The lure of family draws couple to Grand Dominion
Helen and Marshall Berke thoroughly enjoyed the active adult lifestyle at Del Webb's Sun City Huntley. During the slightly less than two years they lived there, "one or the other of us was involved in the history club, Shalom group, current events, tennis and meditation groups. We also regularly used the fitness center and pool," Helen said.
But, as they say, blood is thicker than water.
So when they heard that their daughter and son-in-law were going to present them with a grandchild, they decided to move -- to Del Webb's new Grand Dominion neighborhood in north suburban Mundelein, which is closer to their daughter's Highland Park home.
"Marshall and I were happily living at Sun City Huntley when we found out our daughter, Debbie, and her husband, Ben, would be having a baby. I wanted to be able to easily visit them, but I was afraid the drive from Sun City to Highland Park would be too far. That's when we started thinking of moving closer to them, and since we liked the lifestyle at Sun City so much, it only made sense to look at the homes at Grand Dominion," Helen said.
Grand Dominion is the fourth Del Webb active adult community that has opened in the Chicago area. When completed, it will feature 725 ranch-style homes on 320 acres in Mundelein between Route 176 and Hawley Street, just west of Route 60/83. The ranch homes at Grand Dominion are priced from the $270,000s. Six decorated and furnished models are now on display. The community is more than 50 percent sold.
Highlights include more than 100 acres of open space, with 13-acre Lake Dominion located at the center of the community. There are also miles of walking and biking paths. The Lakeview Lodge, a 17,500-square-foot multi-purpose facility with an indoor pool and hot tub, an outdoor pool with patio and lounge, a sauna and a fitness center with state-of-the-art exercise equipment, will be opening soon.
The home the Berkes chose is a Wright model, part of the Designer Series at Grand Dominion. It has 1,788 square feet, with two bedrooms, a den, a great room with separate dining area, two full baths and a two-car attached garage. There is also an extended garage, a walkout basement with rear deck, a fireplace and hardwood floors throughout many of the rooms.
The Berkes' home has a brick front elevation and sits on a cul-de-sac lot overlooking water and open green space, which provide them with stunning sunset views every evening.
"We absolutely fell in love with this home when we first looked at it. The entire package was great. Marshall builds WWII model airplanes and has his woodshop and hobby area set up in the basement. We're using the secondary bedroom as a guest room for our granddaughter, Carleigh, when she visits. She's already spent the night," Helen said.
Since they moved in last September, the couple has already met their neighbors and started to get involved in some of the same activities they enjoyed in Huntley.
They are totally sold on the active adult lifestyle, according to Helen.
"There's always something to do here and we just adore our home and the community," she said.
It's no wonder she feels that way, since, in addition to the many indoor activities and facilities at the lodge, there will be both bocce ball and tennis courts and community walking paths. Residents will also have special golf benefits at several local courses, including Steeple Chase Golf Club in Mundelein.
Grand Dominion is located on Route 176, just west of Route 60/83 in Mundelein. The sales center and models are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, call (888) 543-6950 or visit www.delwebb.com.