Realty Check

"It’s thoroughly refreshing to operate in a marketplace that’s pro-growth, pro-business and pro-commerce," Todd Gates reported by phone from Panama. "We’re working on an island resort, a commercial building, a 24-story hotel and a marina. Business is booming."

The Jack Parker Corporation has opened eight furnished, multifamily models at Pacifico, the company’s 175-acre, mixed-use development in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica. Company president John Reisman vacationed in the area and was so captivated, he sought a property to give others the same experience.

The models are decorated by Robb & Stucky Interiors, which opened a 4,000-square-foot design studio in Pacifico’s 15,600 square-foot Village Center in January. According to Dan Lubner, vice president of marketing for Robb & Stucky, the company was challenged to select colors and styles that would not only appeal to Floridians, Californians, Costa Ricans and other prospective buyers, but would reflect the character of the country and the lifestyle at Pacifico.

Priced from the upper $100s to the mid-$400s, the homes are built to U.S. standards, with Kohler fixtures and Whirlpool appliances, and are pre-wired for Internet access. The first 56 units are due for completion in August.

Jack Parker senior vice president Kerry Trowbridge said the firm employs U.S. and Costa Rican firms in every phase of the development to ensure the project’s success.

The farthest offsite project is that of Beasley & Henley Interior Design, which will create interiors for four models in a development two hours outside Shanghai. Design principal Troy Beasley says it’s a 20-hour commute to the job site, but he’s happy to deliver the Italian-theme decors for the homes that would sell here in the $6 million range.

The firm is working with Bonita Springs-based Sater Group, which is providing the architectural design for homes that will range from 4,900 to more than 7,000 square feet.

Stofft Cooney Architects is creating a new architectural theme for Aruba’s Tierra del Sol Resort and Country Club. The Naples firm will modify the architectural theme of the community’s existing elements and structures originally designed in a Southwest California-Mediterranean motif, and design new ones in a theme described as contemporary Mediterranean. The 600-acre property includes villas, condominiums and a Robert Trent Jones II 18-hole PGA golf course.

President John Cooney says this is one of several projects the firm is designing throughout the Caribbean.

Models We Love
Frey & Son Homes chose the tranquility of TwinEagles for the Grand Francesca, a single-family, single-story model designed with contemporary conveniences and the timeless appeal of a gracious Italian villa. Tuscan character emanates from the outside with a blend of wood, stone and stucco.

A clever mix of large and small windows draws daylight inside. That sunshine shows off the family room’s wood-beam ceiling and palette of creamy ivories, golds and smoky greens. The lagoon-style pool is accented by a raised, waterfall spa framed in sand-set, chiseled-edge stone pavers. Nearby, the summer kitchen sweetens the prospects of good times outside. The kitchen’s gold- and brown-flecked marble countertops harmonize with maple cabinetry while the center island’s granite surface provides ample space for food prep and storage.

Within 3,831 air-conditioned square feet, the Grand Francesca includes four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a formal living room, dining room and study. The 5,470 total-square-foot furnished model is priced at $2,186,000. Located on Piazza Toscana island and designed by Robb & Stucky Interiors, Residence 806 at Tuscany Reserve conveys the rich look and seductive mood of an elegant Florentine palazzo.

The color scheme skillfully blends hand-painted faux finishes and the colors of sand, sky and water with metallic accents. Stone, wood and silk furnishings coalesce in a dramatic design for comfortable, yet luxurious living. The lakefront home has four bedrooms, six-and-a-half baths, elevator, lower level study, fountains, spiral staircases, pool, pool bath and spa. Key features include a lower level loggia, open courtyard, owner’s suite balcony, art studio and exercise studio.

Design elements in the family room include one-of-a-kind pieces, an oriental heirloom rug and a hand-painted entertainment center. The dining room has a textured tray ceiling and is faux painted with a metallic design. Currently including an equity golf and resort spa membership, the furnished model is offered by WCI Communities at $1,980,075.

Communities We Love
Artesia, the green community WCI has been nurturing in the southeastern sector of Collier County, is blossoming with a variety of new homes just coming out of the ground. The 725-home development will be an Audubon International Gold Signature Sustainable Development, said to be one of 15 in the world.

Homes priced from the high $200s have green building features such as Energy Star appliances, tinted impact-resistant windows, foam insulation in attics, Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) carpets for reduced emissions, air-conditioning systems with environmentally safe refrigerant, irrigation systems for water conservation, environmentally friendly mulch and low-chlorine pool sanitation systems.

There are 44 American Bungalow-style, single-family homes now finished and 33 are under construction. These are two-story floor plans with Spanish and Tuscan elevations, covered lanais and two-car garages. And 33 mansion buildings are under way. Inspired by the architectural style of lakefront estates built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the 23 mansion buildings contain three, two-story homes with one- or two-car attached garages. Two-bedroom, two-bedroom plus loft and three-bedroom plans range from 1,096 to 1,583 square feet of air-conditioned living space.

Six garden villas are done. The one- and two-story homes have been built in Italian and Spanish architectural style. There will be 40 offered in two- and three-bedroom plans with either two, two-and-a-half or three baths. All have two-car garages. Sizes range from 1,302 to 2,400 square feet of air-conditioned living space. Designs also include sanctuary homes and village homes. A village homes model and an American Bungalow model are complete. The Artesia Club will include a clubhouse with fitness and aerobic studios, lap and resort-style pools, casual dining, tennis and basketball courts, playground and a playing field. The community is bordered to the south and west by the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Several buyer incentives are currently available.