Hurricane Resistant Homes on the Texas Coast Survive Ike's Worst
Almost all the hurricane resistant homes at Audubon Village in Gilchrist, survived Hurricane Ike's worst damage. The rest of Gilchrist was completely destroyed.We now have actual proof that this type of new construction works.
These homes were built to the fortified for safer living® designation from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). This construction program ensures a home meets specific design, construction and landscaping criteria to increase its overall resistance to natural hazards such as hurricane winds and flood waters.
These homes were designated using the original Fortified criteria. Under the new land use policies IBHS would not designate homes in this area.
IBHS created the "Fortified…for safer living" construction program to ensure a home meets specific design, construction and landscaping criteria to increase its overall resistance to natural hazards.
Audubon Village is located 1.5 miles east of Rollover Pass in the city of Gilchrist on the Bolivar Peninsula, the location where Hurricane Ike hit the hardest and caused the most damage. Yet, nearly everyone of these homes still stands proud.
Look at this FEMA report after Hurricane Andrew, where a Government study observed that this type of construction survives hurricane damage far better than traditional construction techniques.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) report on building performance during 1992’s Hurricane Andrew noted that modular homes withstood the ravages of that storm’s Category 4 winds of 131–155 mph far better than site-built housing.
FEMA states these homes “provided an inherently rigid system that performed much better than conventional residential framing.”
With this example - it is clear that if we are going to build on the coast, let's do it right and make our homes survivable and safer.
For more information on these types of homes, see our section on System Built Homes.
Another construction technique that also proved itself during Hurricane Ike,
was the Galveston Seawall and raised modern high-rise construction behind it.
was the Galveston Seawall and raised modern high-rise construction behind it.
The Emerald By the Sea in Galveston, is one of the few structures where there was literally no damage from the storm.
Emerald By the Sea is already completely operational with power, water and ready for residents to move right back in as soon as Galveston re-opens next week.
Sales Management company Edith Personette & Associates and Alan Chodrow of the Galveston Center, say that they are seeing a surge of calls from locals and from other areas of the country, interested in the Emerald for sales and rentals.
"Many of the new buyers and renters had homes that were lost and are looking for a safer way of living on the coast" - said Alan Chodrow.
Several items that both of these hurricane resistant designs had in common:
1. They are several hundred feet from the beach
2. They have a rigid barrier between the sand and the structures
3. They are built to much higher construction standards, specifically to withstand hurricane forces
4. They are elevated high off the ground with concrete and steel
See related article on "New Beach Construction and Dune Protection Permit Rules"
1. They are several hundred feet from the beach
2. They have a rigid barrier between the sand and the structures
3. They are built to much higher construction standards, specifically to withstand hurricane forces
4. They are elevated high off the ground with concrete and steel
See related article on "New Beach Construction and Dune Protection Permit Rules"
All the finished communities in our "rare and remarkable new developments" on the the Texas coast suffered only minor damage, if any, from hurricane Ike.
NOTE: The Majority of the Texas Coast including the Rockport, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and South Padre Island - experienced few effects from Hurricane Ike.
Updated Photo From Jim Hayes, Crown Team Partner
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