Holiday Updates: Welcoming Two New Members to the Chirco Family

Beyond the exciting happenings for our business in 2023, it’s also been a very eventful year for our family, welcoming two new members!

In September our newest grandchild, Guiliana April Chirco was born. Like her brother Antonino, she is our treasure. Her flashing smile warms our souls. I always thought that among my most important purposes in  life was to be the best father I could be. Not until God blessed us with grandchildren did I realize that as fulfilling it is to be a father, it is possibly more thrilling to be a grandfather. We’re looking forward to more healthy grandchildren to come. 

In October our daughter Anmarie married a fine young man named Sean. He is the perfect fit for the Chirco family, hard working and respectful to all of us. Like her brother Joey, Anmarie married into a great family. We look forward to seeing their family grow in the years to come. In their vows, they both spoke of enthusiastically welcoming children. We know they’ll be wonderful parents and we couldn’t be more proud.

Finally, my son Joey has taken on the day-to-day operations of the residential building. As superintendent, Joe is working with the trades and new buyers with his own style and expertise. Since joining the company, he has been enthusiastic and innovative in his approach to management and operations. Since he has taken on these responsibilities, I look forward  to seeing how far he will take this company. No doubt it will be in good hands.

On a final note, we’d once again like to thank all of those we worked with in 2023! It was another great year for our family and the Trademark business, and we’re proud of our work in a community we love. Going into 2024, we’re excited for the debut of a new home model, The Anmarie that has some unique features for homeowners. We’re also looking forward to continuing the building of our Somerset Place community, and our son Joey getting more involved, bringing his creative eye and expertise to the business.

We hope you enjoy your holidays!

The Chirco Family

New Home Features for 2024

At Trademark Building and Management, we pride ourselves at being sensitive to the desires of our valued customers. We have been around  long enough to understand that the needs of today’s buyers are as unique  as each individual. We’re excited that the third generation of our family has joined the Trademark business and with that plenty of inspired input into the design and character of our homes.

With that, we’re adding some new design features! Our newest homes include Board and Batten Front Gables. More changes to the exterior features black and bronze window framing and trim. Three car garages are being integrated into more of the home designs. Interior door styles, moldings and trim are also being updated.

What began as a  dream of a hard-working immigrant sixty years ago has grown into among the most active and respected builders in Monroe County. We’re also proud to now include condominiums,  multi-family residences and a property management business. Thank you to  all our respected trade people and professional associates that have  helped us flourish. We can’t wait to show you these new features in action in the coming year.

God Bless,

Anthony and Joey Chirco,
Trademark Building and Management

Welcome Home To Our New Residents

We would like to welcome our newest home buyers in Estates of Wellington and our Somerset Place Condominium Community. Recently one of the residents had a medical emergency and many residents were there to offer help and support. Fortunately, all is well, thanks to her caring neighbors and our great Monroe medical teams. God Bless you all. We’re so proud of these communities that have residents that truly care and look out for one another. We should all take good care of ourselves, as much for our own health as for our family and neighbors that rely on us.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Somerset Place Model is Now Open!

We’re very excited to announce and open our new Condominium model at Somerset Place Community. This will be a great opportunity for you to see all of the features of our condominium homes before making a decision. Thank you to my wife Angela and son Joey for assisting in the decor, and to our neighbors who offered their own suggestions. Who better to share ideas than people that live here?

The model is located at the corner of Taddeo and Volterra Drives at our Somerset Place Community. We are open by appointment and would love to show it off for you! Book an appointment by contacting Bill Kipf at 734-341-0229, myself at 734-558-5446 or by contacting us at www.trademarkbuildingmi.com/contact.

Be safe and healthy!!

Tony Chirco

Spring 2022 Update: The Somerset Place Community and Trademark Family is Growing!

It’s been a busy year so far for our condominiums and new home projects. It’s hard to believe, but construction has begun on our FIFTH condominium building at Somerset Place Community here in Monroe, and as Spring finally arrives, landscaping will also be under way on two more of our buildings. We would like to welcome our newest condominium owners, Joyce, Ron, Robert and Antonietta. They’re joined by a growing community of satisfied homeowners, and we’re grateful to have them as a part of our growing condominium community. They go quickly, so if you’re interested in your own unit, sign up for the wait list. We’re looking forward to our model unit that will be ready to show this June.

We’re sold out of our available homes in Wyandotte, but we’ll be seeking more lots to purchase in this quaint downriver community. Construction continues on homes at Estates of Wellington in Monroe Township. Brick has arrived and drywall will be up soon. Our popular Fort Myers with a Three Car Garage is the only home we have under construction available for sale. Contact Bill Kipf at 734-341-0229 or contact us via this website at www.trademarkbuildingmi.com/contact.

On another positive note, our Chirco & Trademark family is growing! We are so thrilled to welcome our beautiful grandson, Antonino Michael to the family. Born on St. Patrick’s Day, he is the third generation Chirco  born in America. Congratulations to the proud parents, Joey and Catie!

As always, we’re thankful for our homeowners new and old, and are looking forward to another summer season of building in the Greater Monroe community. Happy Spring!

Our Latest Colorful Custom Home

Construction has been completed on our most recent custom home project, situated in a beautiful rural setting. Sometimes, it’s the home owners that come up with some great ideas. A combination of stone, brick, siding, and accented trim make this home stand out among the rest. The primary bedroom features a private enclosed porch which will be such a nice feature to have on beautiful Michigan mornings. Another patio is off the dining room. . Non-traditional elevated ceilings add to the appeal. The colors selected are impeccable. We absolutely love how the blue siding turned out next to the white and brown accents. The rich color of the garage door looks especially nice. We’re proud of this one and know the homeowners will cherish it for years to come.

Congratulations to the new home owners!

Third-Generation Chirco Promoted

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Joe Chirco as our Superintendent and Quality Control manager. After growing up in the family business it is now, Joe was thrilled to take on more responsibility and join his father, yours truly. Joe earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Wayne State and his Master’s Degree from University of Toledo. He and his wife live in a home he helped build by Trademark Building and Management. He has the experience and education to help continue the legacy of his father and grandfather. Joey is not the only grandchild of our founder to move into a responsible position within the company. Cousin Michael has been learning the trade. Like Joey before him, Michael has been a quick learner and expects to be a part of the future of this respected family business.

The Chirco and Trademark Building family are in great hands. These young men have embraced the challenges of the custom quality home building business and are destined to make their unique contribution for years to come. We couldn’t be any more proud to have them as a part of our family business.

New Somerset Place Condominiums Coming Soon!

Well, it looks like the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. 2021 started out a lot like 2020, but things are looking up. We are on pace to have another good year, and as the summer weather arrives, we’re ready to get to work on a lot of exciting projects. Here’s an update on what’s been going on at Trademark and what’s to come.

At Estates of Wellington in Monroe Township, we have sold out on our existing homes. We have 20 lots remaining and are working with several new buyers to contract for custom alterations of our split bedroom ranch. At least one is planned as a multi-generational home with two master bedrooms with private bathrooms. The response to this home design has been remarkable, and we hope to keep building more. Six vacant lots remain available for sale at the adjoining Sheffield Village Subdivision.

At Our Somerset Place Community north of Dunbar on Telegraph Road, we have started construction on our third and fourth four-unit attached condominiums. Two of them are already sold. We are currently taking reservations for the remaining six condos. Based on the number of calls and showings, we’re considering building additional units this fall. We have managed to keep our base prices under $185,000.00, but with material and labor cost rising, particularly with lumber, we can only guarantee these prices for a short time. We’re thrilled that residents are enjoying these condominiums, and can’t wait to continue building this community.

A Larger 1250 Square Foot Condominium with a Two Car Garage, and more living space has been drafted. 

Since introducing our single story condominiums in 2019, there have been requests by some to offer a larger condominium with a two car garage and more living space. A 1250 square foot plan, similar to the existing Somerset Condos, but with three new features: Two car garage, full laundry room and a separate dining room, conveniently assembled into our open floor plan.  There will be three units to a building rather than four units in our existing buildings. Two of the three condos will have an outside wall with an extra window above the kitchen sink. The projected cost for these units is $250,000.00. A concept floor plan is provided below. Let us know what you think.

As always, we’re thankful to be a part of the Southeast Michigan community. We love to hear from you. Send us a message here and let us know what you’d like to see in our designs.

Here’s to a great Michigan summer!

Announcing our newest design - "The Joseph"

We are introducing a totally new floor plan in the Estates of Wellington that we’re calling “The Joseph,” a 1600+ square foot Ranch with a broad, open floor plan. This home has great road appeal and looks larger than it is. A Youth Inspired Design. (You don’t have to be young to think young!) 

It has some well thought out features:  “A Utility Area”, as you enter the home from the garage, which includes a drop zone for jackets and shoes, a coat closet, a wide pantry and a laundry room. The kitchen is open to the great room and dining, but creates its own space by re-introducing the Peninsula with room for an extended counter and bar stools. The Primary Bedroom with an optional elevated ceiling is full of closet space, including a 12-foot long walk-in closet and a second deep storage closet. The primary bath includes an expansive vanity with two sinks and a center drawer base, a five-foot shower, and more storage. In all, there are EIGHT closets in this home. All the popular offerings are still here including Cathedral Ceiling in Great Room, Kitchen and Dining, 2x6 Exterior Walls, High efficient Low E glass windows, furnace, air condition, and water heater. We are now using PELLA WINDOWS! Our popular premium package offers a Bay Patio Door, Fireplace, Elevated Ceiling in Primary Bedroom, Fan prep in all bedrooms and Great Room, and studded basement exterior walls with R-13 insulation. 

What started as a project for our Founder’s son has now become a home we’re very excited to offer to our community. We’ll have more photos in the coming weeks, but for now, check out our fresh new page for The Joseph right here.

Exciting things to come, even during difficult times

Trademark Building Company came to Monroe twenty years ago. At that time, we had already established ourselves as a quality construction builder in the southern suburbs of Wayne County. As we continue to build and now live in Monroe County, we have expanded our scope of business back to Wayne County, in Wyandotte. What started as a single project to build a smaller home for my Son and Daughter-In-Law, has expanded to more homes, including plans to custom build a Victorian-style home in the city where I grew up. The new plans have proven to be so popular, that we have decided to introduce one as a spec home for sale in our Estates of Wellington Community. More on that coming soon!

Trademark Building and Management is excited to announce that we’re now building in four locations: 

• Semi-custom homes in Estates of Wellington and Sheffield Village (South of Albain Road and South Dixie in Monroe Township). 

• Single story, quaint attached condominiums in Somerset Place Community (North of Dunbar Road and Telegraph in Monroe Township).

• Fresh designed new homes in the City of Wyandotte including plans for custom homes in 2021.

• New construction just starting in Exeter Township

  These are each distinctively unique in style and characteristics. It goes to show you that even after nearly 35 years of professional building experience, there are always new challenges to keep this career exciting.

We hope everyone is doing well (as best they can) through the health crisis, economic uncertainty, and social unrest we continue to experience. We have faith that better circumstances await us. I have learned over the years, living and working in the Monroe Community that we are generous and capable people who care about each other. Trademark is not alone in sharing our resources to help the less fortunate. It’s worth repeating; the front line workers, public servants and caregivers deserve all our appreciation. Thank you as well to all the individuals and businesses who have stepped up socially and financially to help our community. I have seen first-hand all the efforts being taken to meet the challenge before us. I am convinced better days are soon ahead.

What's next for the Trademark Building family

This has been a most usual first half of the year for us here at Trademark Building and Management. It started out with plenty of promise. The economy was roaring and economic forecasts predicted high hopes for the next few years. Then the corona virus took the world by storm and changed every part of our lives. We continue to pray for those individuals stricken by this terrible virus and their families. We continue to support the doctors, nurses, front line responders and the people and companies that have provided resources to support their efforts. We are proud to have taken a role in this battle of our lives and look forward to a new day when we can get back to a new normal.

By the grace of God, we have managed to not only sustain ourselves during this crisis, but have been fortunate enough to continue to sell our properties. We have actually sold out of our existing homes and condominiums. Construction has resumed on our next set of condominiums and we have started building our newest homes in Wyandotte, MI. Next up is a custom home in Exeter, and we have cleared land in Monroe Township for two more new homes and four more attached condominiums. We are introducing a new plan we call the Joseph, named after my Father (His American name). Like my dad, it is innovative and quaint, yet packs a big punch for its size.

My family and I are so happy for my son Joey and his Fiancé Catie as they finally begin construction of their new home in Wyandotte. They had hoped to begin in March, but the Governor’s executive order to shut down construction until recently has made it all but impossible to finish the home before their August 15th wedding date.  What is really cool is that the lot they choose to build their new home is two houses away from the home my dad built and where my sisters and I grew up. Building a house for your kid is exciting enough, but to build it in your old neighborhood is awesome.  I credit my wife and son for finding a plan that fits his budget. I just made the custom changes I love to do to make it a “Trademark” worthy home. We’re excited to reveal this one to you all.

As we begin construction of our newest homes, we will be introducing some more new features. Keeping up with the time, we will be expanding our “smart home” offerings to include the Ring video doorbell systems. We will also be offering allowances to be added to the purchase contract for decks, patios and landscaping.  Homeowners that purchase early enough in the construction process will not only be able to choose custom selections, but will also be able to customize room sizes, cabinet layouts, and trim profiles to name a few. We’re so very thankful for all of the wonderful people we’ve worked with and built homes for, especially now. We understand how lucky we are to not only survive this period, but somehow thrive despite it. We’ve got some great homes in the works, and if you’re considering a new build, we encourage you to get in touch with us now so that you can truly customize it to your lifestyle from the start.

Whether you’re a new or old customer - Thank you for considering us, trusting us with your family’s new home, and giving us some hope during a troubling time.

How we're spending our time at home, Part 2 - Focusing on habits

Getting to the “Honey Do” lists
Since being home, we have replaced our vanity, lighting, mirror and paper holder in our bathroom. Once the  building supply stores began limiting purchases to essentials, we used the online option and Amazon to have deliveries right to the house. We have also restored our kitchen sink, sealed the counter tops and tackled the office and basement. It is amazing how much junk we save in case we may need it. We apply a simple rule these days, which is if they still sell it, and we have had it for over a year with no plans to use it, then it is junk and needs to be given away or trashed if nobody else could use it. 

Reading
I usually read more often when I travel, but now that we are staying home, I try to make time to read. I am a sucker for a good Steven King Book. These days I am reading “The Institute” which typical for Steven King involves the para-normal.  I also read off the internet on subjects similar in material to what I listen to on podcasts. Google seems to know what interests me, which in itself is eerie. 

Rediscovering Podcasts
Rather than getting over-informed about the pandemic. I have rationed my time watching the news and press conferences.  In between, I find myself listening to all sorts of podcasts relating to history, the environment, religion, education. and yes…building.  What I have found most interesting are interviews of regular people with extraordinary experiences. It can be addicting, so what I do is listen to them while engaged in other activates or at the end of the day.

Breaking bad eating habits
I am always on the go and found myself getting careless with what I ate during the day: Picking up a packaged snack from the gas station or the occasional fast food more often than packing a healthy lunch.  You would think being home, I would be raiding the fridge and pantry for snacks throughout the day, but fortunately, we were careful to not keep much in the house to snack on except fruits, vegetable and unsalted nuts. As a result, I have lost 5 pounds. Not much, but better than gaining weight! Still have the “Dad Bod”. With the gym closed, and the weather getting better, I’ll need to spend more time on the elliptical and taking walks around our neighborhood.

As the weather improves and things slowly begin to open up, we’re optimistic about the future and ready to get back to doing what we do best. We hope you’re all doing well and staying healthy.

How we’re spending our time at home, Part 1 - Family first

We hope everyone in Southeast Michigan and beyond is staying healthy and navigating through these difficult times. While we’re itching to get back to our lives like the rest of you, the downtime has given us some valuable time to reflect and enjoy some of the things that life doesn’t always allow for, and maybe most importantly, time to focus on our family. We’ll do a few posts on how we’re spending our time, starting with family and friends:

Getting reacquainted with my wife and kids
My wife and I both work and over the years we have each taken the other for granted. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed each other’s company, but it’s different when you are for the most part together 24/7. Being empty-nesters, I thought we would be at each other throats by now, but it’s not that way at all. We found that we still like each other! I have also had deeper conversations with my children than we would normally.  My daughter is a teacher and she misses her third-grade class very much. My son, who works for me on occasion is now pursuing a career in medicine, beginning as a medical assistant. We have always been a close family and now as we find ourselves a bit concerned and nervous about the pandemic, we connect with others often.

Reaching out to friends and relatives
In the past month, I have made it a part of my day to call someone I don’t regularly call. It’s fun and we talk about similar interests and old times. It’s like rekindling a friendship and reminiscing about times we shared together. I hope that part of the conversation “we should get together after this passes” actually happens. It should. I value old friends. I have also made a point to text or call all of my nieces and nephews, one day at a time. I even discovered Zoom, which is really cool. On Easter, we virtually visited with my mom, my kids, and my sister and her family.

Connecting with friends and loved ones is so important right now, and when there is so much uncertainty, it’s provided us with a bit of comfort, and we hope it is for you and your family as well.

If you’d like to donate to the Salvation Army for COVID-19 relief, click here