An idea was hatched last February, when the Building Savvy team met Dallas-based BSB Design Senior Partner David (Dave) L. Copenhaver, AIA, in touring The New American Home (TNAH)™ 2022. For the fourth time in the history of TNAH, BSB Design was selected as the lead architect for the home, designed to impress throngs of building and design industry professionals attending NAHB’s International Builder’s Show.
BSB stated that the main goal was for the 2022 home was for it to be scalable for different lot sizes and locations. The luxurious home featured top-of-the-line finishes and upscale but casual spaces for everyday life. Beneath all the glamour, though, the plan offered a realistic and manageable program that could be easily replicated for either a custom or production-built environment. The home, built on its narrow lot in Orlando, was designed for the courtyard, its main outdoor space, to be centered within the home for more flow and light. The courtyard became a living example of multi-functional indoor/outdoor connectivity. The floorplan included multiple flex spaces to accommodate multiple lifestyle preferences.
“The two houses built along Midway Road are designed to be flexible and urban spaces. They feature a motor pool and courtyard that reveals a private enclave with many flexible areas for work-from-home and recreation. The depth of the lots allows us to position the entrance in the center of the property, which creates a feeling of privacy even before you enter the house,” commented Nick Smirnis, who has taken the lead in working with Dave on the design of the two homes.
Standing Stone Development (the entity formed by Building Savvy’s Steve Smirnis, Nick Smirnis and long-time homebuilding industry financier Andrew Chooljian) purchased two side-by-side lots on Midway Road in Dallas in late 2021. They began meeting with Dave Copenhaver and BSB as they began to plan for the lot development. Dave’s knowledge of the industry and design trends throughout the country, combined with his commitment to providing immediate response and follow through, make him an invaluable resource. Building Savvy’s publishing team has known John and Nancy Scott of Scott Homebuilders for many years and was thrilled to learn that they also came highly recommended by BSB.
“We are excited about the construction team that has been assembled to build 9325 and 9333 Midway.” said Steve Smirnis. “In working with BSB, we have been able to incorporate a number of the thoughtful and livable aspects that we appreciated from the home we toured at last year’s IBS show, and Nancy and John Scott have already proven themselves invaluable and competent in working with the City of Dallas to get the lots serviced and permitted.”
Construction of the first home is expected to commence in early 2023 and the second home will start soon after. Meanwhile, the team has completed the Building Savvy Idea Home and purchased another lot on Valley Ridge, both in the same neighborhood of Midway Hollow. D Magazine said about the neighborhood, “Sitting just north of Love Field, Midway Hollow is the more affordable alternative to the grander lifestyles found just to the east in Preston Hollow. No longer quite the secret it once was, new investment over the last decade has been transforming the face of the neighborhood that’s increasingly popular thanks to its location so near to the heart of the city.”
The progress and product selections for the homes will be chronicled here on TheSavvyList.com’s “Life on the Site” page.
