Page 11 - Marina Del Palma

AN “OFF THE GRID” COASTAL LIFE
FOR TY PENNINGTON
When Ty Pennington, former host of TVs “Extreme Home Makeover,” was looking for a place to build his family a home, he didn’t look any further than e Hammock in Flagler Beach. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, Pennington had spent many summers in Daytona, Flagler and Ormond Beach and was very familiar with the area. After building hundreds of houses for other families, he decided it was time to settle down in one of his favorite places.
So, in 2013, he visited some good friends at Hammock Beach Resort to escape celebrity life and enjoy the beach, the company of friends and the relaxing atmosphere. On his visit, he took a hike along the Intracoastal Waterway north of Hammock Beach and stumbled upon an old home, set deep in the woods along the shore. e dilapidated home turned out to be a piece of Florida history, as it was one of the rst homes built along the waterway.
“ e property was created from the ll that
was piled up from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway. e house on the property was built in 1942 and was angled to get the full bene ts of tradi- tional old-Florida designs to take advantage of the sun, shade and constant ocean breezes,” Pennington said. “It’s a really special place and I built my house on the same footprint and with the same angled design to pay homage to the earlier owner.”
When asked why Flagler County and e Hammock, Pennington said he has always loved this part of Florida and spent of time here as a teenager visiting family and friends. “I love the east coast of Florida,” he said, “and have so many good friends who live up and down that side of the state.” And of course, the weather and “his love of sur ng, boating, shing and spending time at the beach” made moving here an easy decision.
Pennington enjoys the laid-back lifestyle in e Hammock and really feels like he’s “o the grid” when he’s at home. “I really enjoy the charm of living in a small town, but I’m only 20 minutes from St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, and an hour from
“
A1A is one of the most beautiful coastal highways
anywhere. I’ve been all over the country and the
world, and I think the drive between Ponte Vedra
and Ormond Beach, especially from Matanzas Inlet
to The Hammock, is just magical.
Ty Pennington
Jacksonville and Orlando,” Pennington said. “I’m also into art and music and the area has a great local art and music scene. I love going down to 386 or JTs
for open mic night. It’s just a great place to meet interesting people from all over the world. is place is the real calm before the storm for me.”
Pennington also lends his celebrity to local charitable causes and is often seen at fundraisers for the local arts community, as well as the Flagler County Animal Shelter.
Another perk of the area for Pennington is driving A1A to relax. “A1A is one of the most beau- tiful coastal highways anywhere. I’ve been all over the country and the world, and I think the drive between Ponte Vedra and Ormond Beach, especially from Matanzas Inlet to the e Hammock, is just magical,” said Pennington.
“Flagler/Palm Coast is the perfect combination of laid-back vibe with a touch of hip sophistication. ere’s some real cool people that have decided to make Palm Coast and Flagler home. It’s the right combination of coastal shade with some great, sunny people. I love it here and look forward to being a part of the community for many years,” said Pennington.
–9–
”