What does it mean to call Gainesville home?
The home of Gator Nation is a slice of modern-day Americana. Local, family-owned businesses and suburban neighborhoods are just steps away from the cutting-edge trappings of a top public university. This cultural center of art and music and award-winning medical hub is home to students, families and professionals. It means something different to everyone.
Three miles west of Gainesville, the idyllic Town of Tioga is a community that embodies the very essence of the word. Lush greenery and pleasant weather accompany a neighborhood full of pedestrian parks, tree-shaded paths and esplanades. A live-work-play community, Tioga is famous for its close-knit and family-oriented lifestyle. It is also known for its walkable commutes to charming shops, restaurants and offices. In short, Tioga is a wonderful place to call home.
Caught your interest yet? An opportunity to get to know Tioga and check out the beautiful new home builds there is coming up soon.
The BANCF Spring Parade of Homes visits Tioga once again, for two weekends — May 14-15 and May 21-22. This annual event takes prospective homebuyers, Realtors and the general public on tours of the innovative and unique designs of houses throughout Alachua County.
A true celebration of the area’s real estate, the Spring Parade of Homes™ has visited more than 300 neighborhoods and 2,000 homes since its inception in 1958. The Builders Association of North Central Florida hosts this event each year.
The Town of Tioga proudly presents a home for the parade this year. The beautiful, pioneering model was designed and built by Jaime Pridgen of Pridgen Homes Inc. What a beauty it is. The courtyard-style home, as Pridgen refers to it, is a marriage of two styles — city modern and country farmhouse.
Highly detailed and realistic wood-grain tile flows throughout the 4,000-square-foot home, complementing upgraded lighting fixtures, plumbing and appliances. Soft touches, such as a floating hearth and traditional cabinetry, provide the down-to-earth feel of a country abode. Warm and inviting, chic and stylish, this Tioga home is sure to be the star of the parade.
Amber Beckham is a real estate broker for Tioga Realty and plays a key role in this year’s Parade of Homes. Beckham, who has a background in construction, has been in love with Town of Tioga since its groundbreaking.
Tioga Realty is a small, boutique office with agents Tom and Trish Reilly, Rick Hammond, Kayla Lochte and Beckham. Their 100 years of combined experience contribute to their outstanding reputation in the community. Knowledgeable, personable and very hands-on, Tioga Realty is not only the top-seller in Town of Tioga, but the best way to experience the distinct community feel that the town exudes.
This year, Tioga Realty offered a sneak peek of the show home on Wednesday, May 11, through an invitation-only party. This private event for Realtors, builders, developers, real estate attorneys and financiers was a fun and intimate gathering.
“Realtors and builders usually work during the parade,” Beckham said. “They don’t always have the chance to get out and tour the parade homes.”
With their schedules often fully booked, this sneak peek provided an opportunity for these hardworking professionals to break away and mingle. This cozy evening featured numerous professionals from the surrounding area, including the homebuilder and developer himself.
Pridgen and his brother represent the family-owned Pridgen Homes, founded by their father. Pridgen Homes holds the distinction of being a Tioga Showcase Builder, a coveted title handed out to only a select few builders. Showcase builders are currently the only ones authorized to build in Town of Tioga. With over 100 builders in Greater Gainesville, the honor is well-recognized and well-deserved.
“Every home [of ours] looks different,” Pridgen said, “designed to look like they belong in a magazine.”
Consistent with the principles of Tioga, Pridgen Homes’ focus on family and community is at the forefront.
“All construction companies are businesses, but ours is more like a family that builds homes,” Pridgen said.
Pridgen’s relaxed and easygoing demeanor, combined with his impressive work ethic, speaks for itself. Rave reviews via word of mouth are the key to their success, and among the many reasons for their consistent appearances in the Parade of Homes.
The concept of Tioga can be attributed to the vision of one man — Luis Diaz, the director of development and owner of Town of Tioga. Diaz, who undertook the Tioga project in 1992, envisioned a community that fostered the ideas of family and connectedness. Diaz defied the prospect of designing a typical neighborhood with “cul-de-sac after cul-de-sac,” instead rethinking the concept of a neighborhood.
“The concept of Tioga starts with its connectivity. It’s rooted in making families living there feel positive,” Luis said.
The other Tioga builders featured are Advanced Building Concepts, Dibrose Design and Construction, Tommy Waters Custom Homes, Warring Homes and Barry Bullard Homes.
By Ryan Walsh
Read more about the Town of Tioga here!