Florida’s Panhandle is home to Alys Beach, a luxurious community centered around beautiful architecture and harmonious living. Based on Bermuda concepts and New Urbanism, the project began in 2004 and has been thriving ever since.
Alys has a deep respect for the natural environment, and encompasses these values into the creation of each of their homes. There are three types of residential homes available, including the courtyard home, the compound, and the villa.
Vacation properties are also offered on-site and have been a popular destination for Dallas residents. The vacation homes are designed similar to the residential homes and range from two-bedroom homes to five-bedroom homes.
The courtyard and compound homes are crafted in a special manner. These types are built to the edges of the lot and are organized around a private central courtyard, with outdoor galleries, gardens, fountains, terraces, and pools. The courtyard home encloses its court completely, while the compound comprises multiple smaller pavilions connected by garden walls and loggias.
The Town at Alys Beach is designed with New Urbanism in mind, understanding how the outdoors interacts with interior spaces in an intimate way. Marieanne Khoury-Vogt and Erik Vogt, the town architects for the past 15 years, have made sure to practice those concepts.
New Urbanism is based on the principles of how cities and towns have been built for the last several centuries: with housing and shopping in close proximity, accessible public spaces, and walkable blocks.
Andrés Duany, founder of the Congress of New Urbanism and commonly known as the “father of New Urbanism,” hand-picked the architects to design the housing and residential areas.
Every home features Antigua-style courtyards with water features. The homes are made of an all-white stucco design and are green-sustainable.
The Alys Community also contains a 28-acre nature preserve, featuring wetlands inhabited by long leaf and pine trees. As part of the community’s green initiative, residents will be able to hear or see water at all times.
Retail spaces, restaurants, weight rooms, movement rooms, yoga spaces, saunas, and massage parlors are all open for homeowners to use. All of Alys’ design decisions are very intentional, seeking to create a community-centric environment.
In the interest of community, Alys runs a community-based project called Digital Graffiti. This festival takes place annually and displays digital art as projections on the white walls of Alys Beach. Artists, designers, photographers, and architects are invited to contribute their artwork to the event, where it will be illuminated under the night sky. The “Best of the Show” winner receives a $5,000 cash prize.
The Alys Community also hosts an annual event called the 30A Wine Festival. The occasion consists of a series of events and workshops that welcome wine and bourbon enthusiasts to participate in the festivities within the town. The weekend offers wine, beer, and bourbon tasting events and dinners, along with mixology seminars and a Sunday brunch to top it all off.
Alys Beach currently has 280 homes completed, 150 in construction, and 115 in design, spread out over a total of 158 acres. Of those acres, 20 are dedicated specifically to nature preservation. The building process for the environmentally sustainable homes typically takes two years, and prices start at $2 million.