Solivita model home materials donated to Habitat for Humanity’s Home Store

July 11, 2005

Avatar Properties Inc. and Solivita are in the process of donating everything, including the kitchen sinks.

The developer-builder is in the process of disassembling the 13 homes in the original model home park in its active adult community of Solivita and donating the materials to Habitat for Humanity’s Home Store in Orlando where they are sold to individuals, contractors and property owners.

“It’s a gift from heaven…a blessing beyond our wildest dreams,” said store manager Shirley Jones, who estimates the materials from Avatar will net Habitat close to $50,000. “It’s one of the largest donations we’ve ever received.”

Jones said “100 percent of the proceeds” from the sale of furniture, kitchen cabinets, doors, hardware, light fixtures, sinks, commodes, Jacuzzi tubs, hot water tanks, electrical outlets, switch plates and other items will go to pay for building new Habitat homes.

“We’re selling the items as fast as they’re coming out of the homes. We’ve barely had enough time to price the items,” said Jones, noting one custom home builder paid $4,800 for two sets of kitchen cabinets five minutes after they were priced.

The Home Store crew, led by assistant manager Tom Dixon, has had 3-6 men working 6-8 hours a day for two weeks removing materials, according to Solivita’s Bari Stone, who has been overseeing the operation.

The removal will culminate Saturday morning July 16^th when Avatar construction crews, using electric chipping hammers donated by Rental World of Kissimmee, will be joined by Habitat staff at 9 a.m. to remove windows from the homes and participate in a pizza party. Demolition of the model homes will commence August 1^st.

“The entire project has been a fabulous partnership,” said Stone, crediting Solivita president Helen McEnerney with the idea of donating the materials to Habitat’s Home Store after reading about the February opening of the store’s new 23,000 sq. ft. warehouse on North Orange Blossom Trail, just south of Princeton Avenue.

“As good neighbors and longstanding members of the homebuilding community we chose to donate the materials to Habitat’s Home Store which has played a major role in meeting the housing needs of the less fortunate since 2002,” said McEnerney, who spearheaded a similar project with Habitat for Humanity while working in California.

“Most everything we’ve donated here is like new, especially the sinks and commodes which were never used because the models never had working plumbing,” McEnerney explained.

Jones said the Home Store’s pricing for materials is computed by reviewing on-line and home improvement store prices and then reduced. The store will deliver the merchandise for a fee, which is based on the size of an item and the distance to be traveled.

“It’s companies like Avatar that make a difference in the lives of people who otherwise couldn’t afford a home,” said Jones. “We hope we can continue to partner with Avatar for some time to come.”

More about Solivita

Winner of Builder magazine’s coveted Grand Award as America’s Best Retirement Community, Solivita is planned for 6,500 residences on 4,300 acres being developed in the Polk County portion of Poinciana. One of hottest selling active adult community’s in America, Solivita posted 760 sales for $163.6 million in 2004. Solivita features an upscale town center commercial and recreational complex, including the Stonegate golf course which was named one of the Top 100 New Courses in America. Solivita’s stylish homes played a major role in Avatar earning a prestigious 2003 Apex Award from Big Builder magazine for producing America’s Most Innovative Product Design. For more information contact Solivita president Helen McEnerney at (863) 427-7056 or Solivita broker coordinator Bari Stone at (407) 427-7022. To learn more about Solivita, log onto the community’s web site at www.solivita.com.

More about Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity Orlando is part of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization which seeks to eliminate substandard housing and homelessness worldwide. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando, Inc. has built approximately 110 homes since 1986. Habitat homes are built by homeowners and volunteers, and then purchased by the homeowner with an interest-free mortgage. The Habitat Home Store was founded in 2002 and offers a warehouse of new and used building supplies and used appliances, furniture, accessories, and other second hand goods. Located at 2105 N. Orange Blossom Trail, the store is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Donations and volunteers are welcome. For details call store manager Shirley Jones at (407) 426-7192 or (407) 426-7859. To learn more, log onto the web site at www.habitat-orlando.org.