The VillaRiva condominium in Jacksonville’s Riverside area is in the midst of a flurry of activity as the community prepares to play host to one of the most popular and well attended events of the year - the 2005 SunTrust Symphony Showhouse XXX.
From May 7-29, two of the floorplans, as well as the common areas and grounds, will be toured by an estimated 10,000 guests who come to see the latest trends in home design.
VillaRiva developer Bryan Weber said the project is are close to a sellout and the community’s town homes are now under construction. Nonetheless, he considers it an honor to be chosen as the event host.
“When discussions first began with the Symphony Guild as to our hosting this year’s Showhouse, we had only recently begun construction,” he said. “We knew that VillaRiva would be a magnificent community, but it had not started to take shape yet. It is an exciting time for us as we draw nearer to completion, and to be host to such a prominent and worthwhile event is truly an honor.”
Watching the construction progress as plans are finalized has been an interesting process for Gloria Wells, this year’s Showhouse director. She has been involved with Symphony Showhouses since the early 1980s, but believes the 2005 event has the potential to be the most successful to date.
In the fall of 2004, a committee chose 30 of northeast Florida’s top designers to collaborate on designing the Showhouse’s 21 rooms. The event will start with a party on April 29 called Under Venetian Stars, complete with a gondola and other Venetian-inspired designs to transport guests to the shores of Venice. BMW will also be on hand to introduce a few of its latest models.
After a few more parties hosted by other sponsors, the Showhouse will be open to the public, except for Mondays, from May 7-29.
Other events include a luncheon and fashion show of vintage clothing, various lectures on design trends and on site wine tastings, as well as the chance to win violins painted by one of several local artists.
Weber expects the Showhouse to help sell the remaining few condominiums that VillaRiva has on the market.
“The design plans for these two homes are great; they will really show the potential that the two different floorplans can offer,” he said. “Visitors will see one contemporary and one traditional home design, and that will appeal to a range of tastes and preferences. If we are not sold out before May, I predict that the Showhouse event will put us over the top.”