Family to get new home in new year

A single mother and her two children are expected to move into a three-bedroom, one-bath house on North Michigan Avenue next month thanks to Thousand Islands Habitat for Humanity.

Members of the agency's building committee were on location Saturday, completing some of the two-story house's finishing touches.

"We're on schedule," said Brian Drappo, building committee chairman. "We're shooting for everything to be finished and the family moved in by the first of the year."

Mr. Drappo and five of the committee members touched up paint and trim work, among other details. The house has come a long way since August 2007 when preliminary work began, he said.

A refrigerator and a stove come standard with the houses. There's a special fund the families can use to purchase other appliances at a discounted price, he said.

The future owner of the North Michigan Avenue house opted to receive a dishwasher, a washer and a dryer through that fund.

Mr. Drappo said the house also features an on-demand water heater.

"It's us trying to target green building concepts," he said. "When you flow water, it turns on to heat the water. With it, there are Energy Star credits."

The 1,500-square-foot house's future owner and her children have been involved in decision-making. Mr. Drappo said they picked the color schemes and gave input for most of the rooms.

The children helped pick out their own ceiling fans; one a Disney/Pixar "Cars" movie-themed fixture, and the other had Tinkerbell.

"They also specifically addressed details of allergies, so they didn't want much carpeting," Mr. Drappo said.

There's carpet only on the stairs to the second floor.

Before a single adult can move into a Thousand Islands Area Habitat for Humanity house, he or she must complete at least 300 hours of "sweat equity" in the house or another the agency volunteers are working on.

The mother, who wished to remain anonymous, at least for now, is meeting that requirement, Mr. Drappo said.

Christopher J. Johnsen, Carthage, one of the volunteers who worked on the woman's home Saturday, said he and his wife, Jennifer, have surpassed their 500 hours, the amount required of a couple.

"It's fun seeing something put together from the ground up," he said. "It's like a big puzzle."

The Johnsens closed on their Thousand Islands Area Habitat for Humanity-sponsored house earlier this year.

Mr. Drappo said a number of businesses, including but not limited to Sherwin-Williams, 491 Factory St., White's Lumber, 231 N. Rutland St., Cowles & Co. Contracting, 841 Mill St., and Purcell Construction, 566 Coffeen St., donated materials and labor to complete portions of the house.

Thousand Islands Area Habitat for Humanity will be involved with the construction of two other homes on North Michigan Avenue when the slabs are poured in spring.

Families who receive a house through the agency pay a mortgage, which is customized based on the family's finances.