After spending many summers vacations in historic Cape May, our Ohio-based clients were so inspired by the Town’s festive atmosphere and rich architectural heritage, they chose to create their second home on the Jersey Shore's version of 'Key West'! Ironically, although most of the village is a traditional downtown setting, our clients property was on a 3 acre wooded preserve surrounded by the coastal estuary and tidal beaches of The Cape May Light House (National Historic Landmark).

Our clients thoughtfully introduced their Landscape Architect at the outset of the project and presented the design team with the challenge of integrating a "large Victorian style home" into a densely wooded sanctuary with the stipulation of minimal tree removal. As we visited the site throughout the Year, we became captivated with the misty sea breezes and wide array of birds, which migrate along the Atlantic Coast throughout the year. This is truly a very serene landscape setting and an opportunity to create a wonderful home for our clients. The home will include 5,600 SF of interior space on three levels served by an elevator. Although this will be a traditional Victorian home, it will incorporate several 'sustainable design' strategies which will reduce the energy load by 80%. A Geothermal heating /cooling technology will be integrated to dramatically reduce or eliminate the use of fossil fuels - as well as minimize pollution. A Solar Photovoltiac technology will also be incorporated into the roof membrane to allow the owners a way to generate sufficient electrical capacity to offset the homes Utility requirement. Considering that the homeowners would primarily use the home during the summer months for the next few years, the notion of utilizing one's Summer home as a Solar electrical production source was very appealing!