MEDIA RELEASE
The Wilbert Group
November 14, 2018 4:00 p.m.
AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA (Nov. 14, 2018) – Crane Island, the low impact, 185-acre master planned community on Amelia Island, has been selected as the site of the highly anticipated 2019 Southern Living Idea House.
In collaboration with the developer Crane Island Real Estate, LLC and Atlanta-based architecture and planning firm Historical Concepts, Southern Living has assembled an award-winning team with Jacksonville-based homebuilder Riverside Homes and interior designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas, whose firm is based in Birmingham, Alabama, to bring the vision to life. The team will break ground on the Southern Living Idea House on Friday, Nov. 16 and construction will be completed in early May 2019.
Located directly on an Intracoastal Waterway homesite within Crane Island’s luxury 113-home community, the 2019 Southern Living Idea House embodies the Lowcountry lifestyle, the island’s natural beauty and the nearby Fernandina Beach Historic District. The 4,540-square-foot artisan homestead will feature an open floor plan with a spacious kitchen and four bedrooms, including a master suite on the main level, an upstairs bunkroom and a guest suite above the garage.
The preservation of century-old trees, optimum breezes and unobstructed views of the Intracoastal Waterway along with frontage on Crane Island’s Alice Park offer a private and tranquil setting. Additional design highlights include a hidden pantry, mudroom, wine bar, elevator and a nine-foot, bi-fold sliding glass wall in the main living space that maximizes waterfront views.
“Crane Island is honored to host the 2019 Southern Living Idea House,” said Jack Healan, Jr., president and co-developer of Crane Island. “This world-class team of national and regional talent has come together to create a modern Southern home that fits seamlessly into the fabric of our island within an island. This milestone marks an important chapter not just in the story of Crane Island, but for the greater Amelia Island community as well.”
With a long, linear façade and landscaping composed of only native plants, the arrival experience at the 2019 Southern Living Idea House will be a grand event. In line with the timeless vernacular created by Crane Island’s architectural guild, the indoor-outdoor connection is made throughout the home with over 2,250 square feet devoted to porch space, including front and back porches on both levels as well as a screened porch with an outdoor fireplace on the side of the home. Bridging together one’s public and private realms, these outdoor living rooms will be a place to reconnect with neighbors and nature throughout the year—a signature piece of the Crane Island experience.
“The heart of the home is the living and gathering areas, where the kitchen and living room merge and spill into the rear and screened porches,” said Chris Wood, vice president at Riverside Homes. “Throughout the design process, we thought of our own families and how we spend time together. This multigenerational home will be a place for parents, grandparents and children to enjoy at various stages of life.”
Functioning as a base camp to explore and enjoy the coastal lifestyle, homes at Crane Island are crafted for active residents with discerning design and environmental sensibilities. Hillegas, a former style director for Southern Living, will help to interpret this vision for the 2019 Southern Living Idea House.
“Southern Living is thrilled to have Heather Chadduck Hillegas as the interior decorator for the 2019 Southern Living Idea House on Crane Island,” said Nicole Hendrick at Southern Living. “Her impeccable taste perfectly complements the design perspectives of Historical Concepts and Riverside Homes. We can’t wait to see the completed project this Spring.”
Since the early 1980s, Southern Living selects just one Idea House location each year from cities across the Southeast and builds a model home to showcase creative ideas and inspiration for prospective and current homeowners. Historical Concepts has participated in the development of more than 14 houses for Southern Living and its sister publications including Coastal Living and Cottage Living throughout the past 20 years.
“The 2019 rendition of the Southern Living Idea House is particularly special to me because of its location and high pedigree of design talents that are collaborating for this hallmark home on Crane Island,” said Jim Strickland, founder of Historical Concepts. “I fondly remember visiting Amelia Island as a young man, and it’s an honor to be back in this role, designing a home that reflects the unique culture and history of the region.”
The 2019 Southern Living Idea House is currently available for sale by Crane Island Real Estate, LLC. Custom homes at Crane Island range from the $800’s to $3 million plus.
About Southern Living:
Southern Living celebrates the essence of life in the South, covering the best in Southern food, homes, gardens, and travel. Reaching more than 23 million people each month, Southern Living connects consumers to the region’s rich culture through a variety of print, digital, mobile, and event platforms. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the rapidly expanding Southern Living brand is produced by Meredith Corporation.
About Crane Island:
Crane Island is a luxury 113-home master planned community on Florida’s Amelia Island, a part of the Sea Islands Chain of barrier islands on the Atlantic Coast. With over 3,500 feet of Intracoastal Waterway frontage and over 4,000 feet abutting salt marshes, the 185-acre site is the last parcel of waterfront land on Amelia Island. The sustainable community will preserve approximately 100 acres, including the majority of the mature maritime forest – a unique feature that creates seasonality within the coastal environment. Upon completion, Crane Island will more than double the home sites available on the Intracoastal Waterway.
With the first phase now open and phase two well underway with an expected completion in early 2019, Crane Island will emerge as a connected island hamlet that celebrates the site’s history and natural surroundings, complete with a bird sanctuary, community park, gardens, walking and biking paths, day dock and beach access. At Crane Island, every home will offer a beautiful gift to the street with approximately 20 to 25 percent of space dedicated to the porch experience. Custom homes range from the $800’s to $3 million plus. For more information, visit craneisland.com.
About the developers:
The vision for Crane Island was born from two longtime friends and business executives, Saad Wallan and Jack Healan Jr. It’s the first new development in the area offering deep water access to the Intracoastal Waterway in 15 years. Both Wallan and Healan are committed to honoring and protecting the island’s storied past and natural environment, and building a timeless, connected community where life begins and ends on the front porch.
Wallan, an international businessman, brings experience from his tenure in the automotive, aviation and real estate industries. Healan, former President of the Amelia Island Company, is highly regarded for his 30-plus years of involvement in the development of Amelia Island Plantation, Marsh Lakes and Brady Point Preserve. In 2012, they formed a partnership to pursue real estate opportunities. Recognizing Crane Island as Amelia Island’s final waterfront property, the partners purchased it in 2014. The community is slated for completion in 2024.
About Historical Concepts:
Founded in 1982 by Yale alumnus James L. Strickland, Historical Concepts is a traditional architecture and planning firm well known for creating exceptional homes that capture the spirit of the past yet embrace modern living. The firm’s designs are informed by historic precedent and incorporate the principles of classical scale, proportion and detail, attributes which have resulted in prestigious design accolades. Historical Concepts is the recipient of numerous awards from organizations such as the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, AIA Atlanta and the Congress for New Urbanism. The firm has also won multiple Southern Home and Palladio Awards.
About Riverside Homes:
Riverside Homes is a locally owned homebuilder that is committed to providing exceptional value, quality and innovative designs that homeowners are looking for. As an award-winning homebuilder, Riverside Homes was recently voted “Best of St. Augustine,” winner of “Best of Houzz” three years running and the recipient of many other awards and accolades. Riverside Homes is currently building in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Atlantic Beach, Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, St. Johns and Fleming Island. For more information about Riverside Homes, contact [email protected] or call 904-530-4720.
Wow…how exciting. I remember one a few years ago on Cumberland Harbor. This sounds quite a bit bigger.
Wow. Built with “Environmental Sensibilities” I love that, Just how do you build a 10,000 sq ft home, for a retired couple, living seasonal, with “Environmental Sensibilities”? In the Building plans, If folks plan to live in these Homes passed the year 2050, I would suggest building them on 6 foot pilings. Just Sayin’