Tim and Liz Wickersham of Wickersham Homes Incorporated in Independence Township have seen the development in the area first hand’while they were building it.
The Wickershams have been building in the Clarkston area for more than a decade, 12 years to be exact, since Tim made the transition to home building from car sales. And for nearly 10 years, his company was involved in building homes.
Tim and Liz met in a Grosse Pointe establishment while she working and he was socializing. The couple was married in 1990 and later moved to the Clarkston area from Holly in 1993.
‘We like the idea of the community feel, we liked the idea of the growth that was happening here,? Liz said. They plan to stay in the area for a long time, ‘We love it here.?
She also liked the reputation of the Clarkston Community Schools. Their daughter Courtni, a 2000 graduate of Clarkston High School, was set to enter middle school at the time of the move.
After finishing the first of many homes he built in the Pebble Creek development (near Dixie Highway and Davisburg Road) and getting multiple offers for the property, Tim left his position as the general manager of a car dealership for carpentry.
‘I slowly worked my way into this and it just turned into an animal, a good one,? he said. ‘That’s my passion.?
The Wickershams have been purchasing land up and down Dixie Highway for the past ten years.
The company is shifting away from houses into commercial buildings, which equates to nearly 500,000-square-feet of building space the couple manages.
‘We as builders have had a good run for 12 years,? Tim said. ‘This is an excellent location for any business to come to Clarkston because it’s one mile of I-75 and very accessible.?
The market for home building has gone dry in the mean time, a trend Tim hopes will end within the next couple years. Wickersham was building between 40 and 50 homes annually.
‘I knew the business would go south,? he said. ‘People are sitting on (not selling) their homes 2, 3 and 4 years now’the market needs to correct itself.?
The Wickershams purchased and remodeled their current headquarters, a 22,460-square-feet facility, almost one-and-a-half years ago. The building houses Wickersham Homes as well as real estate, mortgage and title companies.
In May of this year, the couple won an award from the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce for ‘Building Of The Year? during a beautification awards ceremony.
‘I didn’t know anyone nominated us until we got to the ceremony,? Wickersham said.
‘We have done a lot of projects around Clarkston and when you do the right things, somebody notices’sometimes it comes back at you, and we’re proud of those things.?
Tim is excited for the company’s second phase, a 10,120-square-feet building next to their current facility at 7300 Dixie Highway. He hopes the construction will be completed by Dec. 1. The building will feature four suites approximately 2,500-square-feet in size.
The Wickershams donate to different causes in the area. They annually donate to SCAMP and sponsor the group’s annual golf outing. The couple contributes to area benefit events, the Road Commission for Oakland County, Clarkston High School athletics and to Leukemia research.
In their free time, the couple enjoys boating, taking walks and traveling to the Caribbean.
‘We like to island-hop,? Liz said.
Tim believes the development along the Dixie Highway corridor is a welcomed addition to the community.
‘I’m a true believer that we need development, and it’s an excellent tax base,? he said.
A large hardware retailer, such as the Home Depot as part of an informal retail proposal at the corner of I-75 and Dixie Highway, would beneficial to his business.
‘As a contractor, I have to drive to Home Depot in Auburn Hills to get a 2X4, there’s nowhere else to go. I stay in this five mile radius, this is what I concentrate on.?
Many of the Wickersham properties lie within the stretch of Dixie Highway from Davisburg Road to the Waterford Hill area.