Eleanor Beach: A Harmonious Blend of Design and Durability

By Coastal Lifestyle

Published March 30, 2024

Grace Perdido Key’s Newest Waterfront Marvel

Eleanor Beach is a new waterfront development located in Perdido Key, Florida, named for a granddaughter of the developer, Wesley Spruill. Spruill has always loved this particular part of Perdido Key, and he recognized the potential for a development that would be unique and special. He selected Bob Chatham of Bob Chatham Custom Home Design to take his words and ideas and turn them into the overall concept for this unique development. Once the design portion of the project was underway, Spruill and Chatham selected Jerry and Austin Smith of Green Leaf Construction as the builder, and Martin Pitts for the structural engineering component of the project.

: Row of modern beachfront houses with white roofs and light-colored exteriors, situated on the sandy shore of Eleanor Beach with a calm sea in the foreground. A tall building stands on the right side, and the sky is partly clouded, showing a pinkish hue from the setting sun.

: A modern, two-story white house with large black-framed windows, featuring a spacious balcony and patio area equipped with lounge furniture and umbrellas. The patio includes a small pool, reminiscent of the serene elegance found in Eleanor Beach, with neighboring similarly styled homes in the background.

: A coastal scene at Eleanor Beach shows three modern, white two-story buildings with large windows and metal roofs, situated close to a sandy beach with dunes and sparse vegetation. The view captures the shoreline and the calm ocean waves in the background.

: Two-story modern beach house with large windows overlooking Eleanor Beach. The lower level features a patio with lounge chairs, a table with an umbrella, and a small pool. The upper level has a balcony. Background includes a beach at sunset with a serene sky and light reflections.

The Eleanor Beach development was conceived as six gulf-front homes with a distinct style and aesthetic, each of similar elevation, size, layout, and materials, all designed by Chatham and constructed to Fortified Gold Standards. The lots are fifty feet wide, and each home has the same footprint. The structures are concrete, steel, and wood construction. Concrete pilings, floors, and light deck floor system with parapet walls provide each home with exceptional strength and resilience to weather conditions.

Wesley Spruill realized that he and Chatham had conceived a very special place. Bob Chatham is more than pleased with the team’s work and with his own role in the project. “We have set a new benchmark for the Perdido Key area,” Chatham says, “and everyone who sees Eleanor Beach recognizes this.”

: A modern kitchen featuring a long island with beige barstools, pendant lights overhead, and a white countertop. The backdrop includes white cabinetry, a chic backsplash, a built-in oven, a range hood, and large windows showcasing the Eleanor Beach view, creating a bright and airy atmosphere.

: A luxurious outdoor patio at Eleanor Beach features two beige sofas with cushions, a wooden coffee table, and a potted plant. Beyond, an infinity pool overlooks the ocean, separated by a glass barrier, with a clear sky above.

: A narrow, modern hallway features large windows with an Eleanor Beach cushioned bench on the left, white cabinetry with gold hardware and a built-in beverage cooler on the right, and a patterned rug leading to an open doorway revealing a well-lit room with a chair.

: A spacious, modern bedroom with large windows allowing plenty of natural light. The room features a plush bed with white bedding, a dresser with a mirror, and two cozy chairs. Eleanor Beach artwork adorns the wall, while light wooden floors complement the bright decor.

Members of the team that made Eleanor Beach a reality include Jerry Smith and Austin Smith of Green Leaf Construction, a builder with more than two decades of experience in construction management and three decades of experience in senior-level business management.

Jerry Smith is the owner and founder of Green Leaf and oversees the “big picture” operations along with Austin Smith, who is licensed in Alabama as an attorney, a residential home builder, and a real estate agent. He oversees the company’s general operations and represents the company’s legal interests within Alabama.

The structural engineering for the Eleanor Beach project was provided by J. Martin Pitts, PE, LLC. J. Martin Pitts has over forty years of structural engineering experience and works with his son, J. Colin Pitts, PE, a registered professional in Alabama, Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Cori Pitts serves as a specialist for the company in the IBHS Fortified Program.

: A modern white loft bed with a ladder and railings, above a lower bed with storage drawers underneath. Perfect for an Eleanor Beach vibe, the room features hardwood floors, large windows with light shades, and minimalistic decor.

: Modern two-story white house with large windows and a balcony overlooking a sunlit patio. The patio features several gray lounge chairs and a swimming pool, reminiscent of the elegance found at Eleanor Beach, with glass doors leading inside. The sky is clear and blue.

About Residential Elevators

Residential Elevators, a custom elevator designer, fabricator, and installer, has installed elevators in several of the homes at Eleanor Beach. Each one is designed for the specific unit and is assembled on-site. The homeowner is able to select style, materials, flooring, and controls.

Robert Verrilli of Residential Elevators, who is the lead on the Eleanor Beach installations, has over twenty years with the company, and has found working in conjunction with Green Leaf Construction on this project has been rewarding and efficient. "We have developed a great rapport with them, and it has made this project very satisfying," he says. “Residential Elevators looks forward to more projects in this area.”

: A modern bedroom with large windows providing a scenic view reminiscent of Eleanor Beach. The room features a neatly made bed, two white cushioned chairs with wooden arms, and a pair of white round side tables adorned with decorative items. The space is bright and airy with white walls and light wood flooring.

: A modern living room with large windows offering a scenic Eleanor Beach view, featuring a white sectional sofa with blue and beige cushions, a round coffee table with decorative items, a chandelier, and an adjacent dining area. Light wood flooring complements the airy ambiance.

: A modern bathroom reminiscent of Eleanor Beach features light blue cabinets with dual sinks and a large mirror with a gold frame above. There is a freestanding bathtub, a walk-in shower with glass doors, and a blue patterned curtain. The floor is tiled in white with a light blue rug.

: Spacious modern kitchen and living area with light blue cabinets, large white island, and wood-paneled ceiling. Living area features a light-colored sectional sofa, wicker chairs, and large windows with Eleanor Beach views. Elegant lighting fixtures hang from the ceiling.

J. Martin Pitts describes the Eleanor Beach Method of Construction as follows:

Eleanor Beach, with its gulf-front location and the dynamic architecture of the project required special attention to critical areas of the structural framing system.

The buildings are supported by 100-ton 14” x 14” prestressed concrete pilings similar to those used to support interstate highway bridges. Cast-in-place concrete was used to construct the elevated main floor system. Concrete is recognized as one of the most successful building systems ever used, and can be found on projects worldwide.

The ceiling height on the main floor is 12’ and required double studs at 16” on center to provide the required wall stiffness during high wind events the home will be required to withstand.

The homes have floor-to-ceiling and corner-to-corner glass walls that make incredible views of the Gulf of Mexico possible. These large wall openings required structural steel frames utilizing fully welded moment connections to develop lateral stiffness. Large lateral forces will be developed as hurricane forces are applied to the full height of the structure. The frames required heavy members that weighed nearly 100 pounds per foot to keep lateral deflections within acceptable limits.

: A modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, including a refrigerator and a stove with red knobs. The kitchen features a marble countertop island, wooden cabinets, a large window with a beige shade, and a backsplash made of light-colored tiles that evoke the subtle hues of Eleanor Beach.

: A modern living room with a large sectional sofa facing a wall-mounted TV above a sleek fireplace. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors provide an Eleanor Beach view and lead to a balcony. Curtains frame the windows, and a potted plant sits in the corner.

: A dining room with a light wooden table and white chairs. Above the table hangs a white coral chandelier. A large painting of a boat is on the right wall near a sideboard with decor items. Glass doors in the background reveal a balcony offering an Eleanor Beach ocean view.

: A modern bedroom with large windows providing a scenic view reminiscent of Eleanor Beach. The room features a neatly made bed, two white cushioned chairs with wooden arms, and a pair of white round side tables adorned with decorative items. The space is bright and airy with white walls and light wood flooring.

About Bob Chatham:

Bob Chatham is an award-winning second-generation residential designer who has been designing custom homes for over 35 years. He is a member of the American Institute of Building Design and of the National Association of Home Builders. Chatham lives and works in Fairhope, AL, and designs homes all along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. His distinctive design style features abundant windows, expansive porches, exposed beams, and decorative roof brackets, complementing the landscape and bringing his signature charm to any number of coastal communities, from Gulf Shores in Alabama all the way to Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A and beyond. Chatham was the first in Alabama to design a certified Green home, which earned a Gold rating for energy efficiency.

Chatham’s impressive creative vision, along with his understanding of wetlands, flood zones, easements, and related lot constraints, has led to his ability to design a unique creation with the ideal balance of practicality and luxury no matter the lot’s location. He has had the creative freedom to design entire residential communities along the Gulf Coast and to design a number of Showcase homes in Mobile and Baldwin Counties in Alabama. Together with his team of talented designers, he is able to create a custom home plan that is above and beyond a mere place to live, but is rather an investment in the future and an enduring piece of art.

Bob Chatham Custom Home Design
78 South Section Street | Fairhope AL 36532
251-928-0988 | designer@bobchatham.com

Wesley L. Spruill. M.D.
wspruill@rockpointrental.com

Jerry A. Smith
Green Leaf Construction, LLC
251-605-9049 | GreenLeafConstruction@Outlook.com

J. Martin Pitts, P.E., LLC
J. Martin Pitts, P.E.
martin@martinpitts.net | 251-591-6634

Force 5 Walls, Inc.
251-213-2423 | 251-213-9255
www.force5walls.com

Residential Elevators
850-906-3054 | www.residentialelevators.com