Take Note: New-Home Community and Builder News

Ryland Homes has received an Energy Star Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The company’s HouseWorks program, which encompasses the high-performance, energy-efficient and earth-friendly products and techniques the company uses in all its homes, received a Five-Star Energy rating, meaning the company’s homes use 30 percent less energy than a standard home. Ryland is currently offering homes from the $200s in Rolling Hills at Lake Asbury.

DUVAL COUNTY
Jacksonville">KB Home recently opened Waterleaf">Waterleaf, a new community in the Intracoastal West area. Homebuyers can design a home using the builder’s “Built-to-Order” flexible format, which offers one- or two-story options with up to six bedrooms. Pre-grand opening prices start in the $190s.

Collins Builders has begun construction on homes in its Adams Lake community, located near Cecil Commerce Center. The builder is offering 21 traditional Florida-inspired homes priced from the $140s.

Mattamy Homes is now offering homes the master-planned community of Bartram Springs. The company has several ready-to-occupy“Quick Delivery” homes priced from $213,000 and homesites are available on 50-, 70- and 80-foot lots. Bartram Springs residents have access to a large pool and waterslide in addition to bike trails, tennis courts, sports fields and playgrounds. Construction is expected to begin in early 2009 on a community elementary school.

A Caribbean-themed grand opening took place recently at the picturesque community of North Creek, where Standard Pacific Homes introduced a collection of home designs ranging in size from 1,700 to 3,300 square feet and priced from the $100s. North Creek offers residents convenient boat and RV storage and the community is located near River City Marketplace.

The Pineapple Corporation has completed the amenities at Palermo, its gated luxury community. The new 3,714-square-foot recreational center, swimming pool, community pavilion and two summer kitchens were designed with the same European flair as the rest of Palermo. When completed, the community will feature 133 semi-custom courtyard homes. Buyers also receive a social membership to the nearby Glen Kernan Golf and Country Club.

Collins Builders has opened the Benton Lakes community in Mandarin. Inspired by historic Southern neighborhoods, homes in Benton Lakes will feature carriage garage doors, board-and-batton shutters and lap siding. Prices start in the $190s and a total of 87 homes are planned.

FLAGLER COUNTY
ABD Development has sold five luxury homes priced from $510,000 in the gated community of Toscana in Palm Coast. Eighty homes, all on conservation lots, are planned for the community’s first phase.

NASSAU COUNTY
Phoenix Contracting Group has been named regional builder for Technology Company, a nationally known building science and construction firm. Phoenix plans to build LEED-certified, “net-zero” energy homes in the community of Deep Creek Plantation, a gated, equestrian-friendly community located along the banks of the St. Mary’s River.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY
McGarvey Residential Communities recently held a Family and Friends Open House at SeaGrove, a condominium community. Priced from $279,900, SeaGrove homes feature coastal architecture including metal roofs, clapboard siding and private entry porches. It’s located adjacent to the SeaGrove Town Center, which has stores, restaurants and offices including a post office and public library branch.

Construction on the south end of the Nocatee Community Park in the master-planned community of Nocatee is under way. Designed by Ervin Lovett & Miller, the park will include nine different sports playfields, a concession building, a dog park, recreational trails, tennis courts and community parking.The facility is expected to open in early 2009.

David Weekley Homes has begun promoting its St. Johns Forest homes to international buyers through RightMove Overseas, a marketing company located in the U.K. Weekley is offering 12 home designs in the community priced from the $360s, all of which are Energy Star-certified and have also met the requirements to receive Environments for Living’s Diamond Level certification.

ICI Homes is offering five completed homes in St. Johns Forest ranging in size from 3,389 to 4,200 square feet and priced from the mid-$400s. The homes feature double bonus rooms, extra bathrooms and three-car garages.

To celebrate winning its fourteenth energy-based Aurora Award from the Southeast Building Conference (SEBC), Kemick Homes is sponsoring a “Free Fuel” program for its new buyers in Duval and St. Johns counties. Eligible buyers will have monthly utility payments reimbursed by the company. Kemick offers nine floorplans on 80-foot homesites in St. Johns Forest.

Mattamy Homes unveiled three new floorplans in the St. Augustine community of King’s Trace. Priced from the $160s, the new designs are available with French Country, Mediterranean, Low Country, Neo-Classical and Tuscan elevations. A newly-completed model home, featuring the Jessica design, is now open.

Nine model homes showcasing Del Webb’s single-family, condominium and carriage home designs are now open in Nocatee-Riverwood-by-Del-Webb">Riverwood by Del Webb at Nocatee. The 55-plus community is situated on 1,000 acres adjacent to the Nocatee Preserve. Residents have access to the 7,000-square-foot Discovery Center while the Riverwood Owner’s Club is currently under construction. Homes range in size from 1,400 to more than 2,400 square feet.

Toll Brothers has broken ground on the 6,000-square-foot community clubhouse at Nocatee-Coastal-Oaks">Coastal Oaks at Nocatee. Scheduled for completion in Spring 2009, the facility will include a fitness center, a resort-style pool and a grand multi-purpose room with a kitchen. The community’s 10-acre park, featuring a soccer field, basketball and volleyball courts, a baseball field and social pavilions, opened this fall. Toll Brothers has 11 designer-decorated model homes now open in Coastal Oaks.

The Vintage Group has completed a two-story luxury home ready for immediate purchase in St. Johns Forest. The 3,489-square-foot, European-style home is being offered for $479,900. Families in St. Johns Forest enjoy a wealth of community amenities, including year-round activities planned by a full-time recreational staff.

PROGRESSIONS
Brad Paullin has been named operations manager for the Jacksonville division of Ryland Homes. Paullin has more than 22 years of experience in the homebuilding industry, including 15 years at Ryland’s Atlanta division. He’ll be in charge of all construction and service activities for the company. ...Ryland also appointed Richard “Rick” Perkins as vice president of sales and marketing. Perkins has brokerage licenses in Virginia and Florida and most recently served as vice-president of operations for Pulte Homes in Ocala. ...Mattamy Homes has appointed Darin Upchurch as a builder for their Jacksonville region. Upchurch has more than nine years of experience as a homebuilder.

HOMEFRONT
A dark-chocolate-and-raspberry sundae was declared the winner during The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village’s recent ice-cream sundae contest. Winner Danielle de Vries took home a grand prize of $1,000. Her creation was sampled by area residents during the “Sundaes in the Neighborhood” home tour and served at the Murray Bros. Caddyshack restaurant throughout the month of October. Proceeds from sundae sales benefited Teens Learning Character/Teens Leading through Choices (TLC2) and $1 was donated to the organization for every home visited during the home tour. Shown (left to right) is Danielle de Vries accepting her prize from Sherry Davidson, president of Davidson Realty.

Also as part of the Sundaes in the Neighborhood home tour, The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village hosted an afternoon of fun for teens from TLC2. Participants enjoyed a film at the World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater and rounds of golf on the putting course.

Eighty employees of Pulte Homes participated in a recent Builders Care workday, repairing homes for three elderly Jacksonville residents. With nearly 100 percent company participation, the Pulte teams painted, installed fixtures, moved furniture, mowed yards and cleaned windows.

Twelve past presidents of the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) were honored for their service at an event hosted by Palencia">Palencia and its developer, Hines. After lunch in the Palencia Clubhouse, many honorees enjoyed a challenging round of golf on the Arthur Hills-designed Palencia Club course.