The Coastal Living Magazine Idea House Has Sold
The Coastal Living Magazine Idea House, which was designed by Michael Imber and built by American Villas, was sold this past June. The tours are now over however not before more than 4,000 visitors had the opportunity to tour and admire the homes' design and construction. We were privileged to have the Galveston Historical Foundation provide the volunteers for the tours and they were the recipient of all ticket proceeds. The new owners have already moved in and are enjoying all the beauty and comforts of their home which overlooks the wide beaches of Galveston's eastern shore.

American Villas is working diligently on three additional homes in Beachtown's East Village, which is adjacent to the Idea House. Each home has been designed by a different nationally acclaimed New Urban Guild architect and completion of construction is expected to be by the end of summer. Withstanding Hurricane Ike has aroused a great deal of curiosity regarding the building standards being implemented by American Villas. As a result, thousands of visitors from across the country have come to witness first-hand how the homes are being constructed.

The same attention to detail that has been placed on the exterior design and construction techniques can be found in each homes' interior as well. Master carpenters have been brought in to work on the interior trim in each home. The high quality of carpentry is reminiscent of the interior trim found in the Historic homes of Galveston. The tiles, flooring, colors, paint quality, and fixtures being selected have created a dream environment for designers to work and a relaxing home for beach lovers to live. The highest quality of products, with a beach décor, are being provided and range from Brazilian walnut hardwood floors to Egyptian limestone. The covered, in-ground swimming pools, located in the backyard and facing the beach, is yet another unique and sought after feature found in these homes. Beachtown is the only community in Galveston that is allowed to build an in-ground pool on the beachfront due to its vast accreting beach.

Construction Activity
Alongside the three homes under construction in East Village by American Villas are two designed homes by Michael Imber who has once again demonstrated his superior architectural skills. McDaniel Construction has taken on the task of skillfully building Imber's vision and design into beautiful homes for the property owners who will soon be able to enjoy their beachside residences.

Many other residences are under construction in Beachtown's Village One as well. Interior lot owners are excited to see the design and construction of Vic and Jenny's beautiful home situated along the Beachtown Passage which features a unique carriage house behind their main residence. Gulf Coast Custom Homes is also busy building a beachfront home for one of their New York clients. The Positano Townhomes will soon be complete which was designed by South Carolina architect Eric Brown and is being built by American Villas. The quality of construction and design is a must-see for these townhomes.

Beachtown's Town Center building, situated at the heart of the community, is progressing forward. The market and café to be housed on the first habitable level are expected to open early next year. The exquisite lofts above the retail have 12' high ceilings with certain units having spacious wrap around porches that overlook the Town Square and bocce ball court.

New Architects
Three nationally acclaimed architects and designers from around the country have been added to the recommended list of architects at Beachtown. The newly added architects will provide more choices for lot owners and will continue the vision of the Town Founder of creating a beloved place. Like all recommended architects in Beachtown, Christine Franck of New York, Mike Waller of New Orleans, and Bud Lawrence of Fort Meyers are members of the New Urban Guild and are experts in traditional architecture. They are all actively involved in designing homes at Beachtown and are familiar with the architectural guidelines set forth for the community. Their extraordinary talents and experience will add exceptional charm to the architecture of Beachtown.

Dune Walkovers And Weddings
The beautiful dune walkovers and pavilions located in Beachtown's Village One have reopened, providing access over the recently restored dunes to the wide, sandy beaches. The main pavilion was designed to create an intimate and romantic space for everyone to enjoy and has been a popular wedding spot, being featured in the wedding section of the Houston Chronicle. With summer upon us, many calls have been coming in to the Beachtown Sales Center inquiring if they could access the space for their upcoming weddings.

Rebirth Of Galveston
Beachtown celebrated the "Rebirth of Galveston" on May 1st with the official opening of the Coastal Living Magazine Idea House. The opening was a signal to all that the Island is recovering from the devastating impact that Hurricane Ike left in its wake. Over 1000 people showed their support by touring the home in the first weekend of May. Town Founder, Tofigh Shirazi, thanked the City Officials and staff for their heroic and tireless efforts to rebuild the City in his opening speech. Shortly after, Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas, UTMB president David Callender and Tofigh Shirazi joined together for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Also in attendance at the celebration were Bill McDougal of Coastal Living Magazine, Idea House architect Michael Imber, and Idea House interior designer Susan Bozeman.

The recent announcement by the University of Texas regents to reopen UTMB, the largest employer on the Island and one of the oldest and most prestigious university hospitals in the nation, gave more reason to celebrate the "Rebirth of Galveston". The Island is being rebuilt stronger than ever and UTMB will remain as an icon of the nation's training and research medical centers.

The mindset, sense of pride, and unity that is shared by Galvestonians acted as the framework that brought everyone together to rebuild this Historic Town and is one of a kind. Many have been amazed at Galveston's quick recovery just months after being hit by the full force of Hurricane Ike's Category 4 storm surge, which hasn't been experienced since the devastating 1900 Hurricane. Galveston Island stands out as a leader in storm recovery and a leader in coastal living with its unique locale along the upper Texas Gulf Coast despite the challenges of nature. Beachtown, who is implementing the gold standard of hurricane construction, is going through a new building boom and taking note of lessons learned.

» (Video) - Beachtown on ABC News after hurricane Ike

Galveston Historical Foundation
Galveston has the largest Historic District in Texas and the Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) is the second largest by membership in the United States. It is imperative that this active Foundation receive financial support in its efforts to maintain the integrity of the Island's beautiful buildings and homes as well as to uphold Galveston's unique historical status. The history of Galveston Island is reflected in these magnificent structures and joining GHF will help to preserve Galveston's Historic District which is a national treasure. Beachtown was proud of its partnership with GHF and the role we played in helping raise funds to preserve Galveston's Historic District.

For information about GHF contact www.galvestonhistory.org or
call 409-765-7834.

Beachtown's First Baby
In November, 2007, the Beachtown Team was expanded with the birth of Baby Grace and on May 12, 2009 another beautiful girl named Macall Avery was born to parents who are building their primary residence in Beachtown.

Beachtown's Town Founder, once wrote about his dream for Beachtown: "Imagine a town where children's laughter rings out as they play in the alleys behind their homes, safely away from the danger of oncoming traffic."

Congratulations to the new parents and we can't wait to hear your daughter's laughter in the alley!