NORTH OLMSTEAD, Ohio — Drees Homes has broken ground on the first community in North Olmstead in decades. The new community, located at the site of the former Forest Elementary School, addresses high demand for single-family housing in the area.
The new Forest Commons development is located on Tudor Drive at the site of the former school, which was demolished in 2023. Drees acquired the property after a competitive process and is excited to collaborate with the city to create a community that melds with North Olmstead’s current feel, while looking ahead to the future of the area.
Forest Commons will feature 21 single-family homes and 30 paired villas. The paired villas will be in a low-maintenance section of the community off a private road. These attached products will offer a more value-oriented experience with exterior maintenance managed professionally by HOA. Additionally, Forest Commons will have two pocket parks, one in each of the sections.
“This new housing experience will create quite a buzz within the city, as there are virtually no opportunities today to build a new home in a brand-new streetscape in North Olmsted,” said Cleveland Division President Chris Bunge. “Forest Commons will create a renewed interest in both this new construction opportunity as well as existing housing stock in the community. This is typically the case when an infill project opens up previously hidden communities—there is traditionally an uptick in existing home pricing, as well as an urge to update homes. Everyone wins.”
Forest Commons is currently under construction with sales slated to start this summer. The community will feature eight floor plans with pricing starting in the high $300s. Homebuyers can choose from five single-family floor plans, ranging from 1,536 - 2,730 sq. ft., and three paired villa floor plans at 1,391 - 2,365 sq. ft. Additionally, most floor plans come with the option for structural customization, so homeowners can modify their home to suit their lifestyle.
Forest Commons joins the Drees collection of communities at a time in which the company is poised for expansion. As Drees counts down to its 100th anniversary in 2028, it is focused on its Centennial Strategy, aimed at growing nationwide as well as continuing to provide an exceptional homebuyer experience.
About Drees Homes
Family-owned and operated for over 95 years, Drees Homes has been recognized as a leader in the industry, earning the title of "America's Best Builder" (twice) from Builder Magazine, "National Builder of the Year" from Professional Builder Magazine, as well as the "National Housing Quality Award" from the National Association of Home Builders. In recent years, the company has become a four-time U.S. Best Managed Company, a program sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. Drees Homes has also been certified as a Great Place To Work and is highly ranked on the Fortune Best Workplaces in Construction list. Headquartered in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, Drees operates in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Nashville, Raleigh, Washington DC, Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, and currently offers single-family homes, townhomes and estate homes. Homes range from the high $200s to $2 million+. For more information, visit dreeshomes.com.