KKC was hired by McHugh Construction to develop a plan for a 160-acre site. It is a planned unit development at the density of one house per two acres, with over 80 percent of the site devoted to open space. About 50 acres of the site were restored to an Illinois tall grass prairie. Another 30 acres of the site were retained in prairie and irrigated with the development’s wastewater. The homes are placed on the site to be sheltered from view from main roads by prairie and tree lines selectively reinforced with landscaped berms. The homes are on quarter-acre lots landscaped to preserve the rural qualities of the area. The development used the planned unit development (PUD) process in order to build on one-quarter acre lots. This project won the “Best in American Living” award given by the National Association of Homebuilders, Better Homes and Gardens.
