Tampa Tribune Builder Profile - April 18th, 2004

Recreated from the Tampa Tribune

REAL ESTATE
Sunday, April 18, 2004 * (813) 259-7500 * TBO.com
Builder Profile

Avalon Building Corp.'s newest models have ‘visually stunning design

By KENNETH HALL
Special Sections correspondent

Ralph Zuckerman, president of Avalon Building Corp., studies the design of homes priced at more than $1 million and incorporates the elegant details and features into his company's models at a fraction of the cost.

Zuckerman says Avalon homes' quality construction and "visually stunning" design are apparent in the company's three latest models: the Avalon IV, the Antigua, and the Captiva.

All three models in the Seven Oaks community were part of the 2004 Tampa Bay Builder's Association Parade of Homes, but Zuckerman is especially excited about the Captiva. "It's absolutely stunning," he says of the 3,920-square-foot, two-story home.
"As you walk in the front door, the stairs come down through the house at an angle, dividing the living room from the family room," he explains. "Wrought-iron railing goes up the stairs and all around the play loft so that the living room has a 21-foot ceiling with wrought-iron railing on the second floor."

Zuckerman adds that the five windows that line the room, starting 16 feet above the floor, flood the living area with natural light. "It's a very dramatic room," he says.
He says the Captiva's "huge" double-island kitchen features a large breakfast nook and windows overlooking the lanai and pool in back. A walkthrough butler's pantry leads to the dining room, which is separated from the living room by a stylish columned archway.
A built-in gas fireplace and sitting area complements the 16 ½ -by-20-foot master bedroom that is as large as the family room. The master bedroom features an oversize garden tub and walk-in shower. "The master suite is like being in a five-star hotel," Zuckerman says.
"When we design a home, we like to make the rooms people spend the most time in very large," he explains.

Another appealing feature of the Captiva, according to Zuckerman, is the location of the den, which is secluded and private, rather than adjacent to a high-traffic area.
Three upstairs bedrooms and a large play loft with space for a sofa, entertainment center and separate desk area are standard in the Captiva, as is the three-car garage. The optional second-story bonus room is 17 feet by 20 feet.

Although Avalon builds in established planned communities, Zuckerman says that building on customers' own lots is an important part of the company's business.
"We give our customers a great value for their housing dollar," he explains. "They get award-winning designs, elegant details and features typically found in much more expensive homes, starting at about $71 per square foot."

The 3,654-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bathroom Antigua, which includes a three-car garage, is priced from $268,900, not including the lot, with the optional bonus room. The master bathroom has a free-form tub and shower deck in the shape of a whale with the whale's tail flowing into the shower to form the shower seat. The pattern is repeated on the drop-down ceiling.

"If you're in the shower in the Antigua master bathroom, you can look out the 10-foot windows into a private tropical solarium garden with a fountain. That's something you'd only find in more expensive homes," Zuckerman says.

The 3,170-square-foot Avalon IV has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a three-car garage. It is priced from $224,900, not including lot. The two-story Captiva, with the optional bonus room, is priced from $291,900, not including lot.

Zuckerman says the company is finalizing plans to begin building in a new community in Pasco County late this year or early 2005. The lots in the private and gated Forrest Oaks, near Wesley Chapel, will be half-acre wooded lots.

The Avalon Building Corp.'s model center at Seven Oaks is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
For information, visit www.avalonbuildingcorp.com online or call 813-907-3431.

The Captiva is a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a den and a loft in 3,923 square feet of living area.