Wininger Construction partners with Smithville to provide modern amenities, connectivity
WESTGATE@CRANE Technology Park – Westcott, Greene County’s newest paired lifestyle homes neighborhood, gave the community a sneak peak of newly constructed homes Oct. 21 during an open house.
Wininger Construction is building the new development that will offer buyers three types of townhome and paired-style home plans. All homes in the Westcott development will have state-of-the-art options for inclusion of Smithville Smart Home technology.
The Westcott development is being built in a shovel-ready certified area in the Greene County section of the WestGate@Crane Technology Park, located near the $2 billion Naval Surface Warfare Center at Crane (NSWC) and the high-tech Battery Innovation Center (BIC).
“We have designed and built many large housing developments in the greater Bloomington area, but the Westcott stands out as a singular venture,” said Tom Wininger, CEO of Wininger Construction. “This development was created and designed to serve the unique professional workforce associated with the technology companies who service NSWC Crane and the region, and to also be affordable to young people who desire to own a home.”
The new neighborhood development is located with convenient access to I-69, US 231, and Ind. 45, which connects future residents to Bloomington, Bedford and other population centers in the region.
Home prices for the all-new Wescott development will range from $230,000-$300,000. “By designing specifically for first-time buyers, we were able to create homes that are affordable, but fulfill the needs of technology and related professionals in the area’s workforce,” said Wininger.
With features such as stone countertops, Amish built custom cabinets and walk-in closets, Wininger said the homes have all the features popular with today’s buyer at an affordable price.
Wininger said he was looking at a new project in Bloomington when a Monroe County official suggested he consider workforce housing in Greene County.
“Greene County was super supportive. The commissioners, the utilities, everyone in economic development, they welcomed us with open arms,” he said.
As a third-generation home builder, Wininger knows the value of home ownership. In today’s current climate of low inventory and rising prices, it’s been difficult for first-time buyers.
“There’s just not that much for young people to own any more,” Wininger said. “I want to give the first-time buyer something to be proud of. I want to see the next generation have the same opportunity I had.”
Wininger owns about 12 acres, which can accommodate 90 units, more or less. Build time is about 4-6 months.
Housing needs in Greene County
Workforce housing is a critical piece for growth in many rural areas of Indiana.
A 2019 regional housing study of the Indiana Uplands by Regional Opportunity Initiatives found that Greene County had a limited supply of rental housing and needed more quality, entry-level housing for home buyers.
The study looked at housing affordability and availability and determined the following:
- The greatest shortage of housing exists for those households earning more than $50,000. These households are living in homes valued below $100,000, creating significant competition for households making at or below the county’s median income.
- While there appears to be a surplus of rental units priced below $800, there are a large number of higher earning households competing for the best quality units. An older and smaller rental market and a lack of newer higher priced units only increases the competition for the best quality units
- The supply of existing quality rental housing is very limited across the county. Due to a lack of construction and lower home values, most rentals are the county’s smaller single-family homes that could potentially be quality entry-level housing.
High-speed fiber
The homes in Westcott will meet the needs of homeowners who desire high-tech amenities such as high-speed fiber broadband and Smart Home features, Smithville will offer a full complement of Smart Home options to new residents.
“Smithville has been an active and strategic partner of the WestGate tech park since its inception,” said Cullen McCarty, executive vice president of Smithville. “We’re pleased to partner with Tom Wininger to produce this new generation of ‘housing that works’ that also provides a full spectrum of quality-of-life enhancements brought by fiber-connected home opportunities.”
“The Westcott neighborhood is uniquely important to Greene County, the WestGate tech park and the region,” said Brianne Jerrels, executive director of the Greene County Economic Development Corporation. “It is the first housing development to be built in the tech park, and its “housing that works” brand reflects its unique attributes that will serve the area’s workforce.” She added: “With Wininger and Smithville it is great to see two long-time family-owned Hoosier businesses partnering together to help advance the region with new opportunities.”
Jerrels noted that given the success of the $100 million WestGate@Crane Technology Park, recent emphasis on development grew to include new housing to attract and retain the professional workforce required for high-tech growth in the region.
“These new Westcott paired homes include the attributes that a professional technology workforce needs and desires, including the capacity of high-speed broadband that allows professionals to work remotely,” said John Mensch, president of the WestGate Authority and the Greene County Redevelopment Commission. “Wininger Construction has done an excellent job in matching the unique needs of our workforce market with a strategic and attractive solution.”
“With the WestGate@Crane Technology Park growing together with its relationship with Purdue@WestGate and NSWC Crane, new housing with built-in high-speed fiber connectivity is vitally important to support the critical workforce associated with these opportunities,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “This new venture in Greene County matches well with what was found to be needed in the recent housing and workforce studies.”
Jerrels said that the new development helps ramp up potential interest in amenities expansion in the region. “With the pandemic issues behind us, interest has picked up for expanded retail and restaurants in the region,” she explained. “We already have critical infrastructure like healthcare and fire safety in the region, so the region is becoming even more attractive.”
The connected home dimension adds an extra degree of quality of life that is attractive to young professionals, according to Paul Quick, Smithville president. “Many people today want to have the connected home options that high-speed internet enables, including smart home control and security, as well as the capacity to securely work from home when necessary,” he said.
“Many people and organizations have come together to support the Westcott development and we at Wininger are personally grateful for the outpouring of encouragement and help,” said Wininger. “We’re looking forward to truly building ’housing that works.’”