Special to
Realty/Builder Connection
Four days in April proved extremely memorable and highly productive for longtime Northeast Florida homebuilder Richard R. Dostie.
That’s when Dostie and members of the Palencia sales and development teams sequestered themselves in a conference room with four members of the Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects & Planners design team to create two new product lines for Dostie’s New Home Collection at the 1,450-acre master-planned community in northern St. Johns County.
“It was teamwork at its very best,” said Dostie of the 4-day consultation service provided by BSB’s Jacksonville office. “We condensed a typical 3- or 4-week design process into four very productive days on location. Everyone involved was focused on the task at hand and decisions were made immediately with instant feedback. The results speak for themselves.”
Relying on design requirements and market input previously provided by Dostie, architect Deryl Patterson, partner for BSB’s Jacksonville office, and BSB designers Tony Lynch, Tim Little and Mike Scratch met twice a day with Dostie and his staff, members of the Palencia sales staff, and representatives of the development team — Houston-based Hines Corp., Jacksonville’s H. Smith, Inc. and Fletcher Land Corp.
The consultation process produced two types of single-family homes whose exteriors will be modeled after four of St. Augustine’s historic residential styles — Folk Victorian, Coastal/Low Country, Bungalow/Craftsman, and Southern Classical — and built in The Village Center adjacent to Palencia’s elaborate clubhouse and multi-sport recreation complex.
A total of seven 3- and 4-bedroom plans in 1- and 2-story configurations offer homebuyers a choice of selecting an innovative alley-loaded garage design with 1,634-2,205 square feet of air-conditioned living space, or a more typical front-loaded garage style with 2,398-2,508 sq. ft. of air-conditioned living area. All plans feature front porches and private courtyards and offer bonus room options.
“By employing front porches and traditional architectural detailing, we’ve created a very pleasing residential streetscape reminiscent of the pre-1940s homes that graced the streets of St. Augustine,” said Patterson. “When all is said and done, it will be like taking a walk down memory lane past homes with all the modern-day comforts and conveniences. The homes will give life to the Village Center which is anchored by Palencia’s clubhouse and community swim and fitness center.”
Targeted at empty nesters, pre-retirees and young, upwardly-mobile professionals, the seven plans offer a wide variety of features including 9- and 10-foot decorative ceilings, multi-paned windows, formal living and dining rooms, large family rooms, and fully-equipped gourmet kitchens with adjoining breakfast rooms.
Those features are complemented by den/bedroom options, master suites with his-and-hers walk-in wardrobes, and master baths with his-and-her vanities, Roman-style tubs and glass-enclosed showers.
Dostie’s homes in The Village Center at Palencia have not yet been priced but are expected to go on sale in the fourth quarter. At least one furnished model is expected to be ready for viewing then.