Downtown attractions

Twenty custom builders with homes under construction in Naperville's center have joined forces to show off their homes and proclaim the advantages of living in the downtown area of the venerable old community.

They will hold a two-weekend, self-guided home tour Friday through June 1 and June 6 to 8. Proceeds from the tour benefit the Naperville Heritage Society and North Central College.

According to Herb Getz, president of the Live Downtown Naperville Partnership -- a group of builders, architects, Realtors, lenders and suppliers that has sponsored the home tour for the past 30 years or so -- Naperville has been primarily known for its beautiful subdivisions.

Each year more and more farmland around the old community disappeared as foundations were poured and family homes were built. Municipal borders were even stretched to encompass unincorporated areas so that more subdivisions could claim a Naperville address.

But now that the area has been virtually built out, Getz said smaller builders are turning their attention to the older core of the community, tearing down smaller homes and replacing them with brand new, custom houses that better fit the needs of high-end clients.

Getz is one of those builders. He is one of the principals of Aspen Creek Partners Inc., which builds two or three homes per year in the $1.5 million to $2 million range. One of his homes is included on this year's tour.

"All of the homes on the tour range in price from $1 to $2 million and are built on in-fill sites scattered around the central part of the community," Getz said. "They are located in the Western, Cress Creek, Saybrook, Highlands and Gartner areas of downtown Naperville. Of the 20 homes on the tour, three are lived in but all of the others are available for purchase."

The home Getz will showcase is an 8,000-square-foot Colonial-style home in the Cress Creek golf course community, which was constructed between 1963 and 1973. It was custom built for a couple who wanted to replace the 3,200-square-foot colonial where they had lived for 20 years.

"They wanted an updated house with an elevator, but they loved the neighborhood and their golf course view and wanted to stay here," Getz said. "So we built them a totally new home where they can stay as they age."

Aspen Creek Partners is known for custom-built homes with modern interiors and timeless, traditional exteriors. Their homes always feature lots of millwork and trim and eclectic little touches.

His tour home features tropical hardwood floors with maple inlays, raised panel wainscoting in many rooms and an open floor plan that manages to have well-defined spaces at the same time.

The gourmet kitchen features painted and glazed French country cabinets along the perimeter with stained cabinetry on the island. Granite countertops differ between the perimeter and island, as well.

The family room looks out to the golf course and features a gorgeous coffered ceiling and custom fireplace. The immense windows are topped by transoms with munton bars.

Every room is there for a reason, according to Getz. In addition to the usual rooms, there is a cherry-paneled study and a painting room. And there is a screened porch from which to watch the golfers go by. The room features a four-track vertical screen system with a vinyl liner to keep out the rain.

On the second floor there are four bedrooms. And the master bedroom suite features five rooms including two sleeping rooms, a sitting room, a master bath and a dressing room.

The third floor has also been finished and will eventually be used as an exercise space and sewing room.

In the basement, there is a children's playroom and a Christmas decoration storage room, as well as a recreation room with a pub-style bar, locked liquor storage room and lots of space for billiards, poker and darts.

Another of the 20 homes included on the tour is located across town in the Highlands area of Naperville. Ashton Builders' French Provincial home there is built of brick, stone and cedar and features a central turret and the charm of many rooflines.

The highlight of this 5,800-square-foot home, which is listed for $1.84 million, is the rotunda area over the central staircase that can be seen from the foyer. This very dramatic space is finished with faux painting to make it look like gold leaf brick on the inside of the dome.

Throughout the home, builder Brad Drendel has featured walnut-stained alder millwork, including a hexagonal two-story study that is totally paneled in the dark alder and features huge fleur-de-lis-shaped beams and a Juliet balcony, which overlooks the study from the upstairs hall.

The more formal areas of the home, including the sunken living room and dining room, sport painted trim.

The expansive family kitchen with large island features French country cabinetry and granite countertops, complemented by brick and stone walls. There is also a huge walk-in pantry and a butler's pantry for serving the dining room.

A generous family room, a room that can be used as either a sun room or a breakfast room and a second staircase complete the main floor.

The second floor features four bedrooms including a master suite with a stone and brick fireplace, master bath and an immense closet with built-ins. There are also two additional baths and a laundry room. Built-in bookcases and an art niche add a surprising touch to the upstairs hallway.

The basement is partially finished, awaiting the buyer's wishes, but it is roughed out for an exercise room or fifth bedroom, recreation room with a huge bar and an octagonal ceiling insert, storage, another full bath and a short staircase to the 3½-car garage.

"Throughout the home we chose to include 12-inch tall, four-piece baseboards, lots of wrought iron and other accents like the rotunda and the ceiling inset in the basement. Generally speaking, we stain the wood in spaces like studies and on accent pieces like the built-in bookcases in the upstairs hall," Drendel said.

"Our members are excited to take part in this first big showcase event," Getz said. "Not only will we show some of the finest homes in the community, the event will bring well-deserved attention to the truly wonderful neighborhoods in the downtown Naperville area.

"Our organization is made up of some of the finest builders and suppliers in the industry and we all share an appreciation for the small town charm and big city shopping, dining, educational and recreational advantages of living in downtown Naperville," he added.

If you go

What: Downtown Naperville Custom Home Tour

When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through June 1 and June 6-8

Where: 20 custom homes in central Naperville

Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the door, $5 for single home. Tickets span both weekends.

Contact: www.livedowntownaperville.com or call the Naperville Chamber of Commerce at (630) 355-4141, ext. 1331