Frank Lloyd Wright’s last remaining hotel recently reopened in Mason City, Iowa. The Park Inn, completed in 1910, was built as a three-story wood-and-brick structure that adjoined another of his designs, the City National Bank. ARCHITECT writes that The Park Inn  “would serve as the bridge between his Prairie School period and his Midway Gardens.”

The restoration, which took 12 years , was the brainchild of a nonprofit group called Wright on the Park. They commissioned Bergland + Cram to oversee the restoration in 1999 for an estimated $18 million. ARCHITECT reports that “the lobby, ladies parlor, and balcony all appear as they did a century ago.”

Courtesy of The New York Times

You can witness the renovation and the story behind The Park Inn in the 2008 documentary, “The Last Wright.”

Experience a night in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Historic Park Inn starting at just $100 a night. For more information call (641) 422-0015 or visit wrightonthepark.org.

The 17th Annual Summit County Parade of Homes starts tomorrow, September 17th and will continue on through Sunday, September 25th (weekends only). The Parade of Homes is Summit County’s premiere event and we are excited to be a part of it. Proceeds for the event will go to The Summit Foundation. The Summit Foundation “builds a culture of caring and giving by providing leadership and facilitation to create a community of donors who through their wealth, wisdom and work will establish a lasting legacy of generosity to support community organizations that foster Art & Culture, Health & Human Service, Education, Environmental Stewardship and Sports & Recreation.”

The Parade features residences, all located throughout Summit County, whose sale prices range from $670,000 to $4 million.  Highlighting both single and multi-family luxury homes, the tour typically brings in 4,000 people a year.

Trilogy Partners will be showcasing our remodel on Fairview Boulevard.

Below are some of the renovations we performed on the home:

Exterior updated to bring 1980s architecture into present day
Spectacular views of the Ten Mile range
Passive solar maximized
Upgraded interior finishes
Master bedroom redesigned
Extensive deck remodel

Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and like many we were riveted to the television watching all the live coverage at the National September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero. The 9/11 memorial plaza opened yesterday morning at 10 a.m., almost the exact minute ten years earlier when the first tower fell. In the place in which the World Trade Center’s twin towers once stood are two reflecting pools with the names of 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attacks in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, as well as the six who died in the bombing of the trade center in 1993. There are also over 400 oak trees planted to provide a canopy over the Memorial.

Courtesy of the National September 11th Memorial

Courtesy of National September 11th Memorial

Courtesy of the National September 11th Memorial

According to the 9/11 Memorial, “The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations.”

We are excited to be a part of this year’s 17th Annual Summit County Parade of Homes. The Parade of Homes will be taking place on September 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th from 10am to 5pm. This premiere Summit County event will feature 19 homes and multi-family structures ranging from $1 million to over $3 million. The year’s theme is remodeling, which we at Trilogy Partners has a lot of experience in. Our 382 Fairview Boulevard project is number 14 in the official Parade of Homes guide.

Proceeds for the event benefit The Summit Foundation and are $10 each and good for entry to all the homes. The Parade of Homes official program is available at most Summit County real estate offices, visitor information centers & City Markets. For more information please visit www.summitcountybuilders.org.

A recent survey commissioned by the experts at ServiceMagic Inc. reveals that consumers are finally understanding and reaping the benefits of energy efficiency.

Over the past year, the following eco-friendly features have been installed in homes all over the country:

• Solar installations – up 52%
• Heating – up 34%
• Air conditioning – up 14%
• Window coverings – up 17%

But what’s behind the demand for these energy saving features? ServiceMagic uncovered that consumers want to:

• Save money on energy bills – 35%
• Protect the environment – 25%
• Improve home comfort – 23%

Other motives behind consumers’ energy efficient investments are the tax benefits that come with certain features such as solar panels, as well as the rapid return on investment they’ll earn.

For more information about our eco-friendly building solutions in Breckinridge, CO, call Trilogy Builds at 970-453-2230.

Information from Qualified Remodeler

Image from House Floor Plans Idea

Trilogy Partners. First-ever Net-Zero Energy Home in Breckenridge, Colorado

At Trilogy Partners we understand the importance of building homes with minimal impact to our environment. We are dedicated to designing energy efficient and sustainable custom homes for Colorado and that is one of the reasons why it was so important for us to build the first ever  zero net energy home in Breckenridge.

We believe that we can achieve superior results for our clients while still building eco-conscious homes. The Professional Builder has some great steps that we wanted to share about achieving zero net energy.

1. Design with production in mind
2. Think outside the box when it comes to materials
3. Staggered stud design pays off
4. Make sure your materials are readily available
5. Little improvements add up
6. Constant communication and collaboration are required
7. Evaluate partners before you begin
8. Management buy-in is crucial
9. Don’t beat up your trade partners
10. In-field supervision is critical, especially with first-timers

For information about zero-energy homes in Breckenridge, Colorado please give us a call at 970-453-2230 or visit us online at trilogybuilds.com.

As builders we always have an eye on the latest trends and products new to the industry. And we were interested on the findings listed in the Professional Builder recently. The Professional Builder has introduced their top trends in “design, construction, product technology, and consumer preferences” and we wanted to share their findings with you below.

HousingZone.com

From Professional Builders:

• Glass pocket doors are more affordable. Bringing the indoors out continues to be one of the biggest themes in residential design.
• Manufacturers are getting creative with ventilation. Products that improve indoor air quality and help reduce energy consumption are in high demand.
• Spa-like living is for all homeowners. Who says that only the well-off can afford the spa treatment at home?
• Vintage is in. Amish-crafted wood garage doors; windows made from reclaimed Douglas fir; traditional farm-style sinks; brushed-texture hardwood flooring — these are just a few examples of products designed to meet the growing demand for a vintage aesthetic.
• Security gets smarter, simpler. From entry door locks that alert homeowners via text or email when the locking device is activated to robotic security lights that illuminate and track any movement within a detection zone, manufacturers are making it possible for builders and homeowners to incorporate a higher level of security without the cost of “all-in” systems.
• Gypsum grows up. Some of the most compelling product innovations are coming out of the gypsum wallboard category — including low-dust, mold-resistant joint compound; lightweight drywall; and even pollution-capturing gypsum board.

We’d love to hear what trends you are most interested in incorporating in your home.

Are you looking for inspiration for your kitchen? The kitchen is considered by many to be the heart of the home, it is where the majority of one’s time is spent.  Whether you are cooking, eating, doing homework or paying bills, the kitchen in your  home should be a multi-functional space.

A great kitchen renovation will also yield the greatest return on your investment in the real estate market. In today’s economy everyone is looking for ways to make a home more appealing for a potential buyer and one of the most important features in a home is the kitchen.

Take a look at some of our kitchens below to help you get inspired for your next remodel.

If you are looking for the kitchen of your dreams give Trilogy Partners in Breckenridge, Colorado a call at 970.453.2230 or visit us online at trilogybuilds.com.

We were saddened to hear the news that Ray Anderson, founder of Interface Carpet, lost his battle with cancer this week. Anderson was regarded by many as a visionary business leader who helped champion sustainability. He founded Interface Carpet in 1973 and helped transform an entire industry with his “eco-epiphany”.

Ray shared with Metropolis Magazine that his “late-night encounter with Paul Hawken’s seminal book, Ecology of Commerce, changed his life.” Ray was so inspired by Hawken’s words that he set a goal for Interface, in which he called “Climbing Mount Sustainability”, of zero environmental impact by 2020.

It was only fitting that Paul Hawken deliver a eulogy at Anderson’s memorial service yesterday in Atlanta.

“People called Ray a dreamer. To be sure, he was, but he was also an engineer. He had definitely seen the mountain, but he also dreamed in balance sheets, thermodynamics, and resource flow theory. He dreamed a world yet to come because dreams of a livable future are not coming from our politicians, bankers, and the media. For Ray, reimagining the world was a responsibility, something owed to our children’s children, a gift to a future that is begging for selflessness and vision.”

Read about Ray’s “Climbing Mount Sustainability” on Metropolis Magazine.