M/I Homes invites prospective homebuyers to help “Spread the Warmth this Season” by attending the Dec. 13 grand opening of its newest Chicago-area townhouse community, Bauer Place in Naperville.

The event features a sock and mitten drive benefiting DuPage PADS, an organization committed to ending homelessness in DuPage County.

The open house takes place from 4:30 to 8 p.m. and give attendees an opportunity to tour a new model home at Bauer Place, as well as enjoy complimentary refreshments, hors d’oeuvres and free raffle prizes. M/I Homes is also asking event attendees to bring new socks or mittens to be donated to PADS.

“Introducing a new community is always a great celebration, especially one like Bauer Place that brings together so many of the things buyers love about Naperville — from its vibrant downtown to great schools and peaceful neighborhoods,” Curt VanHyfte, area president of M/I Homes, said in a news release. “With the holiday season here and the opportunity to contribute a donation for our ‘Spread the Warmth’ sock and mitten drive, this grand opening promises to be even more festive than usual. We invite anyone who is interested in a new-construction home in a terrific Naperville location to join us.”

Centrally located just north of Ogden Avenue on Charles Street, in proximity to I-88 and I-355, Bauer Place is an enclave of 28 maintenance-free townhouses situated in a quiet, tree-lined residential area. The development offers three floor plans priced from $316,990 to $352,990 and measuring 1,783 to 2,422 square feet.

Homes feature three-level designs and include two to four bedrooms, 2½ baths and a lower-level bonus room that connects to an attached two-car garage. Floor plans also offer great rooms, second-floor laundry rooms, loft spaces and dens, per plan.

“The location of Bauer Place has incredibly wide appeal among buyers, from professionals drawn to its proximity to major roadways and Metra’s BNSF line for commuting, to families who want to live within highly acclaimed Naperville Community Unit School District 203,” said Cheryl Bonk, vice president of sales and marketing for M/I Homes. “The three floor plans we’re offering in the community definitely have the flexibility to match the range of lifestyles we expect we’ll see among residents at Bauer Place.”

Bonk added that the new decorated model at Bauer Place illustrates the versatility of the home designs available in the community.

The 2,269-square-foot Cardiff model home has ample first-floor living space with a great room open to the kitchen and an adjacent breakfast area, plus a combined living and dining room at the front of the home, she said.

“With the Cardiff, buyers can also opt to turn the living and dining room into a den, which can add some nice quiet office space for those who regularly work from home,” Bonk said.

Upstairs, the Cardiff model features two bedrooms, including a master suite upgraded with a luxury master bath with walk-in shower, and an optional loft.

“The choice of a loft in this plan is extremely popular because it gives homeowners flex space to use as an extra living area, a hobby room or even a home gym,” Bonk said. “Buyers can also choose configurations with a third bedroom upstairs.”

Additionally, the model showcases a number of optional finishes available at Bauer Place, including hardwood flooring throughout the first floor, stained rails and iron spindles on the staircase, and an upgraded kitchen with granite countertops, 42-inch maple cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.

All homes at Bauer Place overlook either the community’s central courtyard — with benches, walking paths and a mix of plantings, including shade trees and perennials — or a naturalized wet meadow complimented by blue spruce trees, ornamental grasses and shrubs.

Residents at Bauer Place enjoy maintenance-free living, with landscaping, exterior maintenance and snow removal provided.

Bauer Place is within Naperville Unit District 203 and is served by Beebe Elementary School, Jefferson Junior High School and Naperville North High School.

The grand opening for Bauer Place takes place in the new model home at 1484 North Charles Ave. (for GPS, use the intersection of East Bauer Road and Charles Street). For more information or to R.S.V.P., visit www.mihomes.com/bauerplace or call Nicole Skrocki at (630) 605-8271.