Pick a decade: 1950's | 1960's | 1970's | 1980's | 1990's | 2000's
The Second World War had just ended when brothers Manny Nosan
and Bill Nosanchuk returned from duty to find bright opportunities
on the home front, namely the chance to go into business with
their father, Ben. The trio formed Pearl Building 
Company
in 1946, naming it for the boys' mother and laying the groundwork
for over five decades of home building success. The company's
early efforts consisted of 700- to 800- square-foot homes on
scattered lots valued at $650 in Detroit. The hours were long,
but the rewards were encouraging. With Manny, Bill and Ben providing
their own rough carpentry, Pearl Building slashed overhead and
maximized profits on the homes they sold from $3,500 to $4,000
each. Marketing was crude, often consisting of a hand-painted
sign mounted in the back of Manny's pick-up truck. By 1960,
the family had made a name for itself. They decided to put that
name on a new company, Nosan Building Corporation. The company
quickly pushed beyond the city limits, acquiring homesites in
the expanding suburbs. Though demand was great, the supply of
suburban sites was limited. Nosan Building needed an ally. It
found one in Thompson-Brown, an aggressive, young land development
company.
While the nation grappled with civil rights, the Vietnam War,
and cultural upheaval, Nosan Building moved steadily forward.
Aided by its now-strong association with Thompson-Brown, Nosan
Building built on robust demand for its new homes in such fast-
growing
suburban markets as Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield and
Farmington Hills. Nosan Building constructed hundreds of new
homes in such popular neighborhoods as Briar Hill, Canterbury
Commons, Kirkwood, Kimberly, Kimberly North and Kendallwood.
The decade saw styles and prices change dramatically. Lots were
selling for about $2,000. Nosan Building's two-story, 2,000-to
3,000-square-foot homes were selling for up to $35,000. Its
designs were a hit with buyers and the media. Nosan Building's
Colonial model was selected as the Best Home for the Money,
and featured in an editorial spread on American home styles
in American Home Magazine and Life Magazine. The company was
growing rapidly, and each brother developed his own specialty
within the company. Bill was emerging as the field boss, while,
brother Manny spearheaded finance, sales and administration.
Amid bell-bottoms, the Brady Bunch, and the Bicentennial, Nosan
Building set a brisk pace. The company was averaging 
about
35 new homes a year. It continued to prosper in Farmington Hills,
particularly at Independence Commons and Ramblewood. Nosan Building
constructed about 350 homes at Ramblewood, accounting for more
than half the new construction there. The 1970's also saw Nosan
Building push into such hot new markets as Northville Township
where it built homes in Lexington Commons and Northville Commons.
Its Lexington Condominium Homes was among the state's first
attached condominium communities. In 1979, the Nosan 
Building
family officially embraced its third generation when Manny's
son Terry came aboard as legal, administrative and marketing
counsel. Terry, a lawyer, had spent the previous two years working
as an assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan in
Lansing. Terry previously worked as a Nosan Building site superintendent,
and spent many summers in his youth working for his dad and
uncle as a laborer and carpenter.
The decade got off to a rough start for local homebuilders.
The economy sputtered and interest rates soared to 18 percent.
Mortgage rates swelled to between 12 and 13 percent, virtually
destroying the market for new homes. Nosan building's annual
home production fell to 14 by 1984. The downturn prompted Terry
to form a partnership to create a business brokerage franchise,
V.R. Business Brokers. The experience taught Terry invaluable
lessons in systematized sales and customer service. By the mid-1980's,
the economy recovered, interest and mortgage rates fell, and 
Nosan
Building began to roll once again. In 1986 it had 28 jobs underway,
including several new homes in West Bloomfield Place, and began
work in 1986 at Novi's Simmons Orchards. By 1985, Terry had
re-entered the building business with the launch of Nosan Associates
Inc. to focus on custom homes on scattered lots. Nosan Associates
Inc. soon moved into higher volume community development. Its
Maplewoods II was West Bloomfield's first subdivision with sidewalks,
while its Stonebridge community featured sidewalks, large blocks
of open space, a real stone bridge, and dramatic theme entry.
In Novi, the partnership joined forces with Nosan Building at
the Woods of Novi, the first new development north of 12 Mile
in Novi. In 1989, Bill's son Barry entered the industry. With
the support of his father and uncle, Barry launched Heritage
Building LLC and commenced work on the 21-site Gill Orchards
community in Livonia. For his accomplishments during the decade,
Terry was presented with the Building Industry Association's
Young Builder of The Year Award in 1990.
As
the economy roared into the 1990's, the Nosan/Nosanchuk family
worked harder than ever to remain in the forefront of the
building industry. By the middle of the decade, interest and
mortgage rates fell to record lows, creating one of the finest
markets for new home construction in years. Building off the
success of Nosan Associates Inc., Terry launched Nosan Enterprises
Inc. It focused on 
residential
development with communities including the Country Estate
homesites in Milford's Stone Hollow, Royal Point West and
Heron Ridge in Canton, and Chelsea Crossing in Farmington
Hills built in conjunction with cousin Barry's Heritage Building.
Nosan Enterprises also developed golf course home sites in
Brighton's Oak Pointe Honors and sites at Park Ridge in West
Bloomfield. Terry also took an interest in the development
of resort homes at the Cliffs, Haborview Ridge and Wildwinds
developments at Bay Harbor in Northern Michigan. Barry's Heritage
Building constructed homes at Cain Woods and Caliburn Manor
II in Livonia and at Trotter's Pointe in South Lyon. Manny
and Bill focused their attention in Commerce Township at Willow
Ridge and in West Bloomfield's Birchwood Park.
The
family is now building North Broadmoor and Blackberry Hills in White Lake Township
with homes constructed exclusively by Heritage-Nosan Homes
LLC. The company combined the unique talents of Bill, Manny,
Terry and Barry. Bill remains deeply involved, offering invaluable
advice while Manny's legacy serves as a constant reminder
to Terry and Barry who continue to explore new housing opportunities
throughout Southeast Michigan. With more than 100 years of
combined experience behind it, Heritage-Nosan moves into the
new century with great hopes for North Broadmoor, Blackberry
Hills and the future communities it will build on its solid
foundation of family heritage and tradition.
