Page 84 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2020

HOME & GARDEN
REBUILDING
the Coast
One Home at a Time
story by Lynn Lofton photos by Donn Hupp and MS Real Estate Photography, Kyle Garner and courtesy of Southern Paradise, LLC
Iana, said. “We built away from the beach till the Mayor called us in his o ce to persuade us to give it a shot.”
The Illiches have since built countless upscale homes along the Gulf Coast, making an impact on the local economy and helping to change the look and feel of these once devastated areas. “Many other builders have since joined in and it’s great to see,” Illich said.
Peter and Kathleen Edwards, former New Jersey residents, are enjoying their craftsman-style home (cover shot) in
Long Beach, especially the porches. “The people at Southern Paradise, LLC were wonderful to work with. They had not built our particular house before. It’s built up quite a bit which makes it look bigger,” Kathleen said.
There’s a saying that everything old
is new again. That’s true of the homes built by Southern Paradise, LLC. They’re taking the best features of the cottage homes of yesterday and incorporating them with all the latest amenities of new construction.
The homes are 1,600 square feet with prices beginning in the mid $200,000 range. Company owner Glynn Illich says the homes include Hardie Board siding, gas porch lanterns and stoves, 10-foot ceilings and 8-foot doors, porches and elevated foundations to make insurance more a ordable. The modern touches include open oor plans, upgraded
84 | March 2020
baths with custom tiled showers, luxury vinyl plank waterproof ooring, custom cabinets and granite countertops.
“They’re located in super safe areas and most of the lots are within walking distance to the beach,” he added.
It all began a few years ago with the encouragement of former Long Beach Mayor Billie Skellie, who asked Southern Paradise, LLC to start rebuilding near
the beach where there were many lots left vacant after Hurricane Katrina. “Ever since Katrina, south of the tracks in Long Beach did not have any new residential development till a few years ago,” Illich, who owns the company with his wife
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