Recently, GSH was chosen for Florida Magazine’s cover story!

As you might imagine, we are very excited to be able to be bringing affordable, sustainable design concepts of our green homes to more and more people. It really is a joy to be able to offer sustainable housing that looks great, and that you can brag about to your environmental friends as well.

Chances are, if are on our waiting list, or have signed up to get a GreenSteelHome, your house will probably be greener than your friends!

If you are looking to read the cover story about us in Florida Magazine, you can download it for 99c on their website here.

As always, we would love to know your thoughts and comments on the green movement on how it is affecting where you live. Stay tuned for more updates soon!

-Lawton

www.GreenSteelHomes.com

Yes, you heard that right- not one but TWO new floor plans have been added-

The Carrabelle and the St. Teresa, which for anyone who has been inside our Evening Rose model here in Tallahassee, the St. Teresa is what you saw.

To see the floor plans and other details, just go to our GreenSteel Homes designs page. Thanks!

P.S Your comments are welcome!

From Tallahassee Magazine

By Jason Dehart

The small coastal town of Carrabelle expects to receive a big economic boost when the doors open on a new factory that manufactures hurricane-proof and environmentally friendly houses called GreenSteel homes.

“It’s going to put a lot of people to work. It’s going to be a good thing,” said Mayor Wilburn “Curley” Messer, who was elected in September.

“It couldn’t be a better day for Carrabelle,” said former Mayor Mel Kelly. “This is exciting to be a part of an environmentally sound factory and good-paying jobs for people.”

Winning the site selection for the new plant happened on her watch.

“People see this as an opportunity to be involved in something bigger than themselves,” Kelly said. “This is one of the most exciting things to happen in Carrabelle - ever.”

Homes built by GreenSteel are environmentally friendly and affordable, according to Lawton “Bud” Chiles, Tallahassee developer and company president. Chiles’ business partner is Tony Attalla, who owns a steel fabrication-frame manufacturing facility in New Hampshire. Together, they are doing business as Hexaport Building Systems of Florida.

The homes are small and feature “Katrina cottage” floor plans and designs by Tolar Denmark Architects of Mississippi. Their hurricane-rated and termite-resistant design should make them especially appealing to Gulf Coast residents from Florida to Louisiana. That’s the market Chiles is targeting.

“I’m getting 10 to 12 e-mails a day from people concerned about insurance costs and floods,” Chiles said. “We’re going to be very busy with making homes.”

After several months of promoting the new housing factory, Chiles said anticipation is starting to build regarding the homes, which he said cost $100 a square foot and ought to go far in creating “work force” housing. An 1,100-square-foot, three-bedroom home with site and foundation could cost in the $125,000 range, Chiles said. A conventional home might cost twice that much.

(more…)

Green, Safe and Reasonable

By Ben Brown

Suppose you could combine the safety and speed of steel fabrication with the appeal of architect-designed custom homes? And what if in the process, you could meet high green building standards while delivering the whole package at or below the costs of typical production homes?

Download full article [PDF]

from Florida Trend

Tallahassee developer Bud Chiles and business partner Tony Attalla, who owns a steel fabrication-frame manufacturing facility in New Hampshire, think they have a product to help solve Florida’s affordable housing crisis: A proprietary steel-framed, factory-built home that is fire, mold and mildew resistant and is designed to withstand 150-mph winds. (more…)

MARATHON, FL – Design and construction innovations born in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are coming to the Keys.

GreenSteel Comes To Paradise
In the redevelopment of his Coconut Cay Resort & Marina, owner Jim Rhyne is joining with modular housing manufacturer GreenSteel Homes to introduce a new kind of building to the Keys. It’s one of the latest in a rapidly evolving series of designs known as Katrina Cottages. The Katrina Cottages’ key attributes: Storm-ready safety, appealing looks, energy-efficient performance, and affordability.

Rhyne says the time is right: “We have enjoyed a good measure of success due mostly to our friendly staff and desire to please our guests. But time has finally caught up with some of our structures. It’s our hope that by involving GreenSteel and its talented team of architects and engineers in our redevelopment, we will be able to maintain a bit of the old flavor while we bring a whole new level of storm-worthiness and environmental responsibility to construction here.”

(more…)

The Green Steel Home factory is rapidly being built. These pictures are from about a week ago.

More will follow as I can upload them.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: New photos!