By Jean Sealey
Northeast Florida Builders Association
Northeast Florida Builders Association members traveled to Oz to discover who the winners were in this year’s Parade of Homes.
Thirty-five members of the Northeast Florida Builders Association entered 80 of their finest designs in the best First Coast neighborhoods, and on June 3 at the Florida Theatre, the winners were announced.
The day before the Parade began, 22 out-of-town judges in groups of two or three visited each of the homes to evaluate them with a professional eye. From Nassau County to St. Johns County, throughout Duval and Clay counties, the judges traveled from home to home, comparing design, curb appeal, special features and other facets of new-home construction. Categories were determined by pricing so that similarly priced homes were grouped together.
Home prices in this year’s Parade began in the $97,000s and topped out at more than $2 million. The majority of the homes were between $275,000 and $600,000.
For eight days, area residents were able to visit the 80 model homes and select their own choices. On June 3, builders were told which homes the judges selected in the 21 price categories. A first-place gold and second-place silver winner were named in each category.
The evening carried out the Parade’s theme - the immortal words of Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz,” “There’s no place like home.”
Jerry Linder, NEFBA vice president and president of The Vintage Group, portrayed the Wizard, which certainly tested Linder’s acting ability given the size discrepancy between Linder, more than 6 feet tall, and the diminutive fictional wizard.
Taking the role of the beautiful Witch of the North, Glinda, was Linda Hutchins of LandMar, and Judy Watterson-Russ of Admiral Homes was the effervescent Dorothy.
Also appearing in the star-studded event were Linda Moore, Harmony Homes. as the Wicked Witch of the West; Mike Taylor, Hines, as the scarecrow; Frank Graham of Gibraltar Mortgage, as the cowardly lion; and Phil Aitken of Adams Remco, as the tin man.
Martyn Adshead of Florida Concrete and Products Association announced the winner of the concrete-block home of the year. Arthur Rutenberg Homes in Queen’s Harbour, Royal Coast Builders, was honored as the best concrete-block home, as well as the Parade winner in the price category between $1 million and $2 million.