Home builder goes commercial in Long Grove David Roeder: What's an idled home builder to do while the housing market nurses its hangover? Some are battling off creditors, others are lying low. But Buz Hoffman, president of Lakewood Homes, is selling his knowledge as a developer. A home builder has skills that translate to commercial projects. The home builder knows about land planning, entitlements, construction management and much more. So Hoffman has signed on as the hired developer for a shopping center under way in the picturesque village of Long Grove.