The Lutgert Companies Brings Home The Gold

The Lutgert Companies earned three awards for Azure, its newest high-rise at Bonita Bay, during the recent Southeast Building Conference in Orlando. Azure’s landscape and pool design earned an Aurora Award, and Model Residence 2602 won two Gold Excel Awards for the best home plan and best interior merchandising.

More than 16,000 people attended the 29th Annual Southeast Building Conference. The Aurora Awards honor builders, designers, architects and other home building industry professionals in a 12-state region for the best in new-home construction and design. The 2007 program drew 345 entries. The Excel Awards are sponsored by the Florida Home Builders Association Sales and Marketing Council to honor sales, marketing and merchandising professionals for new-home-construction industry success.

The 26-story Azure, which opened last fall, is the fourth of eight high-rises being developed by The Lutgert Companies in Bonita Bay. The landscape created a look for Azure that coordinates with the existing high-rises and blends with the natural environment of Bonita Bay, while establishing a distinctive ambience for the building. Trees, including red maples, live oaks and several types of palms, were selected to provide a green backdrop for distinctive displays of color. Ferns, bamboo and several variegated species add interest, and pentas, Mexican bluebells, more than 1,200 seasonal annuals and a variety of flowering shrubs and plants provide color. Extensive foliage enhances the ground-level pool/amenity area as well as the building’s rooftop sunset terrace. Landscaping was planned to be enjoyed from both eye level and the terraces of the homes above.

Model Residence 2602 is a three-bedroom, four-bath home with walls of windows and sliding glass doors that showcase views of Estero Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and Bonita Bay. The 3,761-square-foot floor plan features interior design by Collins & DuPont Interiors and includes customized features such as a full-size wine refrigerator incorporated into a kitchen niche, custom built-ins, lighted art niches and bamboo flooring.

The interior is enhanced with Venetian plastered walls, tray ceilings with unusual, detailed finishes, crown moldings and stone floors embedded with mosaic-glass tiles. The home is located on the top floor of Azure and has 950 square feet of outdoor living space on three terraces.

Azure is sold out, but Residence 2602 and seven other designer-finished models demonstrate the views and construction quality found in all high-rises at Bonita Bay. Sales are under way for high-rise homes in Esperia South, which will be completed this fall, as well as Esperia North and Tavira.

The Lutgert Companies has been creating new experiences in luxury living for more than 40 years, completing nearly two-dozen luxury high-rises in Southwest Florida, including the four at Bonita Bay.

Bonita Bay, an Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence recipient, is the flagship community of Bonita Bay Group. More than half the community’s 2,400 acres is devoted to open space, including lakes, nature-preserve areas and 12 miles of biking and walking paths. Residents enjoy three waterfront recreational areas within the community and a private beach park on the Gulf of Mexico. They are eligible for membership in Bonita Bay Club, which has two clubhouses, an 18-court tennis and swim center, a new fitness center and 90 holes of championship golf, including three Arthur Hills-designed
courses within the community and two Tom Fazio courses, which provide a pure golf experience nearby.

Residents also are eligible for social or boating memberships in The Marina Club, which offers a full-service marina with storage for 420 boats, waterfront dining and social, educational and travel activities.

Bonita Bay is included among Golf Magazine Living’s 50 Best Golf Communities, Travel + Leisure Golf’s top 100 golf communities in America, and LINKS Magazine’s 2006-07 list of America’s 100 Premier Properties.