With its Renaissance architecture and clearly defined proportions, The Sistine Chapel creates the perfect setting for the great classic works of Michelangelo and Raphael.

Just like the community of Ashville Park in Virginia Beach makes the perfect canvas for the masterpieces of Tidewater Builders Association’s 27th annual Homearama showcase of homes, set for Oct. 3-19, 2008.

The artist behind the vision is award-winning residential designer Stephen Fuller.  The project is his first master planned community in Virginia.  Along with the masterpiece homes from the area’s finest builders, this entire community has been meticulously created to allow residents to experience, “The Fine Art of Living.”

In 2004, L.M Sandler & Sons Inc. acquired the 452-acre property for Ashville Park in the Virginia Beach transition area off of Princess Anne Road.

It’s just around the corner from one of the largest retail corridors in the region, and yet, it’s also just minutes from the rural “pick-your-own” farm in Pungo and a leisurely drive from the beaches of Sandbridge.

The Red Mill Commons and Red Mill Walk retail hubs contain more than 944,000 square feet of retail space, including Target, Bloom grocery store, Home Depot, WalMart and numerous restaurants and shops. It’s also convenient to the Virginia Beach Amphitheater, the new Sentara and Bon Secours Health Centers.

Stephen Fuller has envisioned Ashville Park as a place with lush landscapes for children to play and neighbors to grow. He has a traditional style of design and maintains total control over the streetscapes. This control will help the neighborhood only get better with age and ensure a beautiful mature community for its residents.

“The overall vision for Ashville Park is to recreate the beauty of a 1920’s revival style neighborhood,” said Fuller. “As soon as people come in the entrance they will feel the benefits of the landplan – the beautiful flowing streetscapes, the streets intertwining with the large park system and more than 200 acres of parks and green space.”

 “What people will see is the combination of landscaping and beautiful retro style houses,” said Fuller. “We de-emphasize the garages, driveways and cars so that you see as little of them as possible so the many layers of landscaping can connect the houses to the parks and streets. The beauty of all of that is it really makes a picturesque and unique kind of environment.”

Since the property is located in the Virginia Beach Transition Area, it is required to have 50 percent open space. The open spaces will include the pocket parks throughout each village, 15 lakes totaling 47 acres, and over 40,000 linear feet of walking trails as well as an equestrian trail.

The streetscape was designed to create a “park-like” environment for pedestrians, by separating the sidewalk and curb with a double row of street trees.

Ashville Park residents will also be able to enjoy a fully amenitized community with a pool, clubhouse and playground.

“This community is going to provide a vastly different subdivision experience from what this area has ever seen, ” said Catherine Holder of L.M. Sandler & Sons Inc., project manager for Ashville Park. “With the pocket parks, linear parks, open space and lakes, plus the meticulous architecture and top notch builder team, you will not only see the difference, but you will feel the difference.”

In addition to the amenities, Ashville Park will have a mix of residential product. There are a total of 492 lots within the community divided between 20,000 square foot lots, 12,000 square foot lots, and 7,200 square foot active adult lots. Phase one, also known as the Wilshire Village and home to Homearama 2008, will have 135 lots with 20,000 square feet. It will offer cottage homes (2,400–2,800 square feet), custom homes (2,800–4,000 square feet), and estate homes (4,000 square feet and up). Each of these homes is being built in conjunction with residential designer Stephen Fuller.

“A great deal of the excitement of Ashville Park is to look to the future and clearly see how beautifully this community will mature,” said Holder. “That really is the mark of a great community and a place anyone would love to call home.”

Seven Steven Fuller designs homes will be on display at Homearama 2008, Oct. 3 - 19 at Ashville Park. The event is open from noon until 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under. More information and a discount coupon are available at www.homearama.tv, or by calling 757-420-2434.

For information regarding Ashville Park and its home sites contact Steven Goldsmith at 757-769-2959, or visit ashvilleparkva.com.