1 Story "Green Built" Traditional Housing for Active Adults

Front Porch Homes & the Cotton Crossing Development in Woodway are introducing a new series of house plans geared to the Empty Nester & Retiree crowd. The houses will feature many of the standard "Green" practices, including spray foam insulation, tankless waterheaters, and Low E vinyl windows. All of the houses will be designed based on traditional architectural designs, such as Bungalow, Colonial, Farm House, French Country, Shingle and many others.

"We had such a positive response to the houses that we were building in Phase I at Cotton Crossing, however, the number one comment we recieved was 'we love your concept and building product, but we want it in a one story, that is energy efficient and doesn't sacrifice the curb appeal of the house." Well, we listened, and that is what we have now begun to offer. Front Porch Homes has already begun the design of a single story custom in Phase II that will be located on a corner lot that backs up to the new "Charleston Park".

We have numerous single story plans to choose from. Typically, we use our floor plan library as a starting point. We will review hundreds of plans and narrow it down to a few plans that most agree with the customers style and taste. From there we will typically, custom draw a new plan that incorporates all of their wants and needs, all the while maintaining their unique style.

Other market research that we found useful was that the Empty Nester, Active Adult, Retired crowd are all interested in cost savings & energy efficiency, but are not very knowledgeable about "Green Building". As it turns out, the single best way to gain the cost savings in your energy bills in a new house is basically through some of the more popular "Green" practices. These would include the spray foam insulation and tankless water heaters. One story houses in Cotton Crossing, built by Front Porch Homes will start in the 190's and range into the mid to upper 200's. Front Porch Homes will also build on an individuals lot on a case by case basis and depending on the price of the lot, the total cost can actually go down quite a bit.

For more information you can reference the websites below or Contact Mark at 254-495-1241

http://www.cottoncrossingtx.com/

Green & Sustainable, Front Porch Homes Utilizes James Hardie Siding

James Hardie® products are rare in that they combine beauty and durability and also are considered "Green and Sustainable" by industry professionals.



Low maintenance

"I've been using Hardie siding in the Texas heat for over 10 years. The homes I built then still look brand new today."Jim Sargent, GMB, CGB, CAPS

Specified on LEED® certified buildings

The Robert Redford Building for the Natural Resources Defense Council, ranked among the highest LEED® rated buildings in America.Designed by Moule and Polyzoides Architects and Urbanists

Local materials and resources

Operating 10 manufacturing facilities enables you to support the regional economy and reduce the environmental impacts resulting from transportation of materials.



Sustainability

"I've used James Hardie siding for years and have been delighted with the results. It's sustainable and the only product I will consider substituting for wood."Sarah Susanka, FAIA



Durability

"HardieBacker™ cement board is our choice for wet area walls and floors. Its moisture resistance and Moldblock™ technology ensure durability and a commitment to quality we can trust."Sebastian Lombardo, Lombardo Homes



Natural raw materials (wood pulp, cement, sand and water)

"Green products shouldn't be made from endangered materials. One of the reasons James Hardie products are 'green' is because they incorporate natural ingredients that are low in toxicity. And, they last longer than other products." Peter Pfeiffer, FAIA, designer of the first Zero-Energy Home



Better building envelope

"Where cladding systems such as fiber-cement siding shine is that they allow air circulation and don't inhibit drainage. That's very different from a stucco assembly or a brick veneer."Joseph Lstiburek, BASC, M.ENG., PH.D, P.ENG

"Once we researched the market and realized how superior James Hardie Siding was, not only as a "Green Product" but as an external veneer that can give Cotton Crossing & Front Porch Homes the Traditional Architectural look that will look good for years to come, Hardie-Plank was the only choice."

Mark P. Felton II, Developer of Cotton Crossing in Woodway, Tx and President of Frontera Development & Front Porch Homes.

Waco New Home Journal "Common Design Mistakes"

Front Porch Homes features famed architect Mariane Cusato discussing "Common Design Mistakes"

This is a quick, but very informative segment on how to avoid the common mistakes and regrets that people have when they are building or remodling a home.

Front Porch Homes is one of Waco's leading new home builders. We like to take the same comprehensive approach to the building process. Taking the time to view every aspect of how the design, layout and flow of the house will work for you and your family will pay off in dividends when the project is complete. Typically, everybody will say, "I wish we had thought to do that when we built". It is a painful reminder every day that you live in that house.

Currently, Front Porch Homes is building in Cotton Crossing, Rancho Lorena, and Lost Oaks. We will also custom build for customers on their lot as long as it is not too far out of the Waco area.

For more information on Front Porch Homes design/build consulting on a new home in Waco or for people who are interested in Green Building, please call Mark P. Felton 254-751-7150. Front Porch Homes is an active member of the Heart of Texas Builders Associaton and a regsitered builder with the Texas Residential Construction Commission.

New Waco Houses Emphasize Design & Architecture

Houses built by Front Porch Homes feature traditional architectural styles, unique color combinations, and creative floor plans and layouts. Front Porch Homes is an annual participant in the HOTBA Parade of Homes and is building in the Cotton Crossing & Rancho Lorena master planned communites to name a few. They will also build on customers individual lots as well.

New Urbanism in Waco & Texas

The following article was recently published in the Waco Tribune Herald and is written by the nationally renowned economist, Ray Perryman, whose Perryman Group is based in Waco. He briefly cites how New Urbanism is sprouting up in Waco and all over the State of Texas.


Ray Perryman: 'New urbanism' changing cities' faces

Sunday, March 16, 2008
Ongoing projects relating to “new urbanism” in Austin have resulted in that city being selected as the host for the 16th annual Congress for New Urbanism scheduled next month.
The assembly will focus on methods for enabling communities to expand living and business opportunities in a responsible manner.
Waco will be paying attention as well.
Austin, with a variety of endeavors ranging from a new rail system to downtown high-rise residences, is typical of cities across the country that are facing population growth, employment expansion, and the resulting transportation and congestion issues.
New urbanism, which began a few years ago, is a movement that focuses on developing more compact communities, somewhat similar to small European neighborhoods. In these areas, pedestrian traffic is often preferred to automobile travel.
New urbanism also includes endeavors to provide diverse, vibrant and pedestrian-friendly living and work environments. In almost all cases, along with the construction of specialized residences, generous space is allocated for multi-use purposes, including retail operations.
New urbanist projects
Currently, more than 4,000 new urbanist projects are planned or under construction across the U.S.
The transformation of the Waco Square into a mixed-used, high-density development is one such effort.
Until fairly recently, new urbanism had not attracted a lot of attention in the Lone Star State, even though it has been popular in other states for quite some time.
However, last year, the demand for luxury living led to construction of high-rise apartments and condominiums in many of Texas’ major metros.
Nearly $400 million was authorized for these kinds of facilities in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Commercial, public and residential facilities recently completed or planned in Houston will likely far eclipse that amount.
These and other cities are also considering further needs and opportunities for the future. Included are those designed to rebuild neighborhoods to stave off decay, diminish crime and provide economically attractive living quarters.
Recent housing problems in Florida, California and elsewhere have tended to slow urbanism activities in those areas. As a result, greater interest and investment are being directed to the Third Coast, the name by which the Texas Gulf Coast area is sometimes called, because beach-front property is still available at more reasonable costs compared to the other coasts.
This wave of new urbanism spans oceanfront sites from Galveston to South Padre Island. The total amount of expenditures projected is upwards of $3 billion over the short term. Many of these communities are expected to attract those from out-of-state as well as individuals and families currently residing in Texas.
Some of the Texas Gulf Coast projects feature complete new communities, or villages, while others are directed more toward improving historic areas and expanding multi-use opportunities.
The majority of housing being provided in the coastal environment is single-family dwellings, but high-rise and mid-rise condominiums are also included.
In these areas, caution is being taken to make certain that developments are controlled and that they include retail and restaurants, which will significantly enlarge the tax base for these areas.
As baby boomers begin to search for investments and select retirement homes, the Texas Gulf Coast is receiving closer examination. Foreign investors are also considering the coastal regions of the state.
Although the housing crisis and credit crunch have gripped much of the U.S., developments in various Texas metros, plus those in open spaces that define the state’s coast, are defying the trend and bringing a wave of optimism for new economic opportunities in the future.
Economist Ray Perryman is CEO of the Perryman Group. He also serves as distinguished professor of economic theory and method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies.

http://www.cottoncrossing.net/
http://www.rancholorena.com/
http://www.perrymangroup.com/index.html

New Homes in Waco "Cozy Cottage at Cotton Crossing"

Click Here for a Free Virtual Tour!

This Cozy Cottage has a full suite of custom amenities. There are vaulted ceilings in the Kitchen, Dining, Living and Master Suite. The Kitchen features a gas range in the island, with a center vent-a-hood, custom built & faux finished cabinetry, hand scraped hard wood floors, granite countertops. The master suite features a comfortable bath with dual vanities, with marble tops, subway tile backsplash throughout the bath & shower and a large soaking tub with jets. There is also a nice privacy porch off of the master that backs up to one of the lakes at Cotton Crossing. Master closets are walk-ins with cedar shelving. This house is "Green-Built" by Front Porch Homes and is featuring a Tankless Water Heater, Spray Foam insulation, and Energy Efficient vinyl windows. The "Cozy Cottage" has a projected monthly energy bill of $85/mo(Certified by Energywise Engineers). There are too many other features to mention with out seeing it for yourself.

For more information call Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241

http://www.300heatherrun-cottoncrossing.com/

Waco New House Journal "Cookie Cutters No More!"

"Cookie Cutters" is a slang housing term refering to new home construction that all looks the same or as the phrase goes: cut out like a cookie. Over and over again, across the country, builders are building the same house usually right next to each other in a single row going right down the same street. I will concede that most of this process evolved out of the need for cost efficiency and the builders trying to maintain affordable houseing, but enough is enough.

At any given price point, and any given set of building materials, character, detail, functional design and use of color can affect the look of a house and cause one to look much better than the other with everything else being the same.

That being said, the mission of Front Porch Homes and many other builders across the country is to build new construction, up to code, that is energy efficient, has character and curb appeal, and is an asset to the neighborhood for years to come.

http://www.200prestwick-cottoncrossing.com/
http://www.300heatherrun-cottoncrossing.com/
http://www.cottoncrossing.net/
http://www.rancholorena.com/