Builder moves forward with green, clean developments

BRADENTON — Homebuilder and real estate development company Pearl Homes is moving forward with several developments in the Manatee area, focusing on using sustainable building methods and creating healthy spaces in the wake of the coronavirus.   

Pearl Homes will launch its workforce housing communities with The Met, a 200-unit apartment community planned for the former Manatee Inns site, according to a statement. The Met is expected to include studios as well as one-, two- and three-bedroom units and art studio spaces for residents and the community. It will also include space for local food vendors and partnerships with nearby fitness centers.

Bradenton-based Pearl Homes then plans to complete construction of The Epic, a 27-unit workforce housing project also near the heart of downtown Bradenton, the release adds. 

The Met and The Epic will be the first communities to implement Pearl Homes’ “Live & Build Healthy” program developed in conjunction with the U.S. Green Building Council. The program aims to prioritize building methods, building materials and the implementation of in-home technology and products that facilitate healthier lifestyles.

In addition to eco-friendly construction and energy management technologies, the two developments will include HEPA air filters; UV light-based sanitary entry system for phones, small devices and personal items; multiple fixed hand sanitizer dispenser stations throughout the building; and touchless technology for bathrooms and entryways. 

"Pearl Homes is pioneering this positive vision and making it a reality," says Pearl Homes Founder Marshall Gobuty in the statement. "This goes beyond just a commitment to green building." 

The Pearl Home model at the company's Research and Design Center recently was certified as the first LEED Zero Energy residential home by the U.S. Green Building Council.  

"From the beginning, Pearl Homes founder and president Marshall Gobuty knew that elevating the importance of green homes was about supporting a healthier, more sustainable life for families," says U.S. Green Building Council President and CEO Mahesh Ramanujam in the statement.

Pearl Homes has sustainable and workforce housing projects underway in Bradenton, Ellenton, Cortez and other locations in Southwest Florida. Gobuty founded the company in 2016.