VILLA LAZY H
Cabrera, Dominican Republic
PHYSICAL
DESCRIPTION AND CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
1. ARCHITECTURAL
The villa is comprised of six separate buildings totaling more
than 6000 square feet of enclosed living space. An additional 2800 square feet of covered terrace surround the
buildings, extending their useable living area in fine weather. The central four casitas are consolidated by
a common roof that forms the living-core of the villa. Separate Master Bedroom and Guest casitas
stand at opposite ends of the core, providing exceptional privacy to each area
of the house.
In all, there are six full-time bedrooms plus a maid’s bedroom
with en-suite bathroom. The large Game
Room may be easily converted into a spillover bedroom – the villa has
comfortably accommodated eleven people for a 10-day period. There are seven full baths.
Other spaces include: a 20x33-foot Living Room with functioning
fireplace and 16-foot ceilings; a 20x20-foot kitchen with 10x16-foot adjoining
pantry/maid’s kitchen; a 20x26-foot Game Room with pool table, full bath,
sleeping nook and entertainment center.
A 26x40-foot Garage/utility building accommodates 2 large
vehicles. It includes a 25-foot
workbench with dedicated lighting and four windows. Separate spaces within this building house inverters,
breaker-panels, switches, batteries and gardening tools.
A laundry casita houses washer/dryer, large sink and folding
table. Pool equipment is housed in its
own 10x16-foot building.
A separate 20x20-foot storage building may be used for
additional vehicles, boats, etc. And
lastly, a dedicated shed contains the villa’s two generators and 450-gallon
diesel tank.
2. FEATURES
Most Floors are Mexican or Italian tile, much of it inlaid. All thresholds, terrace-edges, column-bases
and benches are coralina (cut-coral).
The Master Bedroom and Living Room feature floors of Brazilian
Rosewood. Italian marble is used in two
bathrooms.
Interior walls, where not dressed in tile or marble (bathrooms,
kitchen) are of rustic panete (plaster-like finish) and painted. The exterior is finished in cut stone over
the 8-inch concrete-block structural wall.
The stone used is a coraline-limestone quarried here in the Dominican
Republic. A crew of 11 men labored for
6-1/2 months to complete the work, cutting every piece by hand. The result is stunningly unique.
Covering the villa and assorted outbuildings are more than
12,000 square feet of Venezuelan interlocking roof tile laid over a carefully
designed wood roof-deck and support-system.
A carpentry crew was brought to Cabrera from Casa de Campo to perform
the required work. All wood
roof-structure is constructed to standards exceeding the United States Uniform
Building Code of pressure-treated select-grade pine, purchased in the USA and
imported at great expense specifically for this villa. Ridges, hips, rafters, beams and columns are
of oversized timber, hand-selected for low moisture-content and knot-free
appearance. Ridges and rafters in the
larger rooms are 4x8 and 4x10 construction.
Terrace columns are dressed 6x6’s notched to receive the 4x6 terrace
carrying-beam. The entire wood
roof-structure is joined to the masonry-walls by ½-inch stainless-steel
anchor-bolts and hurricane-clips.
The roof-deck itself is a super-strong sandwich. Starting from the underside, which is
exposed to view from building’s interior, the rafters are over-laid with 1x6
tongue-and-groove treated pine. The
visual effect is similar to that seen in the moderately pitched wood roofs of
older buildings found throughout the Caribbean. On top of the visible wood is an additional layer of ½-inch
tongue-and-groove pressure-treated plywood.
The plywood is then over-laid with a layer of foil-faced elastomeric
sheeting that adheres to the wood, forming a structure that is impervious to
water and which reflects infrared (heat) away from the house. The finishing touch is the lovely rose-brown
Venezuelan roof tile that contrasts subtly with the cream-colored stone of the
exterior walls.
Doors and Windows are
custom-made of Honduras mahogany. In
all bedrooms, windows and doors feature articulating mahogany louvers with
removable screens for privacy and ventilation.
All others contain lower panels of ventilating louvers and upper panels
of glass that provide light and view.
There are nearly 100 doors and windows at Villa Lazy H. All hardware is stainless-steel, of U.S.
manufacture.
All cabinetry is constructed of Honduras mahogany. Kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities,
dressing-room built-ins and all shelving were built locally by the finest
ebanista (cabinet-maker) in the country.
Hardware is of U.S. manufacture.
Drawer and cabinet pulls are of Mexican ceramic.
Kitchen counters are Italian granite, while bathroom vanities
are surfaced in Mexican tile or mahogany.
Italian marble is used extensively in selected areas. Bathroom accessories are of Italian
manufacture.
All wiring and plumbing materials are the finest available, and
exceed plumbing and electrical standards adhered to in the United States. Major electrical components such as switches
and panels are U.S.-made by General Electric.
Gas water-heaters are USA fiberglass-lined.
Kitchen appliances, with the notable exception of the beautiful
Italian Ilve stainless-steel range, are of superior-grade U.S. manufacture. These include washer/dryer, 3 refrigerators,
dishwasher, 2 ovens, microwave, water-cooler and built-in water-purifier.
Lighting fixtures are of U.S. manufacture, employing numerous
3-way circuits for convenience. All
interior lighting is 110-volt, while most of the subtle garden-lighting systems
are 12-volt. Security-lighting fixtures
with infrared motion-sensors are located in strategic areas. Finally, ceiling-fans are found in every
room, and these provide more-than-adequate cooling on the hottest days.
The heated swimming pool measures 14x6 meters (46x20 feet) and
includes wide entry steps and shallow lounging areas. Its depth ranges from 1 meter to 2 meters (3-7 ft.). Surrounding the pool is a deck of coralina
(cut coral) and this in turn is bordered by exquisite specimen-gardens. Pool equipment and plumbing are of
top-quality U.S. manufacture (Hayward, Teledyne).
4.
A 6-foot diameter satellite TV
dish connected to descrambler, 30-inch TV and VCR provide more than 100
channels of viewing potential including most U.S. favorites such as CNN, HBO
and Cinemax.
The entire house is protected by a unique French-made
lightning-protection system utilizing a tall stainless-steel rod with heavy
copper ground wire attached to five carbon/salt dumps. All electrical circuits, including
generator/inverter circuits, are properly grounded,
The electrical system at Lazy H is unique to the area. Though wired to (but not presently serviced
by) the national electric-power grid, Lazy H is totally self-sufficient in
energy-generation. Two diesel-fired
generators (28 and 26 kw) supply power.
Operating for about 6 hours a day, these silenced generators charge
large banks of 24-volt batteries through three 3.6 kw Trace
inverter-chargers. During the remainder
of the day and night, the battery/inverter system provides faultless
110-volt/60hz power to the house. In
addition, the garage/utility building is wired for future installation of up to
40 solar panels as well as 24-volt windmills.
Abundant sunshine and near-constant trade winds make both
alternate-energy options extremely viable.
Fuels are stored in large-capacity tanks. 450-gallons of diesel, delivered by Texaco
as required, will provide about 2 months of generator use under normal
circumstances. For domestic hot water,
cooking and pool heating, a 500-gallon propane tank supplies the entire house.
Water is supplied from the Town of Cabrera, though Lazy H has
its own seasonal well. Two cisterns,
totaling 15,000 gallons of storage capacity ensure constant availability, even
through occasional summer dry-spells.
Water-pressure pump/tank units housed in their own shed supply pressure
to 40 psi. Purity of drinking/cooking
water is assured through use of the built-in water purifier in the kitchen.
Perhaps the most striking visual feature of Villa Lazy H is the
fabulous network of tropical gardens that complements the house and
grounds. During construction, great
care was exercised in preserving mature trees.
Almond, Mara, Aleli and other specimen trees became an integral part of
the design scheme at Villa Lazy H. A
multi-level water garden with waterfall is bridged by the entry walkway. The ponds are home to lily, lotus, papyrus,
cattail and water hyacinth. Fish, frogs
and giant freshwater prawns inhabit the ponds as well, providing great
entertainment at feeding time. Exotic
palms flourish in great abundance and a collection of flowering tropical plants
unexcelled on the north coast delights the eye of the beholder at every corner
of the property.
3.
ENVIRONS/AMBIANCE
The north coast of the Dominican Republic, especially the
area encompassing Cabrera, Playa Grande and the fabulous new Robert Trent
Jones-designed 18-hole oceanfront golf course, is a diverse tropical
environment. Cabrera, at the center of
the “Costa Verde” (Green Coast) area, rests at 19-degrees north latitude and
enjoys tropical conditions year-round.
Thanks to local topography, Cabrera faces due east and is constantly
bathed by the easterly trade winds. At
Villa Lazy H, the hottest summer day is made tolerable by the ubiquitous sea
breeze, and air-conditioning is never necessary.
While Cabrera is not a cosmopolitan center, the
diversions of larger metropolitan areas such as Santo Domingo and La Romana are
only a few hours away. Here, in this
simple coastal village, the pace is relaxed and the local people are friendly
and helpful. A day in your life here at
Lazy H might include some or most of the many activities listed below.
·
Sunrise over the sea seen
from the east-facing terraces
·
A morning walk or jog on
over 2 kilometers of the private road-system and beaches of the Orchid Bay
Community
·
Breakfast at any one of
several indoor or outdoor dining areas
·
A morning swim at the beach
in front of the house followed by a rinse in the pool
·
Snorkeling, fishing or
surfing on the reefs just in front of Lazy H.
·
Whale-watching during the
winter Humpback migration (the gentle giants pass within 300-meters of the
beach)
·
Horseback riding within the
Orchid Bay Community or in the mountains nearby. The country roads behind Lazy H are lovely and afford a wonderful
view of Dominican country life (There are four pastures on the grounds of Lazy
H and all facilities to support the four horses that live here)
·
A round of golf at the
Playa Grande Golf Course. Designed by
Robert Trent Jones, the course plays along the cliffs near Playa Grande. One of the most beautiful new golf courses
in the world, it lies twelve minutes from Lazy H.
·
Day trips to nearby beaches
where lunch and beverages are served
·
Fishing from one’s own
small powerboat or from one of several sport-fishing boats that operate from
nearby Rio San Juan.
·
Scuba diving with
PADI-certified divers from GriGri divers of Rio San Juan
·
A few chapters of a good
book enjoyed in a shady sea-side hammock
·
Puttering in the lushly
planted gardens of Lazy H. The property
includes a fully-functioning ½-acre nursery featuring specimen flowers, shrubs
and trees. An adjoining plantation of
160 banana and plantain and citrus trees make this the finest private nursery
on the north coast.
·
Checking the news-events
and financial analysis of the day on the satellite TV system
·
Cocktails by Lazy H's pool,
in the Living Room before a fire or with friends from the Orchid Bay/Cabrera
Community
·
Dinner at one of many nearby
restaurants serving Dominican, French, Italian and American cuisine. The seafood is always fresh, and fruit and
vegetables grown locally are wonderful
·
Drinks and dancing at area
discos.
·
Gambling at the casino
located within the grounds of an area hotel
·
A few games of pool on Lazy
H’s table with your favorite music on the sound system
·
Viewing moonrise over the
sea in front of the house
·
A night swim in the heated
pool as Orion follows the evening planets across the sky
·
More chapters from that
good book enjoyed in the king-sized bed of the Master Suite. A warm breeze
rustles in the Almond trees outside your door and the sound of small waves on
the nearby reef lulls you into a peaceful sleep
CONFIGURATION AND PRICING
Villa Lazy H is offered for sale with various property
configurations as outlined below. Pages
8 and 9 show the property as offered, with indications of options available to
the buyer.
·
Entire 9.5-acre waterfront
parcel including (approximately) 550-foot-long sand beach, Residence and all
outbuildings. Parcel includes nursery,
horse-pastures, stable, tack room and washing area (Lands and buildings as
described in previous 6 pages) Also included are some important items of
furniture, lawn tools, pool equipment and furniture as well as assorted tools
and spare parts. See Page 8.
SEE WEB PAGE FOR CURRENT PRICE
·
A 3.8-acre parcel that
includes the residence, pool, all outbuildings and approximately 320-feet of
beachfront. Not included are the
nursery and horse pastures, totaling approximately 5.7 acres sub-dividable into
6 building lots.
PRICE: SEE WEB PAGE FOR CURRENT PRICE
·
The 3.8-acre parcel
outlined in the section above, including a portion of the remaining 5.7
acres. The 5.7 acres have been
subdivided into six fabulous building lots and the seller reserves the right to
retain the beach-access right-of-way in the event buyer elects not to purchase
entire 9.5-acre parcel.
PRICE: Negotiable by lot or group of
lots. .
Villa Lazy H sits at the
center of the private residential community known as Orchid Bay. Serviced by underground utilities and
protected by 24-hour security, Villa Lazy H is one of two large properties
that, while surrounded by and benefiting from the Orchid Bay Residential
Community, are neither physically a part of the project nor bound by its
covenants and restrictions. Villa Lazy
H belongs to one of the Orchid Bay founding partners.
The owner/designer is an American registered architect who
constructed his dream-residence in the tropics. Being a round-the-world sailor, he desired a home situated beside
the sea, a home in which the only sounds heard were of wind and ocean.
Sited north-south behind the east-facing beach, Villa Lazy H
commands stunning ocean vistas as well as lovely views west toward the
mountains and the sunset. From the
house’s many terraces, perched 50-feet above the sea, one may enjoy the sight
of passing ships and migrating Humpback whales.
The house in its present form is a wonderful place for a large
family to gather and enjoy one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in
the world. The potential for further
development of the parcel as an extended family compound, corporate retreat or
exclusive inn is tremendous.
Additionally, Villa Lazy H could earn its keep through employment of a
rental/villa-management program such as the one offered by Orchid Bay.
A trained staff of 9, including a cook, two housekeepers, four
groundskeepers, and two security men/night-attendants are currently employed at
Villa Lazy H. The prospective buyer may
elect to retain some or all of the existing staff. Most have been with Lazy H since before completion of
construction in late 1997.
Significant life-changes involving the owner have brought about
the offer of Villa Lazy H for sale.
Wishing to remain in the area, however, he has constructed a new house
within the Orchid Bay Residential Community.