And the Winner is...
At the 24th annual Southeast Builders Conference in Orlando, judges recently gave 162 Aurora Awards and Grand Aurora Awards to housing industry professionals for outstanding projects submitted by homebuilders, architects, merchandisers and remodelers in 12 Southeastern states.
More than 10,000 attended this conference, where they viewed more than 700 exhibits and signed up for 40 educational seminars that dealt with subjects ranging from building codes to coping with mildew. Southeast Florida industry professionals were well represented and came home with enough distinguished Aurora and Grand Aurora Awards to give newcomers a genuine sense of confidence about settling here.
Pruett Homes won five Auroras and two Grand Auroras for the Villa Venezia model at Portmarnock at Lakewood Ranch. Grand Auroras were given for technology and water conservation; other Aurora trophies went to Pruett for energy efficiency, solar, water, architectural design and technology. Pruett has won a total of 14 Aurora Awards since Brian Pruett began entering the competition in 1995.
New neighborhoods in Lakewood Ranch were big winners. In fact, of the 18 Auroras presented to builders in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, 11 were to builders' models in The Country Club at Lakewood Ranch. All of these residences fall into the "grand and gracious home" category. They have high ceilings, ornate architectural detailing such as cove and coffered ceiling treatments, wide patterned moldings, costly flooring, raised paneled and glass doors, bonus rooms, summer kitchens, and bathrooms that replicate luxury features found in European boutique hotels and health spas. Square footage is often upwards of 4,000, and many homes are two-story.
Homes by Towne won an Aurora for architectural design for the Osprey II model at The Preserve at Tara in Sarasota" target="_blank">Manatee County. Ceilings soar to an 18-foot vault in this one. And builder Gary Roberts took home an Aurora for an exceptional bathroom for a Silver Oak home built by his Bamboo Building & Development. This bath features a custom chandelier, marble floors and counters, and an oversized spa that overlooks a private courtyard. Gibraltar's Villa Toscana at Vilamoura won an Aurora for its single-family home design. This Tuscan-themed home was planned with downsizing couples in mind and includes all the amenities you could want in 2,893 square feet.
Roy Dupuis, owner of Anchor Builders, picked up two Aurora awards for his neo-classical Claremont model in the Portmarnock neighborhood in Lakewood Ranch. His winning categories were architectural design and interior merchandising. Other Lakewood Ranch winners were Gibraltar Homes' Villa Toscana model in Vilamoura (for architectural design), and a Neal Custom Homes' model, Antebes, located in the Sandhills area of Lakewood Ranch. Neal won for interior detailing.
Veteran builder Pat Neal also earned two more Auroras for the Essex model at Kenwood, located in his own University Park development. The winning categories were architectural design and interior merchandising. Neal has accumulated 31 Aurora Awards in his career, making him the area leader.
But beauty is as beauty does, and the Aurora judges meant to recognize and celebrate homebuilders who demonstrate savvy strategies in sustainable living. Environmental concerns rank high in this part of Florida, and contractors and architects know that.
Larry Kemick took home a Grand Aurora in energy efficiency for his River Wilderness model. The home has an energy performance index of 37.9, which is three times better than the minimum standard established by code. Kemick has won Auroras for energy efficiency for the past four years, making him an excellent resource for buyers who want lower electric bills in their Southwest Florida homes.
Every spring, homebuyers in this region can personally inspect another group of winners-the models featured in the annual Parade of Homes. Sarasota-Manatee has one of the best parade events in the nation for variety, innovation and design impact.
Bring a notebook for your observations and a tote bag for filing printed handouts. Wear comfortable shoes and get ready to see the best new national trends in construction, interior design, landscaping, pool architecture, appliances, even colors and advanced energy-saving techniques. The Parade of Homes is also a great way to explore neighborhoods to determine the one that suits your lifestyle best.
Generally there are upwards of 130 homes, including condominiums, patio homes, villas, and estate homes where luxurious square footage is expected. The price range is from the mid-$100,000s to over a million. A parade helps you determine if you want to live on water, a golf course, maybe a quiet wooded preserve, or in a bustling gated community with plenty of young families and planned recreational activities for school children.
A successful Parade of Homes should jump-start your own dream project while acquainting you with two friendly counties in the most pleasant and purposeful ways. So come on, join the parade. It leads straight to your new life in Southwest Florida.
2002 Regional Aurora Award Winners
Detached Single-Family Home $200,001-$300,000
Winner: Aurora Best In State:
Company: Homes by Towne
Project: Osprey II at The Preserve, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Homes by Towne
Architect/Designer: Fugelberg & Koch
Interior Merchandiser: John Fleming, Model Home Division -Kanes Furniture
Detached Single-Family Home $300,001-$500,000
Winner: Aurora Best In State:
Company: Neal Custom Homes
Project: The Essex at Kenwood Park, University Park
Builder/Developer: Neal Custom Homes
Architect/Designer: Bloodgood Sharp Buster
LandPlanner: Bloodgood Sharp Buster
Landscape Architect/Designer: Bloodgood Sharp Buster
Interior Merchandiser: Marc-Michaels Interior Design
Detached Single-Family Home $500,001-$750,000
Winner: Aurora Best In State:
Company: Gibraltar Homes, Inc.
Project: Villa Toscana at Villamoura, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Gibraltar Homes, Inc.
Architect/Designer: Quincy Johnson and Associates/Fred Spencer
LandPlanner: SMR Development
Landscape Architect/Designer: Mark Heller, Inc.
Interior Merchandiser: Marc-Michaels Interior Design, Inc.
Detached Single-Family Home $1,000,001-$1,500,000
Winner: Aurora Best In State:
Company: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Project: Villa Venezia at Portmarnock in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Architect/Designer: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Interior Merchandiser: The Interiors Group
Detached Single-Family Home $1,000,001-$1,500,000
Winner: Aurora Best In State:
Company: Anchor Builders
Project: The Claremont at Portmarnock in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Anchor Builders
Architect/Designer: Las Casitas
Landscape Architect/Designer: Forest Run
Interior Merchandiser: Marc-Michaels Interior Design
Bath $500,001-$1,000,000
Winner: Aurora Best In State:
Company: Bamboo Building & Development, Inc.
Project: Private Residence in Silver Oak, Sarasota
Builder/Developer: Bamboo Building & Development, Inc.
Architect/Designer: Bamboo Building & Development, Inc.
Interior Merchandiser: Marc-Michaels Interior Design
Energy Efficient Home
Winner: Aurora, Energy Best In State:
Company: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Project: Villa Venezia at Portmarnock in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Interior Merchandiser: The Interiors Group
Water-Wise Home
Winner: Aurora, Water Grand Best In State:
Company: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Project: Villa Venezia at Portmarnock in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Interior Merchandiser: The Interiors Group
Technology House-$1,000,001-$2,000,000
Winner: Aurora, Grand Best In State:
Company: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Project: Villa Venezia at Portmarnock in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Interior Merchandiser: The Interiors Group
Solar Energy Home
Winner: Aurora, Solar Best In State:
Company: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Project: Villa Venezia at Portmarnock in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton
Builder/Developer: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Architect/Designer: Pruett Builders, Inc.
Interior Merchandiser: The Interiors Group