Metro Detroit

PACKARD PARCEL

December 18, 2019

New construction within Ann Arbor-proper is rare; especially south of downtown, and certainly for communities with 50+ units. However, with a battle over trees seemingly going to the builder, here we are: Peters Building Company looks to be on their way to bringing a potential mix of single family homes and townhomes to the “Packard Parcel” located on the north side of Packard Rd., between Platt & the Eisenhower split. With the city of Ann Arbor deciding not to pursue purchasing the parcel themselves, the two sides must now come up with a compromise on how the site will be cleared.

Not to get political or anything, but it’s worth disclosing we are unabashedly pro-tree; we love them, we understand their importance, and we would like to see more of them. Conversely, we are anti-grass; lawns are dumb.

Keeping trees vs. clear-cutting might not always appear to be budget-friendly for the builder, but in high-priced neighborhoods (and this is Ann Arbor, so these won’t be cheap) keeping mature trees provides an aesthetic that is rare in new home construction and people will pay a premium for it. We’ve seen it work fantastically at The Enclaves in Rochester, where JBK Homes was able to keep acres of natural features and mature trees – within the development, not just on the perimeter – while still making ends meet financially. With some of the trees at the Packard site believed to date back to the 1700’s, it would be nice to see a similar compromise that keeps them in place. You can read more about the Packard parcel via MLive, here.

Lou Bitove & Jeff Bortnick, owners of The New Home Experts®, have more than 35 years combined experience in real estate, much of that with builders like Pulte & Toll Brothers.  They also provide market research for area builders, developers and national firms.  If you’re considering a new home, remember: the builders rep represents the builder, not you.  Work with the only local agents in Metro Detroit to specialize in new homes, and save money in the process – ask us how!