AARP and the National Association of Home Builders recently announced winners in the groups' co-sponsored 2007 Livable Communities Awards for forward thinking in the field of home and community design. The awards honor builders, developers and remodelers who create attractive, well-designed homes and communities that meet criteria for safety, comfort and accessibility for people of all ages and abilities.

The inaugural awards recognize five companies in four states: two developers, two builders and one remodeler.

Among the winners is Atlanta-based Wendt Builders Inc. for Olde Town Grayson, Lot 13B, in Grayson, Ga., in the Builder – More Than 2,500 Square Feet category. The home's rustic exterior reflects the charm of its historic neighborhood. However, one of the main reasons it won was the foresight that went into the fashionable and functional design of the two-story home, which has all the essentials on the first floor – bedrooms, baths, kitchen and laundry accessibility. Comfort-ease toilets, raised vanities and assist bars in showers are added bonuses in this 'livable' home geared to the 50+ homeowner. Winner Wendt Builders is an active member of the Atlanta 50+ Housing Council, one of the 50+ Housing Council's local councils.

Other 2007 Livable Communities winners include:

• Builder – Up to 2,500 Square Feet – John Wesley Miller Companies, Armory Park del Sol, Tucson, Ariz.
• Developer – Up to 250 Units – Madison Area Community Land Trust, Troy Gardens, Madison, Wis.
• Developer – More Than 250 Units – The Integral Group, CollegeTown at West End, Atlanta, Ga.
• Remodeler – More Than $25,000 – Quality, Design & Construction, Inc.,  "Ann's Ridge Road Dream," Raleigh, N.C.

The winners were honored earlier this month at a dinner in Washington, D.C. They currently are featured in the January/February issue of AARP The Magazine, the nation's most widely circulated magazine.

Click here for more details on the 2007 Livable Communities Awards winners, including how to enter the 2008 competition. Some of the winning projects will be featured in upcoming issues of 50+ Housing e/Source. [Return to top]