James Hardie® Shingleside® provides charm of seaside shingle architecture without maintenance problems of wood

There's something inherently peaceful about the sea. Each year, millions flock to the shore to vacation from the stress of daily life. A fortunate few are able to actually live there, coming home each day to a peaceful retreat.

Spectrum Skanska, Inc., a highly-regarded luxury home builder headquartered in Westchester County, New York, and recipient of numerous awards for excellence, has brought a spectacular waterfront community to the fabled Glen Cove community of Long Island. There's really nothing like it. Nowhere else in New York will you find single-family homes — on the water, each with their own boat slip — in such a premier Nassau County location. Forty-seven elegant, $1 to 2 million homes face calming views of the Long Island Sound and breathtaking sunsets.

It was important to Spectrum to continue The Gold Coast's tradition of sophisticated and elegant living, yet they wanted this unique waterfront location to stand apart. With surrounding communities featuring stone and brick mansions, the look desired for Glen Clove was one reminiscent of 1920s Newport, Rhode Island, seaside shingle architecture.

Offering eight different shingle-style elevations, with an average selling price of $1.5 million, it was projected it would take four years to sell through the project. However, the project has been so successful, that 40 out of the 47 homes available have been sold in the first year.

Mitchell C. Hochberg, president and CEO of Spectrum Skanska, believes the success of the project is its location and aesthetics.

"The architecture is exciting and brings a new look to the area, and James Hardie's products made the look possible."

Each home features full-wrap James Hardie® Shingleside® and HardieSoffit® products, bringing the distinctive appearance and charm of cedar shingles without the maintenance problems.

"We've used James Hardie's HardiePlank® lap siding before, for its durability and aesthetics," continues Hochberg, "in fact, we've had problems with bleed-through on cedar, so the low maintenance, long-term durability, appearance, and quality of Hardie make it an attractive alternative."

Mike Dignacco, vice-president, construction for Spectrum Skanska, Inc., agrees.

"We wanted a product that looks like cedar without the problems of having a wood exterior on the water. Plus, Shingleside paints great, and we've had no problem with blow-offs that can occur in an area prone to high-winds like this."

James Hardie's performance has been proven throughout the nation's most severe weather climates, from the harsh rainfall of the Pacific Northwest to the hurricane-force winds that plague the Southeast. And, with fiber-cement technology as the company's core business, this proprietary formulation is continually scrutinized for consistent quality and superior performance. This is the key to avoiding brittle corners, delamination and product failure found with other siding products.

"Prospective homebuyers assume the siding is cedar," states Dignacco. "When taken through the sales presentation and told it's fiber-cement siding, they take a second look and are still amazed it's not wood. No one believes it's a cementitious product — it looks like cedar — and it cuts, nails, installs and paints just like wood."

Homeowners can rest assured that their siding won't rot, crack or warp and will withstand the high winds that sometimes plague the waterfront of Glen Cove. In fact, independent coating manufacturer tests have proven that James Hardie fiber-cement siding holds paint three to four times longer than wood or wood-based products.

"At Glen Cove, homeowners have actually been given the best of two worlds" offers Hochberg, "a maintenance-free residence with the amenities of a premier vacation resort in a primary home location."

And, according to national trend analysts, today's savvy homeowners expect quality, low-maintenance products. With more disposable income than generations past, homebuyers know what they want to spend their money on, and it's not upkeeping their home. In fact, with today's busy lifestyles, consumers value their free time more than ever before. Therefore they are clamoring for houses that are durable and functional.

Recently ranked No. 1 among the country's top 400 builders in highest average selling price for homes, Spectrum Skanska is reknown for luxurious, quality built homes, using only the best products available.

"We believe James Hardie siding is a premium product, offering an incredible look and value to the homeowner," contends Hochberg.

Installed on over 2 million homes throughout the United States, James Hardie has been manufacturing cement-based products internationally for over 100 years. With the addition of a fifth plant scheduled to open in Peru, Ill. in late 2000, the company's total production capacity rate will increase to more than 1 billion square feet per year, making James Hardie the largest siding manufacturer in the United States.