Wagner Homes, Inc.

On 50 acres in northwestern Indiana, the owner of Harrison West envisioned an environmentally sensitive single-family subdivision to serve as a role model for regional developments. Besides maintaining and protecting the existing environment, the model would provide awareness and education to the public and private sectors. Sustained stewardship and a “how-to” guide for individual homeowners would be end products. A plan was needed to accomplish these goals and thereby establish a distinctive non-traditional antidote to prevailing cookie-cutter developments.

The landscape architect devised a set of parameters for best management practices and shared them with a design team that included the developer, architect and civil engineer. Unique solutions for site-specific issues Ð including a reduction in the amount of paved areas made it possible for many of the conventional storm water designs used in other developments to be eliminated.

Existing city right-of-way, pavement widths, and sidewalk standards were studied and altered. Flat ribbon curbs replaced typical curb and gutter systems, allowing roadway runoff to enter directly into and infiltrate vegetated swales stocked with native grasses, log check dams and boulders.

Strict conditions of covenants and restrictions (CC&R’s) were established zone by zone for each homeowner to plant, preserve, or restore native grasses and vegetation.

Unconventional, instructional, reverential, Harrison West is considered a resounding success.