Dream Home 2003 Chat #1—12/18/02
HGTV: Welcome to HGTV's hosted chat room. This afternoon, Watson Hawkins, HGTV.com's Dream Home 2003 editor, is here to answer as many of your questions as he can about HGTV's newest Dream Home. You may see some questions from the message boards, if we run out of questions from the room, we'll try to address those issues as well. (And I may have some input from time to time as well.) And now.... Hello, Watson!
Watson Hawkins: Hey everyone! It's an honor to be here with you today. I've visited the site, and I'll try to answer as many questions as I can the best way I can.
Question: What will be the options for entrance for this year? What is the weekly bonus giveaway for this year going to be? When and how will the winner be notified?
Watson: Just as in past years, you can enter the sweepstakes by mailing in a postcard or visiting HGTV.com and entering at the Dream Home page, which will be operational on Jan. 1st 2003. As far as the weekly bonus and how the winner will be notified, as far as I know, more details will be posted concerning these topics within the next week.
Q: How did you decide to choose this location?
Watson: The decision was a group process that literally takes a year from inception to completion. Jack Thomasson is the project manager. He scouts various locations and then presents several to the decision-makers within HGTV. In the past, the Dream Home locations usually don't stay in one area of the country. For instance, since the Dream Home is in Florida this year, next year, it will probably be in another part of the country.
Q: Should the winner be concerned about animals and bugs since it is in a rural area?
Watson: All of the Dream Homes have been in fairly rural areas. So no more than any past Dream Home. This location - Mexico Beach, Fla. - actually has deer running about the area. It's gorgeous, and as far as I know, there are no strong concerns about intrusive wildlife.
Q: Since most of the Dream Homes have been on the East Coast, do you have plans for a West Coast Dream Home in the future?
Watson: There was one in Oregon, and I wouldn't doubt that the West Coast will be strongly considered, especially since last year's was in Maryland. But, again, it's anyone's guess. It could be anywhere at this stage.
Q: Will HGTV provide some sort of service to assist the winner with tax liability? Or will they be able to refer anyone?
Watson: I inquired about that, and from what I understand, the winner isn't totally on their own. I'm not sure on the specifics, but I know that their is counseling ...there is counseling is recommended so that the winner can make informed decisions.
Q: What city is the Dream Home actually located in?
Watson: It's technically in Bay County, Florida, just outside the city limits of Mexico Beach, Fla. Only about 5 miles away from the city limits.
Q: Will a boat be provided to go in the boathouse, or would that put the spending limit for HGTV over-budget?
Watson: There will be an 18-foot Hell's Bay Marquesas boat provided to the winner.
Q: What will be included in RiverCamps at BackBay? What community facilities will be included? Will it be a closed community? Will the roads be paved? What is the projected schedule for this?
Watson: Most of these topics can be addressed by visiting the St. Joe Company website: www.rivercamps.com. I do know that the Dream Home is the first RiverCamps home. And it will be a planned community with a central location for community gatherings and various events. It's really a nice idea - you can vary your interaction so that you can be very private at this location or you can choose to be very social.
Q: The virtual tour mentioned a fire pit. Where and what is it?
Watson: The fire pit is just outside the northwest corner of the summer kitchen. There should be a vantage point from the dock online tour page. It is a metal and stone structure built on concrete that will enable you to build large fires safely.
Q: Is there any sleeping space in the office -- or just room to bring in a portable bed?
Watson: The office is a large room with a half-bath adjacent and closet space. It can be converted to a bedroom easily, but there is no separate sleeping area.
Q: What material is used for the driveway & walkways at the Dream Home?
Watson: The driveway wasn't paved when I visited there, but I do know that the walkways are crushed shells and pebbles.
Q: Is there a path from the shower to the bay? In the virtual tour, it looks like there is a path leading off from the shower that is not the path to the master bedroom deck.
Watson: There is a short path from the outdoor shower to the water, and it basically connects the deck from the master bedroom to the outdoor shower, then to the water.
Q: Once RiverCamps is completed, how close will the neighbors be on the front and both sides?
Watson: Jerry Ray, one of the V.P.'s of St. Joe Company, said something very interesting about that. He said that the driving theme behind RiverCamps was a quote attributed to Daniel Boone, which, paraphrased, goes something like, "If you can see the smoke from a neighbor's chimney, it's getting too crowded." Now, to think about that, you'd have to be pretty far away to not see any smoke from an adjacent chimney. But the message was clear. I don't think this is a hard and fast rule at all, but plots will vary in acreage at around 14 acres. Plus, parts of the land - such as the nearby marsh - will never be developed. So there will be plenty of elbowroom, but not so much that you feel completely isolated.
Q: Are there plans to relocate Hwy 98 so it no longer passes through Tyndall AFB to Mexico Beach? If Hwy 98 is changed, will the road through Tyndall remain open to the public?
Watson: You may know more than me about that. I didn't hear anything about that while I was there - or in subsequent discussions. Perhaps the Florida Dept. of Transportation could provide a more informed response, however.
Q: Will there be any screen provided to protect and give privacy to the outside bath or the spa?
Watson: For now, no. The spa area is incredibly private as it is. With the hallway door closed, it is closed off on three sides, with the open side facing the water. The only vantage point is from a boat that would pass by - and with the growth on the shoreline that would be a tough view to obtain. The outdoor shower has shrubs about the perimeter - but again, with the water and marsh, it's quite private as it is. Even with added neighbors you have a strong sense of privacy.
Q: Will anyone from the St. Joe company do a chat on the HGTV website so we can learn more about RiverCamps at BackBay?
HGTV: There won't be a chat planned with anyone from this development company, however, Jack Thomasson, who we mentioned earlier, may have more details to offer. He'll be here on Jan. 5th.
Q: What are the dimensions of the property?
Watson: If you mean the lot - I know that it has two acres carved out around the shoreline. The exact dimensions and how it relates to the landscape. I'm not sure about. And that could even be something that is still under consideration.
Q: How far does the dock extend into the water? How deep is the water at the end of the dock & at the boathouse?
Watson: The dock extends - over the water - about 25 feet. I couldn't find any detailed info on East Bay to know how deep it is. It is true that the Marquesa is a flat-bottomed boat. But I saw several larger shrimping boats off the left side of the dock, so I would imagine that it is fairly deep as you make your way out into the bay.
Q: Is the greenhouse heated & how?
Watson: The greenhouse isn't heated.
Q: What is the orientation of the house -- which windows face which direction?
Watson: The windows in both bedrooms get morning light.
Q: Does the room near the Great Room have a shower or what is the separate area?
Watson: There is a bathroom just outside the great room in the hallway that does indeed have a glass shower. It's on the left as you pass the dining area.
Q: Does the garage have room at the front for a workbench when the car is in the garage or what is shown on the floorplan?
Watson: The garage is an open space. There isn't a work bench or any other structure inside the garage, but those lines in the garage on the floor plan page I think just show scale, and that there is room there for such a workbench.
Q: What are the siding & deck materials?
Watson: James Hardie did the siding and shingles. Fiber cement is the siding. The deck is pressure-treated wood.
Q: Is there a security system in the house?
Watson: There wasn't when I was there. I don't know what the plans are. But they may leave that up to the winner how they would like to handle it.
Q: What type of heat & cooling & where is it located? Is the office heated/cooled?
Watson: I can't place the brand name. But it is located near the garage. Central heat and air. But what I noticed most about the house, was that the first day we were there it was 90 degrees and air condition wasn't necessary. It's an amazingly cool house, with lots of shadow. For such a warm climate, it was great to walk into a cool house that didn't even have the air on.
Q: How extensive is the landscaping, and what type is it?
Watson: Patrick Johnson was the landscape architect. I was impressed by how passionate and dedicated he was to preserving much of the native landscape. Some growth couldn't be saved, or course, but two large hickory trees were nourished throughout construction. Sable palms were brought in, and saw palmetto planted throughout the landscape. Sand live oaks were another interesting native tree that was kept up during construction.
Q: How close is the nearest major city with shopping, food, and jobs?
Watson: Panama City is about 15-20 minutes west of the house. It has all the basics - grocery stores, big shopping centers, etc. As far as jobs - my take on the Dream Home is that it would be a wonderful summer or winter home. An ideal home to perhaps lease and then have a few months here to yourself. But if one was to relocate, it would be close enough to several beach communities that jobs available in those areas might be a possibility.
HGTV: Thank you for your interest, everyone, in this year's Dream Home. Some questions were outside of Watson's knowledge of the site, and since he and I both work on HGTV.com and not in programming, there are some details of the contest's development on-air that we don't know. But I think Watson did a great job, and I thank him for helping us out!
Watson Hawkins: I'm glad I had the opportunity to answer some questions - I wish I had more intimate details for you - but - hey, if you win this incredible home, I want to be included in the celebration party! ;^)
