Bob Appert Recognized by Artful Living Magazine as Top Trend Tastemaker

Bob Appert of White Oaks Savanna, was recently featured in Artful Living Magazine as one of four tastemakers on indoor-outdoor living. Here is Bob’s profile:

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Article reposted courtesy of Artful Living Magazine

Tastemakers on the Top Trend of Indoor/Outdoor Living:

By Merritt Bambrick / May 19, 2021

Bob Appert

Builder

Bob Appert is in the business of meaningful connection. The cofounder of Redstone Architectural Homes grew up in a Twin Cities suburb in a “Brady Bunch–style” family with 11 siblings. “So much of my life revolves around them,” he shares, recalling trips to their fifth generation family cabin in central Wisconsin. That time together gave him an appreciation for special places connecting family and nature.

Appert settled his own brood of five near the St. Croix River Valley in Stillwater, where dozens of independent restaurants, boutiques and art galleries dot the edge of the water. “I’m always telling people they should move east,” he notes. “It’s half the price — and half the pace.”

Photography by Spacecrafting

So when an iconic farmstead went on the market just four miles north, he immediately knew he wanted to create something special. Rather than work within the confines of a market-rate development, he and cofounder David Washburn had bigger dreams for the land. “Other professionals in the industry thought we were crazy,” Appert says of the project’s beginnings. But they had a long-term vision: an architecturally driven community offering a stunning backdrop for living in harmony with nature and spending time with family.

That vision became a reality with the 2018 debut of White Oaks Savanna, a 320-acre luxury development nestled within a lush prairie landscape. The site’s location, met with Appert’s hard-earned industry knowledge in land acquisition, entitlement and development, made this passion project an attainable one.

Photography by Spacecrafting

Appert’s success as a homebuilder started from the ground up. He spent college summers working construction, literally laying the foundation for his life’s work. His creative brain found homebuilding rewarding, and he felt an immense satisfaction seeing projects through from start to finish. He didn’t mind the tan either, he laughs.

His methodical approach is one to marvel. “Nothing goes unconsidered,” he says, explaining that the siting for each home is what makes White Oaks Savanna so unique. Everything is digitally modeled to show how a structure communicates with and preserves outdoor space. And each of the 30 lots is an organic prairie parcel, tucked off the road in restored native grasses and landforms. The effect both in and outside the abode is an infinite scene of what makes the North beautiful all year round.

Photography by Spacecrafting

Expansive windows and doors are the primary communication tools to the outside. “If it’s -40 degrees, you still want to enjoy the view, but as soon as it hits 50 degrees, you know those windows are flying open,” he notes. “I believe people live in Minnesota because we fundamentally appreciate the seasons and what the outdoors have to offer.” As for Appert, he enjoys boating in the summer as much as kids’ snow fort building in the winter. It all comes back to the influence of family and nature — and that special place connecting the two. 

Read this article as it appears in the magazine.

The American Institute of Architecture Praises White Oaks Savanna

Images by Spacecrafting Photography

By Andersen Windows

Architecturally master-planned, the White Oaks Savanna community was designed to preserve the lush rolling landscape. AIA partner Andersen Windows explores how simple ingredients helped bring the first home to life.

When Bob Appert and David Washburn joined forces—and their neighboring land parcels near Stillwater, Minn.—they launched a vision for a design-driven housing community that preserved the lush landscape of the native rolling prairie. To achieve that vision, White Oaks Savanna is architecturally master planned and each house is architecturally sited and architect-designed.

“We didn’t walk into the decision lightly to go architectural. It certainly came at a cost,” said Appert, co-founder of Redstone Architectural Homes, noting that architect-driven developments on that side of the Minneapolis area are rare. “We had market-rate builders lined up. But when you go down that path, you lose control.”

Appert and Washburn engaged directly with the architectural community, developing a four-part design manual outlining the design vision, context, guidelines, and land stewardship practices for White Oaks Savanna.

“The spirit behind it was to rest as gently on the land as possible and do very well-considered projects,” said Appert. “A big part of that is our architectural siting guidelines and process.” As a result, some homes can be seen from the road, while others offer only a glimpse and others are completely hidden.

In fact, a crucial part of the siting and home design process is digital modeling that considers all perspectives from outside as well as secondary viewsheds from inside each house.

But while there is control over scale, scope, and magnitude, architects and homebuyers have full freedom over home size and styling, with the first projects as varied as a gabled Modern Farmhouse and a Mid-Century Modern with butterfly roof. One upcoming project will meet its lot’s siting criteria via a single story with a 3:12 roof pitch while another will rely on a flat-roofed assembly.

The first completed residence in White Oaks Savanna is the Eye-Land Home, lot 108. While the home is reminiscent of Modern Farmhouse, the buyers didn’t want the typical white cladding with black trim. Instead, architect Christopher Strom opted for a grayscale appearance, combining the black-framed windows the homeowners desired with two shades of dark-gray cladding.

Despite its 5,200-square-foot size, the home nestles into the landscape as it slopes down to a wetland and pond. But the lot’s 360-degree exposure presented a challenge. “It’s the highest point in the development, with few trees, so it’s very visible from all sides,” Strom said. “We had to really think about animating all four sides of the home and couldn’t have any throwaway elevations.”

To meet this need without busting the budget, Strom and Project Manager Eric Johnson focused on simple ingredients: proportion, color, and the scale of the windows. From a distance the attached garage is camouflaged as part of the living space, with a gable end and the home’s largest window facing the street. The 4.5x7 Andersen E-Series window spans into the attic space, helping to reduce the visual bulk of the garage. The builder added drywall and a light fixture behind the glass to hide the attic space from view and enhance the illusion.

The garage window and the window above the nearby entryway stand out for their light-blue frames. “We didn’t want to use it everywhere, but having those strategic pops of color was a way to add some interest without additional cost,” Strom said.

In designing the windows and layout, the architect sought to balance interior room usage with the outside scale. “On a house defined by its volume rather than architectural accessories and details, the windows break up the mass and define positive and negative space on the house,” he said. “For example, the window over the front door is also large and goes into a nursery. We thought that that window was important to be really well proportioned for the front gable and make the front entry gable more important. It was worth it despite that it was just for the nursery.”

Scale was critical in the dining room, as well, which bumps out into the wetland at the rear of the home and offers sweeping views across the prairie. Its form breaks from the rest of the house, with a flat roof and windows from corner to corner.

To further preserve the budget, Strom combined Andersen premium aluminum-clad wood E-Series windows for the first floor and large second-floor windows with Andersen 400 Series vinyl-clad wood windows for smaller and less prominent second-story units.

Throughout each room, window placement and layout also considered long-range views to the exterior. In the master bedroom, for example, the bed and the bay window are on the same axis as a distant 200-year-old oak tree.

“In showing the house, what we found ourselves talking about were the fenestrations and the sightlines and viewsheds,” Appert noted.

The careful planning paid off in not only achieving the functionality required for the growing family of five, but also serving as a striking kickoff to the ambitious vision Appert and Washburn had for the rolling grasslands of White Oaks Savanna.

To learn more about Andersen’s E-Series windows, click here.

Article was originally published on the aia.org website. AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether public or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, director, committee member, or employee, or any of its component organizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, sponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be an approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

Stillwater Named in Top 10 Best Small Town Food Scenes by USA Today

The Long Goodbye Bar in Lora Hotel. photo by Stephany Wieland

Salad at Brick and Bourbon. photo by Janel Hutton

Article reposted courtesy of Discover Stillwater

Stillwater, MN – In the summer of road-trips, Stillwater has another reason for you to visit their beautiful historic town on the St. Croix River. USA Today has just named Stillwater one of the 10 Best Small Town Food Scenes in the country. For the 2020 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award, a list of 20 nominee towns from across the country was curated by expert editors, then narrowed down over 4 weeks of online voting by readers. After the results were tallied, Stillwater ranked 5th as a must-visit destination for those who appreciate an excellent variety of food and drink.

Located just outside St. Paul on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border, Stillwater’s charming Main Street district offers a thriving foodie scene, trendy boutiques and many vintage shops, wineries, breweries, local artisans, river cruises, trolley tours, bike trails and festivals. Those who stay overnight may feel the nostalgia of times past in this once bustling steamboat town and top lumber producer of the world. Today, Stillwater has new hotels and over 20 venues welcoming weddings, meetings, and leisure travelers year-round.

Brick and Bourbon Rooftop. photo by Janel Hutton

Stillwater, Minnesota has it all, from delightful outdoor sidewalk cafes, to romantic rooftop dining overlooking the scenic St. Croix River, to a speakeasy, to restaurants showcasing culinary trends, to cozy a pub with pull-tabs.  To those who’ve visited or live in Stillwater, it’s likely no surprise to receive this “Best Food Scene” honor with 30 restaurants in just the downtown area alone, there’s never a shortage of places to choose from for breakfast, lunch or dinner. People are known to stroll between establishments trying an appetizer here and a cocktail there, making a full meal out of several stops on Main Street. There is even a Foodies on Foot culinary walking tour with guides and chef’s tableside talks; however, this tour is on pause due to COVID-19. The variety of food in a five-block radius crosses the globe and satisfies all cravings from sushi to burgers to wood-fired pizza. You’ll also find gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options on most menus, plus fun specialty smoking cocktails.

Photos by The Culinary Portfolio

Lowell Park on the St. Croix River. photo by Kelley Brenner

The pandemic hasn’t stopped Stillwater from catering to taste buds either, with many restaurants quickly converting to curbside take-out options, then as restrictions lifted opening up a plethora of outdoor dining options. Almost all establishments offer a place to enjoy your food safely outdoors thanks to temporary main street parklets, converted alleyways (including outdoor axe throwing at The Lumberjack) and closed roads or parking lots approved by the City of Stillwater. You can even order dinner and a six pack of beer or bottle of wine to-go and enjoy riverside in Lowell Park or take a riverboat cruise dining on the upper deck while you soak in the views of the river valley.

Lolito

No Neck Tonys

Nacho Mamas

“There is a really festive feeling as you walk through the streets to find your favorite deck, rooftop or patio this summer. This award is well-deserved as our hard-working, all locally owned businesses have been through a lot these last few months.” Christie Rosckes, Discover Stillwater Marketing Director

Papa’s Rooftop at Water Street Inn

The food scene extends to the culinary shops as well with proprietors of spices, teas, olive oils, cookware and even cooking classes perfect for a date night. Stillwater is also home to the well known Sara’s Tipsy Pies and Minnesota’s 6th largest craft brewery – Lift Bridge Brewing Company whose can designs quite often connect to the Stillwater community like the Warden’s Stout with the historic prison, Elevated Amber featuring hot air balloons, or Black Cherry Soda with our famous red trolleys on the cover. In addition, our local Aamodt’s Apple Farm has also created a line of hard ciders with infused flavors of ginger or semi-sweet apples.

Stillwater caters to your sweet tooth too with three candy shops, a traditional 1950s malt shop,  and an Instagram -worthy stop serving soft serve vegan ice cream with edible glitter. Several coffee shops serve up hot morning joe, chilled chai’s, and flavored iced tea or boba tea. You can even rent an electric bike to hit the new 4.7 mile St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail in Stillwater’s newest Greenbridge Coffee Shop located at the base of the recently renovated historic lift bridge painted green to match it’s original color when constructed in 1931. For those seeking a little more adventure, take your bike past the Brown’s Creek State Bike Trail to find the Gateway Trailside food truck – it’s about an 8.5 mile ride from downtown Stillwater.

Tasty fare is celebrated year-round in Stillwater at several events from the Food Truck Extravaganza coming up August 8th, Grape Stomp Festival at Saint Croix Vineyards September 12-13, or Stillwater Harvest Fest celebrating Guinness World Record breaking giant pumpkins October 10-11.

Visitors can experience food-themed attractions year-round by looking for wine pairing events at Domacin, whiskey tastings at Matchstick inside Hotel Crosby or signing up to try high tea or fondue at the historic Lowell Inn. Stillwater’s local chefs love to try new ideas, so follow your favorite eatery on social media for updates on new menu items or consider hosting private dining events for small groups (here’s a few venue tours). Discover Stillwater is encouraging visitors to also share pictures of their plates and libations using #discoverstillwater or chat with them on social media to help find where you’d like to go eat.

Stillwater invites locals and travelers to experience the abundant dining scene and naturally beautiful riverside sights made even more accessible with the opening of the renovated historic lift bridge now converted from a highway to a multi-use trail. As of June 1st, the final section of the St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail connects Minnesota and Wisconsin spanning the St. Croix River over two bridges.  From the lift bridge, you can easily walk to all dining, shopping and attractions. Park once (most parking is free) and enjoy all that Stillwater has to offer on foot or bike. See what’s new in town (like a waterfront rooftop restaurant) and enter to win a Stillwater Staycation now through July 19th: www.DiscoverStillwater.com/staycation.

Stillwater Historic Lift Bridge/Loop Trail. photo by Bill Pohlmann

View of Stillwater from Wisconsin side of the river. photo by David A Parker

What is a Savanna, anyway?

Naming an iconic piece of land is both an honor and a responsibility. I grew up on the south shore of White Bear Lake and while still a kid, my grandfather’s Juneway Farm became Dellwood Country Club (originally Dellwood Hills), so I’m passionate about local history and nature. When my partners and I were thinking of a name for our new community, I researched the provenance of the land. I learned that before it was a farm, it was likely an oak savanna, a prairie grassland where oaks are the dominant tree species.

Once upon a time, oak savannas were common across Minnesota and the Midwest. Native Americans cherished them because they were prime habitat for bison and other wildlife. Left unattended, savannas would naturally fill in with trees and shrubs, so the Native Americans would regularly set controlled fires to maintain the open land. But, because oaks are naturally fire-resistant and lightning-resistant, these sturdy trees continued to punctuate the landscape. When the European settlers arrived, they claimed the land for hunting and farming and oak savannas all but disappeared.

Today, these rare oak savannas are increasingly endangered in Minnesota, so we feel fortunate to have 18 original open growth white oaks on our land. As stewards of the savanna, we’re honored to protect and preserve this priceless ecosystem for the lucky families who make this unique community their home, as well as for generations to come. Learn more

Sincerely,
David Washburn
co-founder, White Oaks Savanna

Buy 5 Acres, Get 320!

When my business partner Bob Appert and I set out to create White Oaks Savanna, our primary goal was to preserve this beautiful piece of land and keep it from getting clear cut and chopped up into cul-de-sacs. Guided by our own version of the Hippocratic Oath, “First, do no harm,” we created a master plan for the 320 acres. We spent hours walking the land and making an inventory of all the natural features we wanted to protect, including:

• Spectacular, open-growth oak trees, since they’re a hallmark of the savanna landscape.

• The historic barn and iconic outbuildings that belonged to the Carlson-Masterson farm.

• Rich agricultural soils that will one day become part of the Farm at White Oaks Savanna where small local farmers can grow fruits, vegetables and grains.

• Long and short views from east to west and north to south, since there’s no better way to experience the progression of the sun as it moves across the land.

• Woodlands and wetlands that have provided a home for wildlife for hundreds of years.

• Gentle hills and valleys that helped define our road, which you can read about here.

From there, we embarked on a strategic site plan with Travis Van Liere of TVL Studio, Peterssen/Keller Architecture and Carlson McCain Land Engineers. Using the City of Grant rural preservation guidelines, we identified 30 home sites of 5-7 acres each and nestled the lots deep into the land to preserve the views into perpetuity. We’re really proud of our site plan, since it allows our homeowners to feel as though they own 320 acres of rare oak savanna for the price of 5!

Sincerely,
David Washburn

P.S. While Bob and I get a kick out of sharing our stories on this blog, the best way to experience White Oaks Savanna is in person, so please let us know if you’d like to schedule a complimentary tour. We look forward to showing you around!

Taking the Road Less Traveled

Next to designing and building a custom home, I think building a road is one of the most exciting things one can do in a lifetime. When Bob and I were first planning White Oaks Savanna, we knew we wanted a road that just felt right. We wanted to honor the fact that the old St. Paul-Stillwater streetcar line used to run right through the property on its way from St Paul to Stillwater. We wanted the road to look and feel like it had always been there, with gentle curves and slopes that followed the natural contours of the land, presenting new views and moments along the way.

So, while it would have been a lot easier (and less costly!) to design the road so that it was a either a straight shot east from Lake Elmo Avenue to County Road 12 or a series of charmless cul-de-sacs, we did exactly the opposite. Fortunately, we found an amazing partner in Carlson McCain Land Engineers. Joe Radach came out to the savanna and we drove around hill and dale in my pick-up truck. We talked about a road that feels equally good walking, biking or driving. A road that constantly surprises and delights at every twist and turn. A way out of the community that creates a sense of grounding for the day ahead and a path home that calms, soothes and delights. A welcoming adventure trail for guests with new perspectives and vistas every time they come to our visit.

To our delight, Joe and Casey Zaudtke, project supervisor with Northern Pine Aggregate, shared our vision, saying “Cool, this is going to be fun!” Bob and I worked together with them to tweak the plans and get the curves and landforms just right. But, just when Casey and his fleet of massive bulldozers, back hoes and trucks were ready to swing into action, it started raining. And raining. And raining. By the time the sun came out and the land dried, the road was three months behind schedule.

But, now that it’s done, Lone Oak Trail, as it’s officially known, was well worth the wait. It’s even better than we’d envisioned and we’re gratified to find that other people love it too. Now, we’re dreaming of the day our road is designated as a scenic byway!

If you enjoy taking the road less traveled, come on out to the Savanna and take a drive!

Sincerely, David

Before the road was paved.