The Jacksonville City Council approved a rezoning request to allow a Springfield-based homebuilder’s plans to renovate a 120-year-old residence as offices and construct a model home next door.
Council voted 18-0, with member Ju’Coby Pittman not present, on June 10 in favor of the request from TerraWise Homes to develop adjoining lots along West Sixth Street between Main and Laura streets. With the vote, the properties were rezoned from Commercial Community General-Springfield to Commercial Residential Office-Springfield.
TerraWise, which is headquartered at 1334 Walnut St. in Springfield, plans an adaptive reuse of a home at 36 W. Sixth St. to use as offices. On the lot next door, the company plans to build a model home in the style of its Grand Sweetwater residence.
TerraWise specializes in new residential construction in older neighborhoods such as Springfield and Arlington, where the company offers several styles and floor plans that are designed to conform visually and contextually with older surrounding homes.
The company’s Grand Sweetwater model is a three-story home comprising two stories of living space topped by an attic. The 2,983-square-foot structure features six bedrooms and four bathrooms.
TerraWise says its homes are designed to use 50% less energy than standard code-built new residential construction. Toward that end, the company uses high-efficiency water heaters and climate control systems, energy-efficient windows and twice as much attic insulation as standard homes, among other energy-saving elements.