Membership June 28, 2026 6 Min Read

Isle of Wight’s South Harbor named Community of the Year as HBAV celebrates Virginia’s housing leaders and projects

Isle of Wight’s South Harbor named Community of the Year as HBAV celebrates Virginia’s housing leaders and projects

Plus: Eastwood Homes named Builder of the Year, Costen Floors’ Brooke Selden honored as Woman of the Year, Andrew Painter named Associate of the Year — and many more

A thoughtfully designed residential development isn’t measured only by the homes it builds, but by the community it creates.

That philosophy was on full display as the Home Builders Association of Virginia honored South Harbor by East West Communities with Community of the Year, the association’s highest project award, during its sixth annual Housing Excellence Awards Celebration.

Located in Isle of Wight County, South Harbor was recognized for combining thoughtful planning, quality construction and an active lifestyle into one of Virginia’s premier 55+ communities.

HBAV AnnualConference Housing Excellence Awards 2026 06 26 0074

Developed by East West Communities in partnership with Ryan Homes, the community will ultimately include 340 single-family homes and townhomes centered around preserved natural spaces with amenities designed to foster connection among residents. Homes start at $309,000.

South Harbor also earned Best Community Amenity, recognizing its combination of recreational spaces and year-round programming that encourages neighbors to build lasting relationships. More than 60% of homes back to wooded areas, while a $4.75 million amenity package includes walking trails, a clubhouse, heated pool, dog park, food truck plaza and the signature SportsGarden, featuring pickleball courts, bocce, shuffleboard and putting greens.

Despite a challenging housing market, South Harbor became the best-selling active adult community in South Hampton Roads in 2025, according to East West Communities. The company says it has sold 270 homes in the community.

“We’ve been developing communities for 50 years, and this was our first venture into the 55-plus market. As you can imagine, a lot of time was spent planning and executing South Harbor, and coming out of COVID and operating in an inflationary market, we’re just proud that we were able to bring to life what we intended to,” said Aaron Millikin, senior vice president of development at East West Communities. “This has been well received in Isle of Wight County, and a majority of our buyers come from there, so people are relocating into and staying in their community. It’s been a pleasure to see folks who have embraced the project and made South Harbor their home.”

“The Housing Excellence Awards celebrate far more than beautiful homes,” said HBAV CEO Craig Toalson. “They recognize the people, companies and communities that continue moving Virginia’s housing industry forward through innovation, leadership and service despite the challenges facing today’s housing market. Every one of this year’s winners has made a meaningful contribution to strengthening our industry and improving the lives of the families they serve.”

Community of the Year was one of 27 awards presented during HBAV’s Annual Conference and Housing Excellence Awards, held Friday at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront at the Cavalier Resort.

Honoring industry leadership

A man in a suit and tie holding a glass award at the HBAV Annual Conference & Housing Excellence Awards.

Eastwood Homes: Builder of the Year

Eastwood Homes was recognized for its commitment to quality construction, customer service and ethical business practices, as well as its continued investment in HBAV and local home builders associations. The company was praised for offering homes across a wide range of price points while maintaining a customer-first approach built on transparency, trust and lasting relationships.

Brooke Selden, Costen Floors: Woman of the Year

Selden was recognized for her leadership throughout Virginia’s home building industry. She has served on numerous HBAV committees, held leadership roles within the Home Building Association of Richmond and supported charitable organizations including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Judges praised her collaborative leadership style and commitment to mentoring others.

A smiling woman stands before an HBAV backdrop at the Annual Conference & Housing Excellence Awards.
A smiling man in a plaid blazer holding a clear award trophy.

Andrew Painter, Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh, P.C.: Associate of the Year

As chair of HBAV’s Legislative Committee, Painter helped guide the association through a successful General Assembly session while bringing together members from across Virginia to advance housing priorities. His work with the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association and extensive experience navigating local government and development issues have made him an instrumental voice for Virginia’s home builders.

Jenny Tapscott, Blue Ridge Home Builders Association: Executive Officer of the Year

Tapscott was recognized for growing membership, expanding programming and strengthening workforce development initiatives throughout western Virginia while creating new opportunities for member engagement.

A woman smiling while holding a clear triangular award from HBAV.

Giving back to Virginia communities

Noah Hughes was named Teacher of the Year. The carpentry instructor at Caroline High School was recognized for preparing students for careers in residential construction through hands-on learning, industry partnerships and workforce development initiatives.

HBAV presented two Community Impact Awards recognizing extraordinary charitable leadership.

  • L.G. Flint was honored for its 2025 St. Jude Dream Home campaign, which generated $1.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through donated labor, materials and trade partner support.
  • StyleCraft Homes earned the association’s second Community Impact Award after raising $1.45 million during its 2025 St. Jude campaign. The company has generated more than $8 million for the hospital over the past seven years with support from more than 50 industry partners.

Excellence across the industry

Additional individual award winners included:

  • Innovation in Construction: John Brock, SPOT (Single Point of Truth), for creating an integrated construction management platform connecting planning, scheduling, budgeting and field operations into one real-time system.
  • Construction Manager of the Year: Scott Davis, Republic Home Builders.
  • Sales Manager of the Year: Sara Hoagland, Southern Development Homes.
  • Outstanding Trade Contractor: Costen Floors.
  • Builders Mutual Safety Program of the Year: Costen Floors, for expanding its safety program to include Narcan administration, CPR and proper PPE use while preparing employees to respond to both job site hazards and real-world emergencies.
  • Remodeler of the Year: L.G. Flint General Contractors.
  • Lender of the Year: Tonya Kern, ONE Presidential Mortgage.
  • Young Professional of the Year: Ian Friend, SAS Builders, who rose from intern to project manager overseeing multiple large-scale developments and helping deliver nearly 1,000 much-needed beds to the New River Valley.

Recognizing exceptional projects

HBAV also celebrated excellence in residential design and construction through its project awards.

MC3 Design earned Best Unique Home Feature for a premium wellness retreat that transformed the basement of a historic home into a luxury wellness space featuring a professional-grade fitness center, hot yoga studio, sauna, steam shower, and spa-inspired recovery area.

Building Specialists received Remodeled Project of the Year for a remarkable renovation that unified an 18th-century log cabin, a 19th-century farmhouse, and a contemporary addition into a cohesive family home while preserving nearly three centuries of architectural history.

Unable to select just one, HBAV judges gave two awards for Custom Home of the Year:

  • Silver went to Bramante Homes for a thoughtfully designed Piedmont farmhouse that blends timeless architecture with the surrounding landscape.
  • Gold went to Schneider Construction for the Oyster House, a high-performance waterfront residence on Virginia’s Eastern Shore that combines coastal resilience, advanced energy efficiency and exceptional craftsmanship.

Stoneridge Companies received Multifamily Project of the Year for Zeropak, a 121-unit affordable housing community designed to provide high-quality, accessible housing while incorporating Universal Design principles and extensive resident amenities.

Celebrating local associations

HBAV also recognized the achievements of local home builders associations from across the Commonwealth.

The New River Valley Home Builders Association earned Best HBA Community Project for its Parade of Playhouses and Best HBA Workforce Development Initiative for its Workforce Development Drive.

The Northern Virginia Building Industry Association received Best HBA Government Affairs Initiative for its Governor’s and Legislative Breakfasts.

The Home Building Association of Richmond captured Best HBA Special Project/Event for Builder Bash.

HBAV also recognized outstanding volunteer leadership through its Committee Impact Awards. Rob Frogale received the Build PAC Committee award for his leadership, investment and commitment to HBAV and NAHB advocacy. Bradley Bryant earned the Education Foundation Committee award for his fundraising leadership and mentorship of students entering the trades. Saif Rahman received the Legislative Committee award for his advocacy efforts and leadership in advancing housing issues, particularly in Northern Virginia.

2026

Housing Excellence Award Winners