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Traditional Living

Nebraska Development Evokes The Art of Traditional Living

Village Gardens is being developed on a parcel adjacent to Campbell's Nursery, a longtime Lincoln institution. The project broke ground in 2006 and continues to gain momentum as the initial commercial components come online.

A new 91-suite Marriott Residence Inn opened at the Marketplace in September 2009, according to Molly Brummond, Director of Development for Village Gardens. The neighborhood's first retail building also opened last summer, giving residents the first of what will be many services within walking distance of their homes. When completed in approximately four years, the Marketplace at Village Gardens will encompass 25 acres, with approximately 200,000 feet of retail, 110,000 square feet of office space and 60,000 square feet of live/work units. A church and public elementary school are also part of the plan.

Brummond says that three-quarters of homes in the first phase of Village Gardens are already occupied. Eight builders are involved in the project, constructing a variety of products ranging from condominiums priced beginning at $179,000 to single-family residences topping out at $1.5 million. To encourage a diverse streetscape, Brummond says homes will consist of Arts and Crafts, Colonial, Cottage, Italianate, Spanish Mission, Prairie, Tudor, Queen Anne and International.

Although James Hardie is not a mandated choice for exterior fiber cement siding at Village Gardens, Brummond says that several builders are incorporating it into their product offerings.

Hardie Helps Cement the Details

Lincoln-based Kinning-Sydow Builders, Inc. has used James Hardie siding products on all nine of the homes it has built so far at Village Greens, according to co-owner Mary Kinning. "The homes in Village Gardens incorporate numerous architectural details," she says, and the wide array of Hardie products "allows us to achieve them all."

Kinning cites one Tudor-style home that features stucco finish HardiePanel® boards and batten strips. Down the street, a Queen Anne-style Victorian uses HardiePlank® lap siding with HardieShingle® on an upper gable. So, too, does an Arts and Crafts model. Kinning-Sydow also uses HardieTrim® and HardieSoffit® throughout Village Gardens.

The 24-year-old construction firm is very pleased with James Hardie products. "We use it on all of our homes," Kinning says. It is easy to install, it paints nicely and is a durable product.

Brummond likewise praises James Hardie and the upscale impact the siding has on the homes at Village Gardens. "I think it's a high-quality material and it is reflected in how the homes look."

Like many TNDs across the country, Village Gardens emphasizes the fronts of homes, smaller yards and numerous common areas. More than 35 acres will be dedicated to parks, wetlands and paths. Brummond says several parks are already open, and additional green space will be introduced as more residents move into the community. Residents will also enjoy a bike trail that connects to Lincoln's extensive trail system.