HOME SHOW: The Boulevard of Building Dreams

By LEIF WHITMORE

REAL ESTATE WRITER

It is definitely not a run-of-the-mill cul-de-sac in Henderson. The nine homes on display are as different from each other as nine Strip casinos. The homes' designs range from Spanish to European to American -- some with modern architecture, others with classic. Each builder is strutting his stuff with a million-dollar-plus custom home, and the emphasis is more on showcase and less on transactional dollar.

The prices range from $1.2 million to $2.9 million, beyond the reach of most who will see them. Maybe that's why it's called "Street of Dreams," and that's why many onlookers will tour a home they can only dream about.

The six-week housing event returned to the Las Vegas Valley Sept. 16, following its debut here in 1998. Seven Hills, a community in Henderson, again serves as the venue. The opening weekend drew an estimated 3,000 people, according to Bryan Ashbaugh, CEO of Street of Dreams Inc., a Seattle-based promotions firm, but the crowds were slightly "less than expected," due to the unseasonably hot weather.

Nonetheless, speaking for the organizers as a whole, Ashbaugh said, "We were very pleased with the opening weekend."

Las Vegas is one of four stops this fall for the luxury-home tour; the others are San Diego, Houston and Atlanta. Ashbaugh believes Southern Nevada to be unique among the four, possessing the advantage of its vast resources of commercial construction personnel.

"I can say that Las Vegas contains the flashiest show homes we've had participating in Street of Dreams," said Ashbaugh, who has been putting on Street of Dreams for 15 years. "It's the highest priced group of homes that we've had -- we've never had this many at this price."

Ashbaugh had researched Las Vegas as a location for Street of Dreams since 1992, noting that it was (and is) a "growing city." He could not find a proper site for the proceedings until two years ago, when he and partner Dave Straughan selected Seven Hills' Terracina neighbor- hood.

Back then, the event drew more than 45,000 patrons, and sported five custom homes for display. This time, the number of homes has nearly doubled and organizers are expecting between 50,000 to 60,000 people touring.

"I think the biggest difference (between this show and the previous one) is that people are spending more time at the event because there are more houses," Ashbaugh said. "And many people have said they are coming back for a second look because they were overwhelmed with the amount of things to see."

Seven Hills' Venezia was chosen based on its size (able to accommodate 8 acres of parking as well as nine show homes and the enormous crowds) and its stage of development (it's currently in its early developmental stages, an ideal time to erect a series of custom edifices going up for sale).

Although the homes went up in the usual "rush to the finish" manner, Ashbaugh explained that the builders are small- to medium-size custom builders known for their experience and ability to complete a home on time (as well as being approved by the developer). Of the nine, U.S. Home and Signature Homes are also known as production builders, and the San Diego-based Western States Custom Homes is the only builder who would be considered nonlocal. Further, Sun West, Martin Homes and Western States all participated in the 1998 show, and are back once again, this time with different models.

"They're big risk-takers," Ashbaugh said of all the builders. "They're putting $2 million into a house that may not sell on a timely basis. Participating in the Street of Dreams enhances the likelihood of their timely sales." Ashbaugh also noted -- only after opening weekend -- that three of the houses already have sale contracts pending.

But each builder's aim is the same, in that each is not only trying to dazzle the patrons, but to present a unique product. Sun West Custom Homes, which copped the "best of show" award in 1998 for its 5,600-square-foot, two-story, Old World-style entry known as "The Tapestry," is now hoping to top all the rest with a Spanish country home known as "El Cortijo," priced at $2.2 million.

"From a builder's perspective, it allows us to show a custom home we've built," Dan Coletti, vice president of Sun West, said. "Normally, a buyer will move in right after we vacuum the carpet, and we won't have the chance to show the home to anybody other than the owner's themselves.

"That's the one major thing -- what I think draws people to the Street of Dreams is they just don't get a chance to see beautiful custom homes ... In this situation, people can walk freely. It's like a museum where they can study the house carefully."

Coletti took exceptional pride in his home's nine-foot-tall sliding glass doors -- made up of eight panels -- which made the home more "open" to the back yard. He considers the pizza oven, powered by a genuine wood fire, another highlight, as is the home lighting system, where you can touch one button next to your bed and it will light a path all the way to the kitchen ("It's going to make us win," Coletti said.).

Western States is constructing the most costly home (the $2.875 million, contemporary-style "Reflections" model), which contains a 12X14-foot water wall in the gallery, similar to one at the Mandalay Bay hotel. In essence, not only are the homes on display, but every item of furniture or dŽcor within their confines (or on the outside as well) is up for show-and-tell.

Ashbaugh recalls a show in Denver where a patriarchal oil executive went in for a tour, and upon emerging from the home declared, "I want to buy the house, the furniture and the Porsche parked out front." Ashbaugh estimated the entire package cost the exec a cool $2 million.

Meantime, Eckhaus Custom Homes and the JCB Group Inc. are showcasing an Old World European-style home (priced at $2.795 million) which contains $1 million worth of art and furnishings that are not included in the home's price tag. But Ken Eckhaus, head of the operation, stressed that his company entered the competition with less of an emphasis on fancy frills.

"There's a complete difference between ours and everyone else -- it's a formal home and it's not as glitzy as the others," he said. "The house speaks for itself ... the structure is a `wow.' "

Since seven of the nine homes were erected right next to each other, the need for each builder to create their own recognizable product was crucial. Sun West's Spanish house, for example, is situated between a "Tuscany blend of Italian/French" edifice by Remington Homes and a "Modern European/MediterĀranean" one by Raftery Homes. A "Classic American" effort designed and built by Stuart Michael Inc. separates a "Mediterranean Villa" by Martin Homes and the Western States home.

Coupled with each homes' interior amenities, as well as the views of the city provided by Venezia's location, Ashbaugh said the show has done everything to offer onlookers a different tour with each home entered. That's why he recommended bringing a comfortable pair of shoes -- most patrons may be walking around the cul-de-sac for three hours.

"We're getting very positive responses about the diversity of the architecture and the interior designers did a beautiful job," he said. "For the public, there's more to see: `disappearing edge' pools, home theaters, water walls, entertainment centers, big screen TVs ... everything is very elaborate."

On Sept. 14, a panel of six judges toured the completed models before the show opened, and made observations based on use of materials, overall effect, interior finishes, and other criteria, with the common denominator being the word "excellence." Their votes, along with the ones cast by the public as the six-week show continues, will determine who wins best architectural design, best interior design, best landscape design, best pool, and of course, best of show.

Ashbaugh, however, was emphatic about categorizing two things: the show attempts to educate while it entertains. He's seen the number of buyers who come simply to gain designing ideas for their home or apartment, or those who have left in an architecturally enlightened state after studying floor plans, furnishings and fabrications.

One person who may not have was a lady Ashbaugh encountered in a past show. After viewing the homes, she asked him, "Where are these homes moving to next?"

Ashbaugh didn't elaborate on his response, but is preparing for Street of Dreams' next shows: one in San Diego and the other in Houston, both of which open this Saturday. The intent of each, like the Las Vegas show, is to have home buyers follow their dreams.

"One of the advantages of our format is what we call `one-stop shopping' -- the consumer can drive to one location and see nine different building companies and a wide range of products," Ashbaugh said. "To have it in one location is very convenient and I think that's one reason we're so popular.

"I think we're off to a great start and as the word spreads about these houses, we expect attendance to continually build."S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 0

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