Superior design and simple, straightforward concrete and masonry construction spell “sellout” for a Chicago area townhome development.
The 104 townhome units of The Courts of Northbrook in Northbrook, Illinois, are the creation of architect-developer-contractor David C. Hovey, president of Optima, Inc., Glencoe, Illinois. Hovey has favored concrete in many of the projects he has designed over the past 10 years.

Located next to Northbrook Court, one of the Chicago area’s glitziest shopping centers, the project—Hovey’s largest to date—was 90% sold out only months after sales began. The development is a tour de force by Hovey, who does it all—design, construction, and landscaping.

Because the development, located on 15.6 acres of prime suburban land, targets high-end buyers, Hovey favors quality materials. These range from exteriors of brick and exposed structural concrete that looks like limestone to concrete-masonry party walls and concrete paving stones for streets, sidewalks, driveways, and patios. Interiors use marble and ceramic tile in lavish fashion. Hovey tries to use materials “that are maintenance free and have a certain quality as far as mass is concerned. Concrete construction gives you buildings that are very substantial and are perceived so by buyers.”
The site plan includes gently curving paved roadways and angled buildings with individual units staggered for maximum privacy. No two building configurations are alike.

The result is a development that combines the graciousness of the past with contemporary design and convenience. Hovey’s nod to the past is denoted by the brick-like concrete paving stones used in all exterior pavements. The townhomes themselves have light, airy interiors, private courtyards, and such contemporary amenities as sleek, European-style kitchens, whirlpool tubs, full-height sliding glass windows, and skylights.

“We provide floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights arranged around private courtyards so that each home is literally filled with light,” Hovey explains. “I don’t think there is any way with wood-frame construction to have floor-to-ceiling glass on an entire wall,” Hovey said. Besides conferring a sense of spaciousness, the expansive use of sliding glass doors and windows provides exceptional natural ventilation. In the two-story plans, the big glass look is continued on the second floor.

The wider spans possible with precast, prestressed concrete beams and hollow-core slabs permit floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors running the full length of the back wall. In one popular model, the glass extends along two adjacent sides of the great room (see photo and floor plan). Each building includes two to six townhomes separated by solid concrete-masonry party walls that provide superior fire protection and soundproofing. Exterior walls are of face brick with concrete block backup.

Hovey points out that the concrete floors, walls, and roof constitute a passive solar energy system. In summer, the concrete acts as a heat sink and absorbs the sun’s heat during the day. Because the sun takes longer to heat up a concrete building, the air conditioning load is reduced. In winter, the sun is at a low angle and penetrates well into the interior space to heat the concrete. At night this heat is given up, reducing the heating load.

The hollow cores in the concrete floor slabs are used as heating and air-conditioning ducts and to run electric conduits. The underside of the slabs becomes the finished interior ceiling, which is simply spray painted.
“The Courts of Northbrook combine the best of traditional materials with contemporary construction technology and design. We recognize that people in this market want more than a beautiful home and a prestigious address. They want a certain quality of life.”

In order to give buyers that quality, Hovey has become a virtuoso of concrete construction. In the 10 years since he founded Optima, he has honed his methods to the point where his building costs are comparable to that of wood-frame construction. Buyers perceive the quality and livability in low-maintenance, fire-safety, soundproofing, and “just the feeling of solidity and value.” Optima benefits financially in quick sell-through.

“We have simplified details as much as possible and learned to work closely with subcontractors on scheduling. The result is efficient, fast erection. For instance, we have worked with J.W. Peters, a precaster based in Burlington, Wisconsin. Peters supplied hollow-core floor slabs for this and a number of earlier projects, and we have come to rely on them to provide slabs that are within specs–and at the time we need them.”

“When you can rely on your subs and your materials, you are going to get economical, fast erection–and a quality product.”

“A great advantage for us is that we are relatively few people working out of the same office in a unified way. This eliminates some of the red tape and communication snarls normally associated with working with contractors and developers.”

Another appealing feature: buyers at The Courts of Northbrook own not only their townhomes but also the land under them. “It is much like owning a single-family home. But landscaping, maintenance, and snow removal are handled by the association.”

Landscaping overcame a site problem—and turned it into an advantage. Views of Northbrook Court Shopping Center, its parking, and busy Lake Cook Road are shielded by brick garden walls and berming. Oriented around a manmade lake, Hovey’s townhome community is turned inward toward vistas of water, trees, and gently rolling green lawns.

 
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