Two Local Developers Using LINK-GIS To Build Better Communities
The region’s top homebuilders, The Drees Co. and Fischer Homes have been leaders in their industry due to high levels of customer satisfaction. But, it was their due diligence, performed before a single home was built, that made the difference. For this research, they consulted LINK-GIS, Northern Kentucky’s leading geographic information systems (GIS) provider.
Developers are looking for potential sites for new residential communities that fulfill the three most important tenets in real estate, “location, location, and location”. By using LINK-GIS technology, The Drees Co. and Fischer Homes can quickly and easily perform site analysis based on a wide array of factors including, land cost, zoning codes, accessibility, school district, traffic patterns, utility availability, and potential for future development.
“Development is not just building new homes in a community from the outside, but it’s ensuring what is built enhances what already exists,” states Davis Drees, The Drees Co. “At Drees, we want our new homes to blend seamlessly with the existing character of the community. The data and mapping we receive from LINK-GIS is indispensable to making this work.”
GIS is a very cost-effective method for site selection in general. It saves money for planners and developers because they can now investigate pre-defined suitable sites, rather than investigating all areas in order to find a limited number of suitable sites.
“Better information leads to better decisions,” said Bob Hawksly, Fischer Homes. “GIS is not an automated decision making system, but a tool to query, analyze, and map data in support of the decision making process. With LINK-GIS we have a partner who is a one-stop shop serving our data needs.”
“Clearly, The Drees Co. and Fischer Homes have been fantastic partners for LINK-GIS,” stated Trisha Brush, Deputy Director for GIS Administration, LINK-GIS. “Before LINK-GIS, these companies would have to collect data from a number of sources and didn’t have capability of presenting their findings in a format that captured all of the data in a user-friendly format. We are pleased to assist in building Northern Kentucky’s future.”
ABOUT LINK-GIS
What started as partnership of four entities wanting to locate underground utilities has grown into a full-service GIS provider for Kenton, Campbell, and Pendleton Counties. LINK-GIS services city and county agencies including fire and EMS, the water and sanitation districts, Property Valuation, school districts, area businesses, and residents.