Temperance Trails developer talks next steps for housing project in Tofte

The Temperance Trails development, a planned 16 single-family homes project in Tofte, received approval from the Cook County Planning Commission for a preliminary plat in December. The approval comes after months of delays and adjustments made to the application.

Peter Grubish is one of the project’s developers. His group, Green Bull Construction, is based in the Twin Cities Metro, but they have done some work in the Arrowhead. He told WTIP that the development has been years in the making, and that he worked closely with former Housing Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Jason Hale on making sure it was a good fit for both his firm, and the community.

The current plan for the development allows for up to 16 homes, though they won’t all be built at once. Grubish said that future home owners will be able to customize the home they are buying when it is built, with future residents deciding on key features like size and number of bedrooms. There will be four homes built and designated “entry level,” per an agreement with the HRA.

Grubish said that these homes will be priced at roughly $290,000. The inclusion of those homes is an effort to make home ownership more accessible to a wider range of people.

The remaining 12 homes could vary in price, though according to Grubish, the aim is to keep them in the $290,000 to $500,000 range. He said that while Green Bull intends to include nice finishes and details like granite countertops, they are also trying to be aware of the cost.

“We’re trying to be budget conscious so that we can fulfill the needs of the people that are really looking to buy homes,” Grubish said. “I think pretty much anybody can agree that we need homes, but we need them to fit a budget. It’s easy to build a million dollar home. It’s tough for the to build one that’s under 500,000 that’s still profitable.”

Part of helping reduce costs is pooling some amenities across the development. While each home and lot will be owned by individuals living there, things like well and septic systems will be shared. While the completed project would be a completely developed neighborhood, Grubish was quick to state that a priority of his team was to maintain the Northwoods feel.

He said, “We have no intentions of putting street lights on. We still want to be able to see the stars. When we go to build, we want to make sure that we minimize the tree removal, so that we allow you to really feel like you’re still up north in the woods, but still have some of the amenities you get with living in a city.”

After getting their preliminary plat approved, the next steps are closing on the property with the HRA, then recruiting future residents. Grubish said that Green Bull plans to host open houses for prospective homeowners in the spring, as well as conduct final surveys for the septic system. He said that the goal was to break ground as early as June, with the hope of having some houses completed and ready for occupancy by the fall.

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with Peter Grubish, the developer behind the Temperance Trails project in Tofte. Audio of that interview is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski January 3, 2025