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Home-A-Rama 2021 Spotlights Bargersville’s Aberdeen Neighborhood

Photographer / Amy Payne

For the first time in 15 years, the First Internet Bank Home-A-Rama event will take place on the southside of Indianapolis, spotlighting an innovative neighborhood in Bargersville called Aberdeen. A Duke Homes community, Aberdeen is Indiana’s first-ever wellness lifestyle community featuring hiking trails, an orchard, a vegetable garden, a pumpkin patch, flowers, and a pasture for animals. According to Mike Duke, president and principal for Bargersville-based Duke Homes, the company planned the neighborhood for 15 years and staff members were thrilled to see it come to fruition.

“We were trying to be thoughtful about creating something that was ongoing, in the sense that it’s not just a community to join but a place where the natural beauty of the land stands out by tying in that agricultural component,” Mike says.

Steve Lains, chief executive officer at the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis (BAGI), maintains that from an industry standpoint, the pandemic has encouraged homeowners to find a sense of place in developments. That’s precisely why he believes Aberdeen will entice people now more than ever.

“The day of pulling your car into the garage, shutting the door and never seeing your neighbors is gone,” Lains says. “That’s all changed as development communities have adapted their way of connecting people and neighbors with where they live and what they do.”

Programmed activities, as well as ample woods, green spaces, sports courts, and community buildings for exercise classes, provide opportunities to socialize with neighbors and enjoy the benefits of outdoor spaces. For instance, nature hikes around the 100-plus acres of green space allow neighbors to enjoy fellowship, fauna and fresh air.

Aberdeen also offers planned community events such as lakeside sunrise yoga as well as wine tasting. In November the neighborhood will host a “Thanks & Giving” event that will give back to the community. The Dukes also created the Aberdeen Foundation, and for every lot that’s sold, $500 goes to the foundation to help assist local food deserts in the county.

When selecting a site for Home-A-Rama, BAGI leaders strive to show innovative home construction in terms of technology and design, as well as cutting-edge trends on the development side. This year’s Home-A-Rama, which will take place on Thursdays through Sundays from September 16 through October 3, will feature local vendors such as Mallow Run Winery and Taxman Brewing Company, as well as local restaurant vendors and food trucks. The Duke team will also give guided tours of the features and the development itself.

A popular experience Home-A-Rama organizers are carrying over from last year due to COVID-19 is the hybrid tour, which includes both in-person and virtual attendance. Due to capacity limitations last year, they had to limit ticket sales. Though that’s not the case this year, they learned that spacing out tour times for attendees worked great, as it spread out the traffic, ensuring no congestion in the houses or problems with parking. They are doing the same this year, and those attending show up in hour increments with ticket prices ranging from $10 to $30. Those who buy a physical ticket will have virtual access as well.

“[The virtual tour] was exceedingly popular for those who couldn’t attend the show for health or physical reasons,” Lains says.

This lifestyle community trend has been occurring in other parts of the country already.

“What you see with Aberdeen is people in different stages of life or affordability who are now able to live together in the same community,” Lains says.

“We tried to be thoughtful about creating a place where residents can be connected to one another and connected to nature,” adds Isaac Duke, Vice President of Duke Homes. “We think when those things happen, there is greater opportunity for people to care for one another. That’s all gone into the thought process of how we have crafted the development, the amenities, and the ongoing activities and spaces within the community.”

Sections 1, 2, and 3 of Aberdeen are now open, and reservations are being taken for 4 and 5. Ultimately, the community will include at least 278 homes sites on close to 400 acres, 100 of which are wooded and green common spaces.

This year’s Home-A-Rama includes five builders and six homes, all fully landscaped and decorated. Each house includes multiple “wow factors” – from dramatic staircase entries to jaw-dropping outdoor living spaces. In addition, every home includes a view of a water feature, nature area or both.

Whether you’re in the market to build or remodel a home and want to learn about the latest trends and products, or you’re interested in checking out the latest and greatest in-home decor, the show has something for everyone.

Earlier this spring, when houses were still under construction, Aberdeen and BAGI hosted the “Dusty Boots Home Tour” to give 325 people a preview, and Mike was at the front gate greeting every single person.

“We’re excited for potential residents to see Aberdeen, but also excited about what it means for the town, the greater community and local businesses, because we’re creating a community here,” Isaac says. “We want it to extend into the local community and benefit everyone in this area.”

Home-A-Rama will take place Thursdays through Sundays from September 16 through October 3, from noon until 7 p.m. To order tickets and for additional details, visit bagi.com.

For more information on Duke Homes, Inc., call 317-422-9000 or visit dukehomes.com.

To learn more about Aberdeen, call 317-422-9000 or visit AberdeenLiving.com.