On a snowy day in Maple Grove, Minnesota, shovels hit the dirt, breaking ground on the state’s first Dream Home® Showplace, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. As the Hanson Builders team, partners, and Maple Grove community leaders broke ground, the gathering couldn’t help but cheer at the impact the $1.8M home will have in supporting the lifesaving mission of St. Jude.
"When we first met the St. Jude team and discussed the possibility of bringing the Dream Home® Showplace to Minnesota, it just felt right,” recalled JD Hanson, President of Hanson Builders. “It felt like a great chance to make a difference. To see our team and partners rally together has been pretty incredible. We're building a house, but we're also building hope for families right here in our community, and that's something we're all really proud of."
As the first Minnesota Dream Home® Showplace builder, the entire Hanson Builders team quickly came together to design a home focused on family. The vision was to create a home that is timeless, warm, and overflowing with character.
To do that, they brought in rich, dark tones to create a strong, warm foundation, complementing it with playful shades that capture the carefree joy every child should experience. The team was excited to create a space bursting with character and pride.
Many Hanson team members are parents themselves and appreciate how St. Jude supports the whole family, letting them focus on what matters most - helping their child live. “The fact that St. Jude ensures families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food is incredibly moving, and it’s a mission that we wanted to be part of,” said Luke Hanson, VP of strategy at Hanson Builders. “Our work is contributing to alleviating the financial burdens that families face with a cancer diagnosis, and helping to advance that research is incredibly fulfilling.”
To bring the home to life, the Hanson team invited its trade partners to join them. “The response from our trade partners was overwhelming in the best possible way,” said Scott Hockert, VP of Production at Hanson Builders. “Many of our partners felt the same way we did and have donated time, materials, and talents. To see everyone involved embracing the St. Jude mission with such enthusiasm and commitment has been a special thing to be part of.”
“Our team and contractors are really good at building homes,” said JD. “The tile crews are really good at tile work, our cabinet makers are really good at making cabinets, every person involved is really good at what they do. Being able to donate our unique gifts and talents to support this mission is an honor.”
As the finishing touches go in, the Dream Home® Showplace is now on the market and will be featured in the 2025 Fall Parade of Homes. “We hope that families walk in the door and feel at home,” said Nancy Brown, Interior Designer at Hanson Builders. “This is a home that our team will always remember, not just for the design, but for the heart and soul that went into creating it.”
Learn more about the 2025 St. Jude Dream Home® Showplace and tour the home this fall.
