Lake Forest, CA (PRWEB) January 13, 2014

Grand opening on February 8, 2014 is the first village at Baker Ranch, a new recreational and open space-oriented 2,380-home community on the largest undeveloped site in the scenic Orange County city of Lake Forest, CA.

Created through a partnership between Shea Homes and Toll Brothers, Baker Ranch is planned to encompass nearly 375 acres atop a broad mesa bordered by roughly 900 acres of open space and situated along the foothills of Lake Forest, CA. At build-out, the new community is envisioned to offer three villages encompassing nearly 2,380 residential units within neighborhoods of single-family detached homes, townhomes and other attached living residences as well as apartment homes. Plus, more than 30 acres of parks and recreational facilities are planned; and Baker Ranch residents will pay NO Mello-Roos taxes.

Village One at Baker Ranch will officially grand open on February 8, 2014 with six residential neighborhoods and an impressive offering of parks, pools and other recreational and social amenities making it the first and only new master-planned community to open in Orange County in 2014, said Seth Ring, President of Toll Brothers Southern California Division. And, since Baker Ranch residents will not have to pay any Mello-Roos taxes, theyll benefit from a lower cost of living as compared to other Orange County planned communities.

In addition to the homes by Shea Homes and Toll Brothers, Baker Ranch is envisioned to include a wide range of recreational facilities including a Central Linear Park in the heart of the community, the sport-oriented Baker Ranch Community Park, The Grove clubhouse with resort-style lagoon pool/spa, cabanas, and separate quiet pool and spa area, as well as several additional neighborhood parks. Plus, Baker Ranch has been planned to include Borrego Linear Park, highlighted by a multi-user trail system which runs along a portion of the Borrego Wash and connects with the County of Orange regional trails network, leading to thousands of acres of open space at nearby Limestone Canyon and Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

Baker Ranch also is central to key highways including the Foothill Transportation Corridor (241 tollroad), the I-5 and I-405 as well as major employment centers, shopping, dining and entertainment, and miles of beaches along the Pacific Ocean.

The combination of Baker Ranchs view-oriented setting and its many recreational/ social amenities combined with its proximity to open space, recreation, quick and easy access to employment, the beach, and all sorts of additional Orange County destinations, makes Baker Ranch the most highly anticipated new planned community to debut in Orange County in 2014, said Bob Yoder, President of Shea Homes - Southern California Division. In fact, more than 5,000 prospective homebuyers have already registered on the Baker Ranch Information List found at our new community website, http://www.LiveatBakerRanch.com. And, we just launched our Baker Ranch Facebook page as well.

The new Baker Ranch website offers engaging videos from the Baker Ranch planning team and even local community leaders, details on the collection of Village One homes by Shea Homes and Toll Brothers, facts and figures about local schools and open space parks, as well as illustrations of the many on-site recreational amenities now preparing for Baker Ranchs early 2014 grand opening. Additional content is expected to be added to the Baker Ranch website and Facebook page as the grand opening approaches.

Baker Ranch is within the acclaimed Saddleback Valley Unified School District, which is ranked among Orange Countys Top 5 Best School Districts. The Saddleback Valley Unified School District features more California Distinguished Schools than any other in the state, including its award-winning El Toro High School which is ranked in the Top 10% in the nation. _____________________________________________________________________________ Baker Ranch is being created through a partnership between Shea Homes and Toll Brothers.

Shea Homes Southern California is a division of Shea Homes Limited Partnership, one of Americas largest privately held homebuilders. As a member of the Shea family of companies, which is celebrating its 132nd anniversary in 2013, Shea Homes has won numerous prestigious awards for quality, integrity, innovation and customer satisfaction. Shea Homes pursuit of excellence is typified by Shea Superiology, the art and science of designing and constructing homes that offer homeowners superior value by maximizing their quality of life, minimizing their costs and making a positive contribution to the environment. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.SheaHomes.com.

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New 2,380-home Baker Ranch Community Prepares for February 8, 2014 Debut by Shea Homes and Toll Brothers on The ...

Mumbais premium developer, Nahar Group in partnership with Eiffel Developer of Pune, present the Balewadi F-Residences - that are a blend of fashion and technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Nahar MD Eiffel Group said, We are thrilled to announce the launch of Balewadi F-Residences. In an effort to add value to our consumers, we have partnered with Fashion TV to delight the young and aspiring individuals. I am confident that Balewadi F-Residences will be a trend setter in the real estate space not only in Pune but across the country.

Balewadi F-Residences offer 23 levels of fashion and technology enabled residences in two formats i.e. Prt-a-Porter and Hot Couture. The Hot Couture product offerings have been packaged along with leading fashionistas like Lara Dutta, Indrani Dasgupta, Masaba, Shibani Dandekar and young aspirational individuals who understand technology.

The Hot Couture range offers optional tech enabled amenities such as Tablet Controlled Automated Lighting, Keyless Access Entry, RFID Tags Childrens Safety, Wall Garden, Futuristic Automated Commodes. Other exciting features of Balewadi F Residences include Robotic Parking, Automated Entry Gates amongst many more such as a club house, swimming pool with cabanas, in-house cafe, gym, entertainment room, concierge and management services, dedicated area for outdoor games such as basketball and cricket and a jogging track etc.

Vishal Nahar, Director, Eiffel Group said, With close proximity to Hinjewadi and Mumbai-Pune expressway, Balewadi F Residences will represent sophisticated living in Pune and be the one of the most aspirational address to live in.

Miss Universe and actor Lara Dutta one of the key fashionistas associated with the project says, "I am extremely happy to be associated with Balewadi F - Residences. The fashionable, edgy features use technology to create a range of thoughtful amenities that would be a delight to anyone staying there. My favourite is the Robotic Parking, which is a dream come true for everyone living in a city, helping them escape the nuisance of finding parking spaces. I am confident that Balewadi F - Residences will be the most fashionable abode in the city."

The project has also achieved Green Homes Pre-Certified Gold certification from the Indian Green Building Council.

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Nahar Group, Eiffel Developers presents Balewadi F-Residences

Published: Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 4:56 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 4:56 p.m.

And although it stood for only 29 years, it has become an iconic symbol, a memory mill of all that was good about the good old days here.

As today, back in the 1930s Sarasota's financial well-being was closely linked to the annual migration of snowbirds. In 1936, the Chamber of Commerce Committee to Create Summer Business met to determine what could be done to give the community a boost during the slowest time of the year.

It was Roger Flory, real estate man and publisher of the Sarasota Visitors' Guide, who suggested that the city provide a municipal bathing beach. The next year, that idea was expanded to include a bathing facility.

Karl A. Bickel, former head of the United Press and a major civic leader, was appointed to chair a committee to take the matter up with the city council. And thus was sown the seed that would ultimately blossom into Sarasota's storied Lido Casino.

The site deemed the most desirable for the project was a 1,300-foot stretch of sugar-fine sand on Lido Beach owned by the estate of John Ringling, then under the control of Ringling's nephew and co-executor, John Ringling North.

Mayor Verman Kimbrough met with North and hammered out an agreement whereby the property would be deeded to the city in exchange for $35,000, which would immediately be paid back to the city for delinquent taxes.

Albert Moore Saxe drew up preliminary plans for a Hawaiian-style casino called Sarasands, but it was Ralph Twitchell, one of the founders of the Sarasota School of Architecture, who was given the assignment. His version of the Lido Casino became one of Sarasota's first modern buildings.

From its conception, progress on the Casino was front page news, where it often competed for space with ominous headlines about Europe sliding into World War II.

It was hoped that construction would be completed by the summer of 1939. A color rendering appeared on the cover of that year's edition of Flory's Visitors' Guide with the description: Whether it's fun and frolic...recreation or amusement...health and happiness... or just plain lazy contentment...The Sarasota Lido beckons all who seek what Florida has most to give.

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Only fond memories remain of Lido Casino

Jan. 5, 2014, 4 a.m.

The world's largest coral reef is being reinvigorated, writes Sheriden Rhodes, with a range of new and upgraded multimillion-dollar resorts and hotels.

The world's largest coral reef is being reinvigorated, writes Sheriden Rhodes, with a range of new and upgraded multimillion-dollar resorts and hotels.

As we fly over the Whitsunday Islands to the Great Barrier Reef, elongated trails of coral spawn dissect the impossibly blue water with its mosaic of jewel-like reefs, islands, coral cays and atolls. The glassy surface of the sea and horizon merge and for a surreal moment it's as if we're flying through the ocean itself.

Once the outer reef looms into sight, passengers fall reverently silent as we behold one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Our aerial outlook gives some perspective to the world's largest coral reef system - the only living organism visible from space - and one of Australia's biggest tourist drawcards.

Richard Fitzpatrick, Emmy Award-winning underwater cinematographer, marine biologist and producer of acclaimed BBC series Great Barrier Reef, says the recently flagged loss of the reef's world heritage status would be devastating. "No longer could we compete with the prestige of other world heritage sites. It would also highlight the failure of government in protecting this global icon."

Peter Gash, eco-warrior, pilot and owner of Lady Elliot Island, says while there are many other iconic places worldwide with unique beauty, Australians should visit the reef at least once in their lifetime.

"There is more marine life found per square inch on the Great Barrier Reef than anywhere else on the planet."

While considered one of the world's best-managed reefs, its fragile ecosystem faces threats from coastal development, water quality, cyclones, crown-of-thorns, ship groundings and climate change. Shipping and port development have recently emerged as issues - threatening not just the reef itself, but the $5.7 billion tourism industry it supports.

Despite this, the Great Barrier Reef's islands, towns and resorts that stretch almost 2600 kilometres along the North Queensland coast are being reborn, not unlike the vast summer spawning of corals, fish and other marine life that recolonise its 2900-plus reefs, as this guide shows.

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Coral society

It didn't use to be this tough getting bookings. And so here you find yourself, pulling out all the stops to fill those rooms and bring sufficient meetings-and-events business in through the front doors. Improve your chances of success. How?

By maximizing your propertys visual cachet, its Wow! factor. The temptation in times like these is to cut corners on site optics and instead rely on brand reputation to carry you. But you know better. Name alone is no longer enough. You need your place to stand out as never before in order to convince the world that yours is the only hotel or resort worth visiting, worth spending money at. Whats imperative is that travelers, tourists and event-goers fall madly, passionately in love with you the instant they catch sight of your grounds. And thats exactly what Resort Cabanas can do for you!

Resort Cabanas, a division of Eide Industries, Inc., offer contemporary beauty, comfort, protection and privacy alongside the swimming pool, on the beach, in the garden and in any lounging area with custom cabanas and canvas gazebos.

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Cabana - Pool Cabanas - Beach Cabanas - Gazebo - Resort Cabanas

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Submitted Opal Series twin villas in Lakoya at Lely Resort.

Stock Development is nearing completion on four new models from the Opal Series in Phase II of Lakoya at Lely Resort.

Lakoya has been a big hit with homebuyers and build out of the 149 homes in Phase I is underway, said Tim Clark, vice president of sales at Lely Resort. The Opal Series homes are spacious twin villa homes that have livability of their single-family counterparts.

The Opal Series is a collection of four, single-story twin villa designs. The Arvanita model is being furnished by Soco Interiors, while the Napoli will feature an interior design by Beasley & Henley Interiors. The Capri and Sienna will both showcase the work of Marc Michaels Interiors.

The Arvanita is a three-bedroom, two-bath home with 1,916 square feet of living area and 2,577 total square feet, including a screened and covered lanai with a pool and an attached two-car garage. Among the highlights of the Arvanita model are formal living and dining rooms. The former leads to the lanai through eight-foot tall sliding glass doors. The kitchen includes a dinette.

The Napoli, available as either a two-bedroom plus study, two-bath plan or a three-bedroom, two-bath plan, has 1,882 square feet of living space and a total of 2,546 square feet. This home includes a breakfast area, a tray ceiling in the living room and a large picture window in the study.

The Capri, a three-bedroom, two bath home, features 2,107 square feet of air-conditioned living space and 2,921 total square feet, including the two-car garage, lanai and covered entry. Both the living room and the master suite open directly to the lanai via sliding glass doors.

The Sienna is a two-bedroom with study, two-bath home with 2,195 square feet under air and a total of 2,978 square feet. The home has a formal dining room, a large dinette off the island-style kitchen and twin walk-in closets in the master suite.

Opal Series homes feature a two-car garage. Outside is a covered lanai with a pool and spa.

Continued here:
Opal Series models near completion in Lakoya; inventory homes available

Cabana Specialists

Living in the temperate climate offers you the freedom to stay outside your home for long hours. The sun can be merciful at times which allows you to either spend quality time with your partner or invest it in some hobby like reading a book. Laying out in different climatic conditions is sure fun but it is always a good idea to have a roof above your head. This way you stay out too and still do not have to face the harmful sun rays or fight the sulky weather.

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So when it comes to staying out under a roof, the best that you can invest in is a Cabana. It is a small room or a three walled structure which you can construct outside your home and throw parties, relax or barbecue for yourself whenever you want. You can do a lot under an outdoor cabana which you could not out in the open. The fun factor comes along with a backyard cabana and you save yourself from gawking neighbors too.

Aluminx Australia offers excellent services if you want to install a backyard cabana in Sydney. All you have to do is contact us and we can build outdoor cabanas for you in a jiffy. These are two of the famous outdoor cabanas ideas that cabana fanatics usually go for.

It is fun if you have a swimming pool in the backyard of your home. You can laze around in it for hours and get instant respite if the temperature soars high. Other than having fun out in the sun, pools also allow you to throw parties if you like socializing. Parties entail barbecuing, cooking, drinking and of course jumping into the pool whenever you like. But your house can become a mess easily if you do not have an outdoor construction where people can change clothes, cook and relax. You too can exhaust soon provided you have to carry things in and out of your house and meet the unending demands of your guests.

This is where a pool cabana comes in handy and can help you organize things, have fun and relax in a better way. All you have to do is install an outdoor cabana right next to your swimming pool and you can throw parties every afternoon without drenching your home with pool water. Poolside cabanas can fill your head with ideas and if you have cabana plans for your home then Aluminx Australia can definitely help you with your needs. We offer excellent pool cabanas construction services which will surely meet your needs and will make you enjoy the weather out in the open for years to come.

Aluminx Australia offers expert backyard cabana and pool cabana services in Sydney. So call us today and watch your pool cabana ideas come to life.

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Cabana, Pool House, Swimming Pool House, Pool Cabana, Pool ...

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Submitted The Scottsdale model by Stock Development.

Stock Development has begun construction on two models from the Emerald Series in Phase II of Lakoya at Lely Resort.

Lakoya has been a big hit with homebuyers and only a few of the 149 homes in Phase I are left, said Tim Clark, vice president of sales at Lely Resort. The Emerald Series homes are spacious, luxurious homes that have won countless awards for their livability and interior designs.

The Emerald Series is a collection of four, single-family homes in single-story designs. The Muirfield III model is being furnished by KVS Interiors and the Ponte Vedra Grande will feature an interior design by Beasley & Henley Interiors.

The Muirfield III is a four-bedroom, with study, three-and-one-half-bath home encompassing 3,202 square feet under air and a total of 4,809 square feet, including an attached three-car garage and a screened and covered lanai with outdoor kitchen. The great room-style design includes a formal dining room and private study. The island-style kitchen includes counter seating and a breakfast nook overlooking the pool.

The Ponte Vedra Grande is a four-bedroom, with study, four-and-one-half-bath home with 3,490 square feet under air and 4,853 total square feet, including an attached three-car garage and a screened and covered lanai with outdoor grill. There is also a family room and formal living and dining rooms, all of which are conveniently located off the large island-style kitchen. Each guest bedroom is a full suite with a private bath and walk-in closet.

The Emerald Series homes feature a motor court with a three-car garage. Outside is a covered lanai with a pool and spa with an outdoor kitchen.

Phase II of Lakoya will offer 216 homesites and seven series of floor plans. More than a dozen furnished models are planned for the new year all with the luxurious standard features packages from Stock, a member of this years nationwide Builder 100 list.

Lakoya is a meticulously planned 242-acre enclave with sculptured landscaping, gardens, choreographed fountains and paved walking paths. It is surrounded by subtropical woodlands and The Classics 18-hole golf course, which features gentle undulations and tree-lined fairways. An elaborate series of lakes has been crafted throughout the neighborhood, giving the homes an array of water, golf course and nature preserve views.

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Emerald Series models underway in Phase II of Lakoya; inventory homes available

Sandra Osorio Mangini

Miami Beach is home to one of the biggest art exhibitions in the world starting on December 5th. Art Basel is an international extravaganza featuring modern and contemporary art from over 250 of the worlds leading galleries including exhibits from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Highlights of the exhibition include works by Doug Aitken, Olafur Eliasson, Tracey, and John Baldessari.

During these four days Miami will be in a creative frenzy, but the art and enthusiasm is not limited to the canvas. There will be few blank walls left untouched outside as street and graffiti artists transform crumbling facades into punchy political statements, stunning works of art and comical commentaries.

There will be plenty of parties to celebrate the creative nature of people from around the globe and beaches and parks will become homes to ambitious installation pieces and distinctive cultural exhibits. Woodson Park will house over 40 galleries at the new Brazil ArtFair. Miamis Design District will host a massive Spanish traveling exhibition called TAPAS: Design for Food. Included are over 200 exhibits and installations by Spanish chefs, designers, architects, wineries and restaurants.

With so much going on in Miami Beach it is no wonder everyone wants to live here. Sun, fun, great beaches, food, culture and shopping what else could you ask for? It is the place to be in Florida and foreign investors recognize it as an international hot spot too. That is why there is never more than a three month supply of properties available for sale. Home owners are receiving multiple offers on their properties and 60 to 70% are sold for cash. Many of these offers are well above market value.If you own a property in Miami Beach, there has never been a better time to sell. Prices have steadily risen since 2011, with values up 13 percent from a year ago.

If you want to get top dollar on your investment, call on the pros at http://www.SandrasTeam.com. Sandra and her team are Miami real estate specialists and they know what your property is worth.

If youre looking to buy, watch out for the largest home in Broward. It will be on the auction block in December with a starting bid of a mere $ 5 million. This custom- built home sports almost 24,000 square feet on 10 acres. Italian marble, seven bedrooms, eight full baths and two half baths plus a guest house provide enough luxury and leg room for the most lavish of entertaining.

For those looking for a slightly smaller home, youre in luck! New condominium developments, such as the Paraiso Bay, can offer luxury homes with a lagoon pool and cabanas plus a state-of-the-art gym at a fraction of the price. Or try the Marina Palms with over 750 feet of picturesque waterfront and the first new yacht club in Miami in two decades. Regardless of what you are looking for, you can find it by checking the properties at http://www.SearchMiamiBeachRealEstate.com.

Let Sandra and her team find that special place just for you because Miami Beach is the place to be.

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Life in Miami Beach is All About Art

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) December 11, 2013

The only new-construction, for-sale housing opportunity in Downtown Los Angeles is coming on the market Jan. 11 when Warehouse No. 1, the final phase of Barker Block, debuts in the Arts District.

The Kor Group, the developer in partnership with Blackstone and CityView, is creating 68 adaptive reuse lofts that will add an additional 72,599 square-feet to the existing 242 live/work lofts in the neighboring building that was completed in 2007.

Affordably priced from $400,000, the one- and two-story lofts at Warehouse No.1 are housed in a reinvented and restored early 20th-century Barker Bros. Furniture factory and warehouse. The Kor Group is preserving the buildings original details including exposed brick, heavy timber beams and columns, wood and concrete floors. One-story lofts range in size from 679 to 2,000+ square-feet while two-story lofts range from 1,134 to 1,300+ square-feet. Construction is nearly finished and completion is expected late December 2013.

Sales will begin during the grand opening weekend on Saturday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 12 from 10am to 6pm where there will be seasonal hors doeuvres, craft beer and wine, music, valet parking, tours of the property and lenders on-site. Barker Block is in the process of procuring its final FNMA approval and loans with as little as five percent down will be available for qualified buyers.

We are thrilled to bring Warehouse No.1 to market this January. What we have been able to achieve by preserving the historic elements and fine craftsmanship of this landmark buildingand integrating those virtues with modern comforts and conveniencesoffers outstanding and lasting value for prospective homeowners, says Tripp DuBois of The Kor Group, creators of the iconic Eastern Columbia and Viceroy Santa Monica. The Kor Group is committed to creating sustainable, well-designed, and thoughtful places to live and work, and Warehouse No.1 is a project of which we are exceptionally proud. In this second and final phase of Barker Block, buyers will experience the inimitable and authentic spirit and character of the buildings vintage past, as well as innovative amenities that exceed any other residential offering in the Arts District in downtown Los Angeles.

Unique to Warehouse No. 1, select residences will include oversized windows, private patios and balconies, two-story open floor plans, spacious closets and ceiling heights up to 18 feet. All lofts have interior details such as quartz kitchen countertops with custom wood cabinetry and Jenn-Air stainless steel appliance packages with gas ranges. Spacious bathrooms include oversized soaking tubs with ceramic tile walls, flooring and vanity lighting.

The lofts also incorporate new technology features like the convenience of Nest programmable thermostats and charging stations with USB ports. In reclaiming, renovating and repurposing this historic building, The Kor Group is preserving elements of character while delivering the environmentally-friendly benefits of removing fewer raw materials from the Earth. These energy-efficient homes will utilize insulated dual pane windows and Energy Star appliances.

Several new amenities for owners are being added in the final phase including the Warehouse No. 1 Gallery, a dynamic arts and events space curated by the Barker Block community that features a versatile social space with handcrafted hanging chairs. Other new additions include a welcoming garden-themed outdoor lounge complete with green canopy, water fountain, fireplace, grills and intimate seating areas for dining and conversation. The open-air courtyard with foliage incorporates unique touches such as hammocks and love seats suspended from rafters and decorative lighting to add charm and style.

Existing amenities include a resort-style rooftop deck with pool, spa, private cabanas, sunning lounge, sitting and gathering areas, outdoor fireplace and privacy landscaping that overlooks the city skyline, a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, onsite, controlled parking, a formal reception lobby with secured access and 24/7 security.

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Barker Block Brings Only New-Construction, For-Sale Housing Opportunity to the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District with ...