Palatine gives the OK for townhouse project

Palatine village council members have given final approval for a townhouse project to replace a vacant mansion near a public golf course.

Village council members Monday evening voted 5-1 in favor of the 10-unit proposal from D.R. Horton Homes, in conjunction with Salt Creek Properties Inc., for what will be called Auburn Ridge on the southern border of Palatine Hills Golf Course.

Auburn Ridge will cover about 1.25 acres in the middle of the Auburn Woods townhouse development near Northwest Highway. The vacant Stier family mansion will be razed to accommodate Auburn Ridge.

Two, five-unit buildings will be built for Auburn Ridge. D.R. Horton representatives said changes were made in the buildings' architecture to better fit the neighborhood.

D.R. Horton Area Manager Deborah Beaver said after Monday night's village council session that construction on the 10-unit Auburn Ridge should start in September and be ready for occupancy by January or February.

Support for the proposal was expressed in a letter to the village from Alexis Driscoll, vice president of the Auburn Woods Homeowners Association board of directors.

“The project has been in the works for several years now,” Driscoll wrote. “We've had time to work with both Salt Creek Properties and now D.R. Horton to adapt the project to our needs and desires. Now, we look forward to it at last getting underway and completed.”

In 1986, most of the land around the house was sold by the Stier family to developers who built Auburn Woods. The family built a high wooden fence around the home to create a secluded enclave in the middle of the subdivision.

The Auburn Ridge townhouses are expected to have a $300,000 base price, Beaver said. Upgrades selected by buyers could bring the price up to $430,000.

Palatine residents Edward and Lisa Fermanis bought the Stier property in September 2013.