Small subdivision to coexist with farm, equestrian center

Coming up with a truly new and innovative idea is not easy.

But San Diego-based developer John DeWald has done just that with his new Serosun Farms project in Kane County, located between Huntley, Hampshire and Burlington.

Serosun Farms, a working 410-acre organic farm and equestrian center, will eventually include 114 custom country estates amid restored prairies, recreational trails, gardens and parks, a nature center, a fishing pond, limited retail structures and a farmer's market building, as well.

And the mixed-use community is being entirely built in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner complete with composting and mulching programs, LEED-certified green building design; utilization of solar, wind and geothermal energy; wildlife habitat management; soil, water and other resource conservation; and innovative use of land.

"My sister, Jane Strickland, moved out to the farm in 2000 because she wanted a place for her horses," DeWald said. "About five years ago she realized that the suburbs were coming fast and she really didn't want high-density development across from her farm. So she approached me about what she could do."

"After studying the problem, we decided to make a pre-emptive strike by building a development that would preserve the beauty around the farm and also be a place where we could encourage sustainable practices and ideas," he said. "So we started buying up farmland around her farm and are about ready to launch Serosun Farms."

His dream home: A prairie-style house on top of a ridge outside of San Diego where you can watch the sun rise over the mountains and set over the ocean.

His favorite amenity: Stone pizza oven.

His background: DeWald grew up in northwest Indiana and moved to San Diego in the mid-1980s after graduating from Purdue University with a degree in civil engineering, chemistry and biology.

Over the years he managed environmental labs and engineering groups and also spent time managing a software engineering company. In 2000 he and his partner, Scott Kelly, formed John DeWald and Associates, a development firm specializing in developing innovative lifestyle communities like Pacific Station, a mixed-use project near the train station and beach in Encinitas, Calif. Until now, all of their projects have been concentrated in Southern California.

"We focus on knowing the people, politics and flavor of the community we are building in, so that is why we try to consistently build in one area," he said.

That is also why they have spent five years preparing to build Serosun Farms by getting to know the Kane County community, researching sustainable manufacturers and contractors and structuring their financing to weather whatever economic storm may come.

How do your experiences in California and Illinois compare?

"Of course, our project here is rural while the ones in California have been more urban. But the organic perspective has been the same. We have actually been able to swap ideas and technologies between the two areas."

But there are inherent differences, too. Geothermal energy makes great sense in Illinois, while solar energy makes more sense in California. And while builders must contend with earthquakes and fires in California, weather is more of an issue in Illinois, DeWald said.

What will it be like to live at Serosun Farms?

"We expect Serosun Farms to appeal to three groups of buyers - the equestrian group who want to board their horses near their home; professional families who want to let their children live in the country; and those who are approaching retirement and want a quick country getaway until that time."

All of the custom homes will be situated on one-acre lots, clustered in the middle of the property, DeWald said. When residents look out their back windows they will see farmland, prairie or woods. Lots cost about $300,000 each and with a home included, the entire package will range from $700,000 to $2 million.

"Homeowners will be able to enjoy the benefits of living on a 400-acre farm without all of the work involved."

What type of homes do you envision being built there?

"We have retained Scott Skiermanski of Stoneridge Builders of Crystal Lake as our master builder, which has been a great marriage. He is a custom green builder with years of experience, so we feel he, along with our collection of architects, will be able to meet our stringent design requirements."

DeWald said he expects homes built at Serosun Farms to be leading edge, high-performance and sustainable houses.

"People today realize that they don't need a huge home, but they want a nice home with good quality technology."

What has been the local reaction to your project?

"Kane County has embraced us well and helped us. They even created a whole new zoning land use specifically for us. They see this type of project as a great way to preserve agriculture at the edge of the suburbs. That is what Serosun Farms actually is - an agricultural preservation project."

DeWald believes this zoning approach is the first in the country to promote "civic agriculture" and Serosun Farms is the first development under Kane County's new 2030 plan for promoting agricultural preservation and local farming at the suburban edge.

"Our idea is to preserve agriculture through subsidizing the open farmland by charging more than normal for adjoining lots. This gives local farmers an 'out' whereby they can leave a legacy by having a significant portion of their land remain a farm, but they can also get a good deal of the value out of their land, which they need to send their kids to college and just to live."

What else are you trying to accomplish with Serosun Farms?

"Less than 8 percent of what Illinois residents eat comes from Illinois and this is the greatest farmland in the country, so we want to prove that we can create truly local food by maintaining farms on the edge of the suburbs."

This year the farm is producing hay and it is being run by DeWald's "partner farmers." Eventually, they plan to grow vegetables and eventually even produce meats and cheeses on the farm, which would be sold in the permanent farmer's market building to be built on the property.

"We have a five-year plan for the farm, which we will be ramping up next year."

The venture also aims to "create a vibrant community that celebrates the beauty, natural elements, farming culture and history of the site," DeWald writes on the Serosun Farms website. "It will serve as the model for transitional areas between suburbs and farmlands."

Where did this innovative idea originate?

"We combined ideas from other conservation developments around the country and are taking it to the next level. Our intent is to have a real working farm and functional equestrian center. We don't just want it to look pretty."

DeWald's philosophy is "the more complicated the lifestyle project, the better I like it" and he wants every future project to be entirely green and sustainable, no matter how small or large it is.

What is the best part about being a developer?

"I like coming up with ideas, making them happen and doing stuff we believe in. There are challenges every day and I like solving those problems."

What are the biggest changes you have observed during your years in the business?

"The green thing came on much faster than I expected. In the last two or three years we have gone beyond green to sustainable."

He is also pleased to see people scaling back their wishes when it comes to home size and extravagance.

"Between 2000 and 2007, we went overboard and threw money at everything. Now people are realizing that there is more to building a house than six bedrooms and a huge living room. People now want nice, but not huge."

What are your future plans for John DeWald and Associates?

"We are looking at taking the Serosun Farms concept to Southern California, with some adjustments, of course. But we haven't done it yet."