenities such as a clock tower, band shell, lawn and a pond that doubles as a winter skating rink. The plaza will be flanked by roughly 20 stores, restaurants and service shops that will be topped by two or three floors of offices or residences.
Attached condominiums and single-family homes will be added nearby as well. Overall, there will be 600 new residences priced from $200,000 to $350,000. Stores also will be added along Pontiac Trail, across the street from city hall and the library.
"I'm looking forward to shopping near my home, especially if you can walk around and eat at a sidewalk cafe," said Wixom resident Jan Thurber White. "Right now you have to get in your car and go to a mall."
Before bulldozers move in to shape roads and establish foundations for Wixom Village Center, the city must approve zoning changes. The planning commission and city council must give the go-ahead, as well.
Beautiful Land, Not Golf,
Reason People Choose Home On Fairway
Living in a home along a golf course has long been a sign of serious wealth. After all, condominiums are not built along golf courses. Or are they?
More and more subdivision and condominium communities are going up along golf courses. You don't have to play golf to enjoy living on one of these golf course developments.
Many people, perhaps most of the people who buy condominiums along golf courses, do not play golf. But they like to be associated with the golfing lifestyle and perceive many benefits from living next to a golf course.
Aerial view of The Fairways at Pine Knob, developed by Cohen Homes
COMMUNITIES BENEFIT
Golf course condominium developments can be good for the communities in which they are built. The golf course takes up maybe 150 acres that otherwise might be filled with more homes and stores. This way, there is less traffic and fewer cars on the neighborhood streets.
These condos use land efficiently, yet the "attached" golf course provides the feeling of extraordinary spaciousness. Pretty land is just one of the benefits of a golf course community.
There is a certain amount of prestige associated with the golfing communities. People like to be a part of the things they enjoy. A lot of people come because they are golfers and want to be identified as a member of a golf course community. But a lot of people like the look of a home along a golf course.
OPEN SPACE
Even having a home along a fairway is not critical to many people. The golf course adds open space and people love the scenery. The lush green backdrop promotes a resort type atmosphere and it's like being on vacation.
Plus, the land is maintained and paid for by someone else. The added bonus is that residents needn't worry about whether their neighbor mows his grass and takes care of his yard--they know the golf course will.
It isn't just the beautiful land. For some future homeowners, it's the activity. People like to sit on their balconies and watch the active sports. It's a good place for people watching. Some golf courses allow neighbors to cross country ski in the winter. That means year-round recreation.
September 5, 2003
Builders Judge Houses In Several Price Ranges
The Park Place Condos in Southfield won the condo section of the Building Industry Southeast Michigan annual Showcase of Distinctive Homes judging. |
Distinctive Showcase Homes Exhibit Star Qualities
Value for price, use of space, innovative design and aesthetic appeal make for an outstanding new home.
Not coincidentally, a panel of architects, designers and bankers used just that criteria to select winners of the eighth annual Showcase of Distinctive Homes competition.
Model homes competed in seven different price categories. Prices range from $145,900 to $3.3 million.
"Our showcase has something for everyone, from starter homes to upscale, luxurious homes," said Dan MacLeish, president of the Building Association of Southeastern Michigan and MacLeish Building in Troy.
A plan book containing renderings, pictures, features and location maps for 93 homes is available at Standard Federal Bank branch offices and at the model homes.
The information also is available at the Web at www.builders.org.
Here's a brief summary of the blue ribbon showcase winners:
HOMES PRICED OVER $850,000
The Heather Glenn, Cohen Homes.
This colonial of 3,950 square feet includes four bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, three-car garage, air conditioning and fireplace.
Sitting rooms are off both the kitchen and master suite. A gourmet kitchen and elegant foyer with curved staircase make good impressions.
Price is $879,000. The Heather Glenn, (734) 667-3600 is in East Northville Hills Golf Club, Sheldon Road between Five and Six Mile roads.
Price, Location Attract Buyers To Park Place
Buyers looking for attached condominium living can choose from two styles of townhomes, a lower ranch and an upper ranch in Park Place at Town Center.
Construction is under way in the community's final phase, 103 units, in the heart of Southfield off Evergreen between 10 and 11 Mile roads.
Price is a big draw.
A lower ranch of 1,165 square feet with two bedrooms, two baths and a one-car garage carries a base price of $154,900.
An upper ranch of 1,390 square feet with two bedrooms, two baths, a tandem, two car garage and fireplace goes for $167,400.
The smaller townhome, 1,493 square feet, includes two bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, den and a two-car, side-by-side garage for $192,900.
The larger townhome, 1,545 square feet, comes with two bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, den, fireplace and two-car, side-by-side garage for $199,900.
Ranches are generally grouped 14 to a building - seven down and seven up. Individual townhomes, built in three levels with lots of steps, come eight to a building.
"I think the biggest selling feature is when you see the price on the sheet, that's the move-in price," said Stanley Kaufman, sales director.
"There's a lot of selection people in this price range don't usually get - carpeting, kitchen cabinets, two paint colors," he added.
"I call it urban/suburban product," said Larry Cohen, managing partner of Park Center Development, the builder.
"Affordability is not to be overlooked. It's rarer and rarer to find new construction in the $160,000- $190,000 range," he said.
"We're filling a need where people can move into a home (instead of rent) and build equity," Cohen said.
"Then we're filling a need for people who have had a home for 30 or 40 years and may not want to deal with a lawn or worry about removing snow. Here, all that's taken care of," he said.
"We have gone to great lengths to ensure safety. Each home is 100 percent fire suppressed and in the garage. It's a big deal," Cohen said.
"The location is phenomenal," Kaufman said. "It's part of the Town Center (office) community. Across the street is the Southfield municipality - recreational facility, golf course, library that will be completed in a year.
"They have jazz festivals, fireworks. So many different activities and services are mind boggling," he said.
"People can pull out of their garage and in three minutes head north or south," Cohen said of Park Place's location right off the Lodge Freeway.
"It's a nice atmosphere," he added.
"Once in the community here it's really conducive to walking and meeting your neighbors."
All four floor plans at Park Place include at base price air conditioning, all new kitchen appliances - refrigerator, range, microwave and dishwasher - ceramic flooring in the foyer, vinyl in the kitchen and laundry, and carpeting throughout.
The laundry in both townhomes is on the third level with the bedrooms, at the main level in the upper ranch and at garage level in the lower ranch.
The kitchen sinks are oriented toward the living room and dining area in most of the plans so that the cook and clean-up crew can be included in the social aspects of gatherings.
Park Place is serviced by city water, sewers and sidewalks. It's within the Southfield school boundaries.
The property tax rate is $57.69 per $1,000 of state taxable value, half of sales price for new construction. That means the owners of a $155,000 home there would pay about $4,500 the first year.
The monthly association fee of $115 includes lawn service, snow plowing, exterior maintenance, insurance and water.
Everett Farmer purchased a lower ranch.
"I'm retired and I'm single," he said. "I didn't want the obligations of a house, cleaning up and getting on a ladder. It's easier going on vacation.
"I like the unit," he added. "It's easier taken care of. You've got two master baths."
Farmer said he also enjoys the civic center amenities across the street and the convenience of expressways.
The sales office/models at Park Place, (248) 213-4700, are open noon to 6 p.m. weekdays, noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Copyright 2003-2008 CohenHomes. |
WIXOM-Nearly 75 years after Wixom's downtown was destroyed by fire, city leaders are nearing a deal to create a $200 million Main Street area that will mix 600 homes with a promenade of civic, retail and office space.
The so-called Wixom Village Center is scheduled to break ground next year on 80 acres of mostly vacant land at Pontiac Trail and Wixom roads. The developers first visited several new downtown districts around the country. The Village Center includes a pedestrian plaza and roughly 20 stores, restaurants and service shops that will be topped by two or three floors of offices or residences. The $200 million project is expected to be completed in six years.
Under $200,000 - won this year by the Charleston model at the large Park Place development near Southfield's Civic Center. Park Center Development is the builder. The Charleston is a three-story townhouse that has two master suites with private baths. Base price is $199,900.