At a meeting with Grand Marais city officials on June 12, 2025, Chris Skildum, President of Vesta Unchained LLC, handed over a cashier’s check for $108,925 and signed a 39-page development agreement for a 15-acre subdivision in the northwest part of the city. Located on County Road 7/West 5th Street, the final plat creates 24 quarter-acre home sites, helping address the ongoing lack of housing in Cook County. The six-figure, nonrefundable payment to the city covers its legal costs and observation of the project by the City Engineer during construction.
In 2022, Skildum, an experienced builder, bought the 15 acres from a private party at market price with the intent of developing a subdivision of housing. Having spent most of his life in Cook County, and as one of the initial members of the Cook County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, created in October of 2021, Skildum was well aware of housing shortage concerns in the community.
“There is only 5-7% private property in Cook County,” Skildum said. “Some of that is speculative holdings, livable land that is chained up.” Thus, the name Vesta Unchained. Skildum’s ability to find and develop what others don’t see is evident in a project he undertook a few years ago, Hestia Unfolded. The property he purchased and developed was once Hillhaven Assisted Living, but it had stood vacant for a long time. He updated the property, installed solar power, and converted it to a six-unit apartment building. Today, it is filled with long-term tenants.
The names for both development entities were carefully chosen. Skildum is a thoughtful and deliberate man. Vesta and Hestia are ancient goddesses who embody the concept of domesticity: hearth, home, and sacred fire. Hestia is the Greek form, and Vesta is her Roman counterpart. They represent values that Skildum holds with his wife and three children.
This 41-year-old builder is a patient man of few words, letting his actions do most of the talking. His taciturn nature means he’s not one for small talk or idle chatter. This quality has been instrumental in his ability to navigate the three-year process of negotiating a Development Agreement with the city, while dealing with a bureaucratic maze of state, county, and local government agencies to meet stringent environmental regulations. All in addition to a full plate of other construction projects.
The Vesta infrastructure project will be completed in three phases.
Phase I will cost almost $600,000 and consists of the sanitary sewer and water main. Phase II is for stormwater, wetland construction, and erosion control. Phase III is streets, grading, and landscaping. The entire project is projected to cost $869,756. During each phase, Vesta Unchained, LLC must post assets to the city valued at 125% of the estimated costs. Those assets will be released to Vesta once the project is completed and the Development Agreement is satisfied.
Skildum was recognized by the Cook County Chamber of Commerce in 2022 as its Entrepreneur of the Year for Vesta Unchained. An entrepreneur like Skildum is characterized by their innovation, vision, and willingness to identify and capitalize on opportunities. They take on significant financial risks in hopes of making a profit while building something of value.
“Construction is high risk,” Skildum said. “But this project is unique; we have no subsidy from the alphabet soup groups.” Organizations like IRRR and the HRA often provide grants and loans for construction projects. This self-reliance and determination are what set Skildum and Vesta apart.
Skildum plans to have all three phases of the infrastructure development completed by year-end. He said Vesta has presold several lots. Closing for those lots will occur when the final plat for the property is recorded. Unlike many projects that look to increase housing options, Vesta’s unique approach means there are no resale limitations on the purchased lots and eventual homes, opening up diverse homeownership opportunities. In terms of home construction, Skildum said, “I don’t want a monopoly on construction.”
Skildum and Vesta have made a significant financial commitment to protect the city from harm during construction and create something that benefits the community at large. An experienced developer and a realist, Skildum is optimistic about the ultimate success of the Vesta subdivision.
The most important thing, he said, is that no matter what happens, he’s tried really hard to make a difference. Because of the 2022 Entrepreneur of the Year’s hard work, there will soon be 24 brand new homes in the city of Grand Marais.
