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Show The Park Record D Section C Thursday, February 3, 1994 D Page C6 Builder's by SUSAN JOBE Record staff writer When Parkites hear the name Lacroix, most think skis. That may soon change if architect Jean-Ives Lacroix has his way. With the help of his father Daniel Lacroix, who founded Lacroix ski company in 1964, Jean-Ives has taken the principles behind the family's ski company success and combined them with years of carpentry experience to develop a new concept in home design for Summit County. Whether it's skis or homes, Lacroix says the emphasis is on developing a highly-engineered, high-tech product that can be made affordable through mass production. He points to his Swatch wristwatch as an X"1. . "A ' ; , . :rV'- w ; 7 ; 4 -Jl - : i TV 1 ' V ij ' -k Founder of Lacroix ski company, Daniel Lacroix, right, has been visiting Park City the past few weeks to help son Jean-Ives Lacroix 'break ground' in Jeremy Ranch on a new post-and-beam structure the two have designed for LACROIX HOMES. FOUR LAKES VILLAGE AT PARK MEADOWS EAGLE RIDGE C VT Innovative homes in a residential community with a beautiful mountain setting! 7 Models from $169,500 IpM CHAPMAN UIKI RICHARDS jTA YERS n IDIVISION dream illustration: It's a high-tech product fitted in many styles and colors, its accuracy is the same as a Rolex, and it's affordable because it's mass-produced. Based on a post-and-beam system, the concept of LACROIX HOMES is deceptively simple. "To get simplicity in architecture, you must work through a long, long process," Lacroix says. "The engineering time is tremendous." But the simplicity of the design is its strongest feature. The purity and logic of the post-and-beam structure allows it to blend with any environment, making it as at home in the mountains as it is in the valley, or by the sea. The structure of a LACROIX home is built entirely of posts and beams. Since the walls are not an integral part of the PINEBROOK A Master Planned Residential Community Sales Office Hours: 1 -5pm Weekdays Ndon - 5 pm Weekends Telephone: 647-7783 Listing Agents: Mary Corneveaux 649-1015 (H) John Rideout 277-2988 (H) home filled with structure, great flexibility is possible within a single design. Once the post-and-beam frame of the home has been erected, the spaces between the posts can be filled with panels or glass, or simply left open, enabling homeowners to create their own unique floor plans. Install a wall of glass and create a southern exposure. Or choose a side with a better view - placement, size and number of windows is entirely up to the homeowner. What's more, panels and windows can be removed and rearranged to create new floor plans or allow for easy expansion of the home at any time. Even the floors can be rearranged to create lofts or vaulted ceilings. Lacroix says that within one basic post-and-beam structure, as many as 60 floor plans can be arranged. This unique flexibilty offers home buyers the benefit of a custom-designed home without the expense. All the components of the LACROIX home are designed to be preformed and delivered to the building site ready for assembly. Careful computer drafting ensures the precision of the preformed components. "It's a very high-tech product," Lacroix says. "An engineered home." Even the wood is "engineered." Lacroix says the North American lumber shortage has led to the development of the "paralam beam," which he believes is "the best wood material in the world for building." Manufactured by Trus Joist MacMillan, the paralam beam is formed of wood fibers pressed and glued together. It does not warp, and because the process eliminates the knot and grain flaws of natural wood, it is stonger and more stable than regular lumber, according to Lacroix. "It's like building with steel, with all the advantages of wood." The paralam beam has an environmental advantage as well. Exceptional condominiums surrounded by the lakes and fairways of the Park Meadows Golf Course! Prices from $349,000 to $469,000 Sales Office Hours: 10 am - 5 pm daily Telephone: 649-2628 Listing Agents: Georgia Shane 649-7836 (H) Carol Child 649-8087 (H) Janet Stanley 649-4996 (H) 3 Because wood fibers of any size can be used in manufacturing paralam, old-growth forests are spared in favor of young, undervalued and underused trees which rapidly regrow. This 'earth friendly' factor is important to Lacroix, who has designed his post-and beam homes so all the wood used in the home is visible. He considers it an environmental waste to hide wood behind sheetrock, so the wall panels of all LACROIX homes will be preconstructed of metal studs. Only the metal bolts holding the panels to the beams will be visible, Lacroix points out. The rest of the metal will be hidden behind sheetrock and siding. After three years of research and design, the first LACROIX home is under construction at Jeremy Ranch. "When we started, people wondered what it was... a UFO, or what?," Lacroix says, but adds "a lot of builders and architects have been stopping by, interested in the concept." The design of LACROIX homes and the fact that the building components are preformed lend themselves to fast and easy construction. The tremendous savings in time and labor costs offset the use of high-quality high-quality materials, such as the expensive paralam beam, Lacroix says. Proudly pointing out the lack of a trash container on the building site, Lacroix notes that the precision of his design virtually eliminates waste -another great savings in cost for the home buyer. Lacroix believes the flexibility of the post-and-beam home makes it particularly well-suited for the American homeowner. He says he has often noticed a lack of coordination between house design and property in this country. "Americans think of the short term. People want to build fast and spend so few dollars on design as compared to the 'cost of Old town charm without old town headaches I It's hard to find - two-car garage, spacious grounds, great landscaping, plenty of storage space, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, laundry, extensive decks, Incredible location between Deer Valley and Main Street - we have itl Call Georgia Shane (649-7836) or our Main Office (649-1 500) to Show. $279,000 Lovely custom tudor home in Bountiful on a secluded wooded lot. 6,095' with 6 bedroom, 4 bath; formal living and dining; huge kitchen; 3 large family rooms; 4-car heated garage,; expensive upgrades; security system. Call: Linda Machol (292-3070) $425,000 CONDOS Ik Charm and sophistication In this Enclave condo In Deer Valley. 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath, formal dining, end unit, deck and spa with spectacular views, professionally decorated and fully furnished. Call' Barbara Sanford (649-5563) or Steve Bryant (Mobile 580-0224) $365,000 DEVELOPMENT PARCELS Well-established art gallery for sale (15-year lease available) Agents: Victor Ayers, Broker (H) 649-9723 Carol Child (H) 649-8087 Barbara Sanford (H) 649-5563 Georgia Shane (H) 649-7836 Janet Stanley (H) 649-4996 Mary Corneveaux (H) 649-1015 John Rideout (H) 277-2988 Gloria Apgood (H) 649-6850 Ben Vallor(H) 649-1481 Linda Machol (H) 292-3070 post and building." Architects are expensive, so people buy plans from magazines and catalogs, Lacroix explains. Often the floor plan does not suit their particular lot. "You see it all the time." Lacroix points to a neighboring house. "None of the windows in that house overlook the golf course. All the windows face my garage." The layout of a LACROIX home, on the other hand, can be adapted to bring out the best features of any lot. And with property values skyrocketing in today's market, the ability to easily upgrade the post-and-beam structure becomes an especially important asset. A buyer can start out with a small home on an economical lot and enlarge the home as the value of the lot increases. "It's the perfect balance between land and home values," Lacroix says. Lacroix expects the Jeremy Ranch prototype to be completed within three months. The first house is the most difficult, and Lacroix admits there is still lots Wfc W'fefesqMtSm.. i&tiiiiimmMki' mmnmm, tfmtL&&T Si '..V..' " ' " fS' NSS To cut down on costs and lumber waste, the wall panels of a LACROIX home are designed of metal studs. The only metal visible, however, are the bolts holding the. panels to the post-and-beam structure. . . ... HOMES HI .. Exquisite home on 1 .59 acre in the best of Bountiful with a mountain setting and views of the Great Salt Lake. 4500 sq. ft.; 4 bedroom suites; dark room; wet bar; 3 fireplaces; 2000 sq. ft. deck; 25 minutes from airport; 40 minutes from ski resorts. Must seel Call Linda Machol (H) 292-3070 4$000 $399,000 Quality custom home in Jeremy Ranch with great views. 3,70? with 4 BO3.5 BA; spacious open floor plan; natural woodwork; master suite with extras; 3-car garage; redwood decks; generous closets & storage. Call Barbara Sanford (649-5563) or Mark Schneggenburger (278-4414) $335,000 L O Lot 8 Risner II - $219,000 - Georgia Shane Lot 90 Thaynes Canyon - $139,000 - Georgia ShaneJanet Stanley Lots 1 7-21 on Lowell Avenue - $55,000 each - Mary Corneveaux - UNDER CONTRACT Lots 26 & 27 on Lowell Avenue - $59,000 each - Mary Corneveaux Lot 2 Knollheim Estates - $220,000 - Vic Ayers Lot 45 The Oaks -$135,000 -John Rideout ' " Lot 40 (3240) E. Millcreek, Salt Lake City - $280,000 - John Rideout Lots 105 and 106 East Park Subdiv. - $35,000 each - John Rideout Lot 1 65 Pinebrook - $58,500 - Linda Machol Six lots on Norfolk and Empire Avenues - $225,000 COMMERCIAL Main Office Four Lakes Eagle Ridge beams of engineering work to be done. "I have learned what to do and what not to do." But most importantly, he adds, he has learned that the system works. When completed, the house on Jeremy Ranch Road will become Jean-Ives Lacroix's home and office, as well as a model for prospective clients. Lacroix has already been commissioned to build a second home in Jeremy Ranch, and he eventually hopes to open his own shop to manufacture prefabricated building components for LACROIX HOMES. He also plans to develop at least six different post-and-beam packages so that clients are not overwhelmed with the variables of the design. But for now, Lacroix is basking in the satisfaction of success. "Testing a new system is scary, especially when you see the money involved. For me u was a big risk, a big investment... three years of work. But now I can design any kind of system with this concept." T3 Unique family home or corporate retreat in American Flag. Unbelievable quality construction, extensive patios and decks, beautiful wood and stone work, copper roof, spacious comfortable rooms, walking distance to ski runs. Call Georgia Shane (649-7836) $1,575,000 o 'I r Lovely custom home In Heber. 2700 sq. ft.; 3 BR2.5 BA; main level open floor plan; home theater; low upkeep; low taxes; quiet cul-de-sac in Valley Hills Estates with breathtaking views. Call Ben Vallor(H) 649-1481 $215,500 T S - Carol Child - $220,000 - Vic Ayers 1901 Prospector Avenue, 3rd floor Telephone: 801-649-1500 Toll free: 800-324-6897 Fax: 801-649-1584 Telephone: 801-649-2628 Telephone: 801-647-7783 Fax: 801-647-7785 1 Til :i , ii a ! n ' 4 .4 ;i Hi 11 |