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homes and the environment, along with engineering requirements driven by Florida’ s storm events.” Beyond those requirements, the coastal environment brings its own challenges.“ The airborne salts and the sun can really break down some products over time. After decades building in these conditions, we understand the materials, the regulatory landscape, and what it takes to create homes that perform well over the long term.”
Protecting the home matters. So does making the most of the property. Perrone brings that mindset to both architecture and planning.“ These waterfront properties are significant investments, so we work with clients to maximize every view and minimize anything that detracts from it. We work hard to create a sense of timelessness. Our goal is to design homes that feel enduring and relevant, no matter how much time passes.”
Building a legacy
One project that illustrates that philosophy is the Cascade House, the Grand Aurora Award-winning residence that has become one of the firm’ s most recognized builds. For Ricky, however, the significance of the project lies less in the award and more in the process that produced it.
The Cascade House began before construction, when the future homeowner sought guidance on a Sarasota property and the group who would design it. Perrone got involved during site evaluation, helping the client bring the right partners on board.“ We helped guide him through due diligence, connected him with architects and interior designers, then brought together the best team for the project.” That early coordination reflects a role Perrone often plays on custom waterfront projects.“ A project like this involves architects, interior designers, landscape architects, structural engineers, and MEP engineers.”
Bringing those disciplines together takes leadership as much as construction expertise.“ Someone has to coordinate those efforts, and we see ourselves as the quarterback of that group.” Coordinating designers, engineers, consultants, and clients starts long before construction begins.“ The owner communicated his vision to us and to the rest of the group, and everyone understood what he wanted to achieve. Through a series of meetings, we refined that vision into a conceptual design he really loved. After that, while he stayed involved, he stepped back and trusted the professionals he had brought together to do their best work.”
As new projects prepare to break ground and others move toward completion, Ricky remains focused on the experience clients have throughout the building process itself. He’ s always a little bit sad to see these projects close out because it’ s a tight working relationship. One of his philosophies is that a home’ s character is built while you’ re building it. That interaction with clients, the enjoyment and excitement of seeing a home come together, is something Perrone works hard to nurture.
While several homes are approaching completion, the next wave of projects is already underway.“ We have a couple of really exciting projects starting up, and I think there’ s some really notable stuff coming out of the ground for 2027.”
Sarasota’ s waterfront continues to change. Storm requirements evolve, technology advances, and clients arrive with different ideas about how they want to live. Yet Ricky sees a constant thread: the responsibility that comes with building a home designed to remain in a family for generations.“ These are legacy homes. The last thing any of us want is to come back 20 years later and feel like the home was built 20 years ago,” Ricky concludes. ■
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