The Home Builders Association invests heavily in the annual House for Hope project, in which they partner with Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal and KSLA News 12. This project draws from local homebuilders and vendors to create a luxury home, the House for Hope, which is raffled off to raise money for local Community Renewal Friendship Houses.
Raffle tickets are $100 per ticket and can be purchased at www.houseforhope.us. The drawing for the home will be June 28.
Contributors to the Rochel Drive Home
Glover Builders, Inc.
Acme Brick • Allen Millwork
Ark-La-Tex Water Gardens Sprinkler System & Custom Landscaping
Cecil Snider Painting Closets in Order Electrolux Appliances & Plumbing Fireplace Specialties Fischers Carpet Guardian Alarms Melissa Hendricks Color Palette
Moorehead Pools Morrison Supply Precision Plastering River Cities Lighting Sound Minds • Southern Stone
Friendship Houses are a unique concept: A home is built in a low-income area of town to house both the living and working space for a Community Renewal coordinator and their family - essentially a community center in a home. The home boasts living quarters for the family, along with a large meeting/media room, accommodating kitchen and the opportunity to provide the surrounding neighborhood with after-school programs, tutoring, service projects, GED courses, music lessons, computer training and much more. Truly an integrated haven for low income neighborhoods, Community Renewal believes that by strengthening neighborhoods, crime will reduce and community will thrive.
The First Friendship House, financed by the House for Hope campaign, was completed in the Queensborough area last year. The next Friendship House will be started this year in Highland.
The House for Hope project relies on donations and volunteers, making it a true labor of love for the community. Each year, the presiding president of the Home Builders Associated is charged with the construction of the home.
This year that honor falls to Todd Lawhon, founder and owner of Lawhon Myers Builders. An active member of the construction industry since high school, Lawhon launched his company in 2000 and provides custom residential and commercial construction services and also boasts expert remodeling services, which are in high demand around the Shreveport, Bossier and Ruston area.
The house is located in the Island Park subdivision off of Clyde Fant Parkway in Shreveport. Conveniently placed, residents can quickly reach Bossier or downtown Shreveport via the parkway and Jimmy Davis Bridge, and they are right around the corner from the hustle and bustle of Youree Drive, while still being nestled in the quiet water-side neighborhood, which houses several ponds, giving it a true Louisiana feel.
The 2,891-square-foot, 3-bedroom/2.5- bathroom home was built in French- Caribbean style, lending a very light, open atmosphere.
The soft colors and plenty of natural lighting give a beach house in the city feeling to the home. The house was designed by Jean Hodgson, and the interior design was done in collaboration between Robertson and Steve Ross, a local decorator.
Lawhon used only premium materials in constructing the home, with hardwood oors abound. All lumber, trim and doors were donated by Custom-Bilt Cabinet and Supply of whom Lawhon says, “We simply could not have completed this project without them.”
Stainless-steel appliances and beautiful lighting were donated by Barrett Appliance, giving the home an upscale look, and the master bedroom boasts his and hers closets designed and donated by Denee Locke, of Closets in Order.
Sound Minds of Shreveport installed surround sound systems and at screen televisions throughout the home; this exciting characteristic allows homeowners to have the bene t of easy entertainment without the mess of instillation or cords. The home also features a custom landscaping plan by Lloyd Overdike and landscaping work performed by Terra Bella Landscaping.
Attributing much of their success to his team of six hardworking guys and their carefully developed subcontracting relationships, Lawhon is committed to building and remodeling each home with excellence and integrity.
As current president of the HBA, Lawhon leads board meetings, tackles scal responsibilities in the organization and actively participates in state- and federal-level legislation and issues. Calling his involvement an “eye-opening experience,” Lawhon appreciates the perspective that accompanies this level of participation and is proud to support the efforts of our local HBA to protect and promote area builders. Tasked with the construction for this year’s House for Hope, Lawhon was taken by surprise by how willing local and national vendors and home industry leaders were to donate time, materials and services to the project.
“The response from our locals has just been so cool,” Lawhon said. “We have had probably two-thirds of this house donated, and that’s just great to see. We had to spread contribution opportunities around thanks to the level of eagerness to participate!” A truly special stop on the Parade route, the House for Hope is a labor of love, and while each participating business was not named above, each donation contributed to the success and mission of a project that is a catalyst for growth and harmony in the Shreveport-Bossier community. The 2013 Parade of Homes is sure to delight viewers and inspire new home trends in the area – don’t miss this peek into the beauty of design in the community.
The Crossing at Wimple, 120 Arbor Place, Patterson Development & Construction
Twelve Oaks, 871 Chartres Drive, Hudco Construction
Provenance Townhomes 1921 Woodberry Avenue Vintage Residential Staged for your viewing pleasure by Red Door Interiors
