Judy Sabag never thought she’d like to live so close to corn.
It’s growing on her since she traded her view of the fairway for farmers sowing seeds on the edge of North Sioux City.
“The area is really starting to take off,” she said. “I’m going to lose my view of the cornfield soon. I’ve always lived on a golf course, but I like the cornfield.”
On South Churchill Circle, her townhouse stands alone.
Sabag is a pioneer in the River Valley development, located among the former site of Sodrac Park, which ended 38 years of greyhound racing when the track closed in 1995.
The Dunham Company out of Sioux Falls, S.D., invested in the area in 2008, planning to create a mixed-use development, spanning 142 acres, along the west side of Interstate 29. Growth was stalled by the slow economy, flooding and the unexpected death of company founder and CEO Don Dunham two years ago.
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Sabag, a minority partner in River Valley, decided to lead the charge in settling on the sparsely populated land, south of Hampton Inn. She left a larger house in Dakota Dunes for a low-maintenance lifestyle in a newly built townhome in North Sioux City.
DeRocher Brothers Construction, based out of Akron, Iowa, drew up the floor plan based on what Sabag wanted and built the 1,900-square-foot townhouse.
The design is mirrored in the adjoining unit. The other homeowners had the chance to pick their finishes and went with a style that is a little more contemporary and colorful.
Sabag still likes to entertain and have friends over.
“I wanted smaller and easier to take care of, but I didn’t want to be cramped either,” she said.
She didn’t want to give up some of the luxuries of a larger home, either, like a walk-in pantry in the kitchen and an oversized closet in the master bedroom.
The two-bed, two-bath home features a modern country kitchen with white cabinets, subtly contrasted by an island in warm gray. The neutral color palette gives the entire living space a light, airy feel.
The Sonos sound system, controlled from Sabag’s smartphone, fills the silence with the sounds of oldies music and soft rock.
The home plan has a pocket office off the living room that can be closed off by glass French doors.
Sabag is looking forward to the summer – barbecuing on the deck and enjoying other outdoor activities.
North Sioux City is buffered by Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve to the west with 10 miles of walking and biking trails and Stone State Park to the east.
Before relocating, Sabag discovered standup paddle boarding at McCook Lake. When her grandchildren came to visit, she called the instructor and she came out with five boards to give yoga lessons out on the water.
“I’ll buy a paddle board and maybe a little lightweight canoe,” she said. “It’s just a fun thing to do.”
Sabag and her husband moved to the area at the beginning of December, quickly decorated for Christmas and had the family over for a holiday celebration in their new, slightly smaller home.
The Sabags downsized and decidedly cut down on clutter – for an edited, easy-to-clean interior design.
“Many things I carried out to give to Goodwill or Catholic Charities. Then, I looked at them and carried them back in again. Then, I’d carry them out. Sometimes it took me three trips out before it stayed in the car,” she said. “I hate to get rid of things, but I know you can’t be a packrat.”
While she’s nearing 70, Sabag continues to work as a broker associate with United Real Estate. But she’s planning ahead for a time when she might slow down or just travel more.
“Everything’s taken care of,” she said. “It’ll be low maintenance.”
The amenities make it easier to get away, giving Sabag and her husband peace of mind when they escape Iowa’s cold winters for a while in favor of warmer climates. They like to spend some time in Phoenix each year.
Until then, they’ll watch the changing seasons from their kitchen, seeing crops sprout and maybe some houses, too.
