Developers build innovative homes that can withstand disaster: ‘Can be a blueprint’
Florida developers have found some very inventive ways to keep luxury homes standing when water starts to seep in, even if it means tearing everything down to get it right.
Many South Florida homes are in FEMA’s highest risk flood zones: areas where storm surges regularly propagate inland. According to NBC Miami, a historic home in Coconut Grove sits directly along Biscayne Bay. Developers are spending about $25 million to rebuild and protect the property from flooding.
Instead of fixing problems as they arise, MV Group USA is elevating the ground floor beyond current construction standards. It basically involves rebuilding the house from the inside out.
The move came after Manny Angelo Varas, the group’s founder, considered raising the existing foundation. It was an option he ultimately ruled out due to cost. At about $150 per square foot, he said, “it gets a little prohibitive.”
This price may seem extreme, but it reflects a growing reality for coastal property owners. As flood risks increase, simply repairing the damage after the fact is no longer the safest – or cheapest – option. Wealthy real estate developers may be the first to test the solutions, but the lessons don’t stop at property lines.
This isn’t just a South Florida problem. In Nantucket, Massachusetts, billionaire hotelier Barry Sternlicht faced rising costs and regulatory constraints as he tried to protect his oceanfront estate from erosion. The lesson is quite simple: building near water requires adapting to the water’s edge.
This is what sets projects like MV Group apart.
Builders aren’t just spending more money: They’re redesigning homes in case of flooding. Increasing living space, strengthening foundations and planning for flooding can help reduce insurance battles, lower repair bills and keep homes usable longer.
These ideas are also diminishing. Raising utilities or choosing materials that can handle water instead of being destroyed by it are two possible solutions.
Designers around the world are also rethinking flood-resistant housing in more accessible ways. Architect Yasmeen Lari’s bamboo houses in Pakistan show how elevated, lightweight structures can protect families while remaining affordable and easy to build. It’s proof that resilience doesn’t necessarily come with a luxury price tag.
For Varas, the goal goes beyond just a waterfront mansion. As NBC 6 News reporter Sophia Hernandez said, “Varas hopes this home and his other million-dollar projects can serve as a model for other homes in these suburban coastal areas on how to be flood-proof.”
In places where water becomes a permanent neighbor, such projects may soon become less optional – and more essential.
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