CASE STUDY

CASE
STUDY
BAYTOWNE WHARF
SANDESTIN, FLORIDA
Baytowne Wharf Case Study
Does the maxim
‘location location location’
always apply? Always?
Or can a world-renown resort
developer turn a less desirable
position into an advantage?
Here’s the story of how E+S and
Intrawest showed people there’s
more to Florida than just the beach.
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Baytowne Wharf Case Study
Intrawest is a leading developer of year-round destination resorts and villages, including
Whistler/Blackcomb and Mont Tremblant, consistently ranked the top two mountain
resorts in North America. As if to prove its expertise wasn’t limited to one continent
or climate, Intrawest also created village success stories in the French Alps and now
here, in Florida’s Emerald Coast, with the Village of Baytowne Wharf.
The Client +
The Opportunity
Intrawest’s first-ever warm-weather destination was a 2,400-acre resort fronting both the Gulf
of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay in Sandestin, Florida. Previous developments in the area
had capitalized on beachfront land almost without exception, leaving no available oceanfront
for this resort’s much-needed village. The challenge, then, was to create a unique town centre on
the seemingly unimpressive side of this resort, one that would draw people from every direction
(including the ocean). For E+S, our role was to captivate residents and guests with the story of
this village, transform their perceptions of the lesser-used Bay and, using E+S’s lengthy history in
crafting unforgettable resort experiences, shape the actual plans and programming for the village.
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Baytowne Wharf Case Study
*
+S captivated people with the story of a quaint bayside
E
fishing village in renderings, a set of detailed Planning Notes
and a 12-minute film
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e project’s Discovery Center attracted more than 25,000 people
Th
each year to learn the vision of the village and resort
The Results
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A neighbourhood transformed: in its first three years, a total of $170
million of new real estate was sold at Sandestin, most of it in a few
hours or, at most, a few days
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*
Bayside property values, once considered less desirable, now exceed
those of most properties along the Gulf Coast
+S’s expertise in resort development shaped the experience of the
E
village, including its architecture, programming and overall feel
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Baytowne Wharf Case Study
The Process
Envisioning is our process that allows
clients to author their future story
together. For Baytowne Wharf, senior
members of Intrawest joined external
designers, architects, historians and
experts on the Emerald Coast to
begin assembling a Village from
scratch. Together, they imagined it
from every angle – from its weathered
cobblestone streets to the tang of
Louisiana barbeque wafting from its
now-famous Jim ‘N Nick’s restaurant.
Storytelling is the act of strategically
engaging an audience with tools
targeted just for them. Given that
Sandestin was already a popular
destination, Intrawest had ample
opportunity to immerse people
in the possibility and magic of
the Bay, which many were already
familiar with. The goal was to show
these seasoned visitors a new, more
enjoyable side of the area, one
totally different from the dense,
often frenetic experience of the
Florida beachfront.
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Baytowne Wharf Case Study
Captivate
Vision Captured In Print
Before telling this story to an
outside audience, our client first
needed to share it with its
internal team. Here, in one
place, the Storyline draws
people into the tale of this resort
Village, from its history and
natural context, to Intrawest’s
three-month consultation
process with existing residents,
to the precise ways this Village
would make Sandestin even
more charming and vibrant.
Importantly, much of the
language and content in
the Storyline came from the
client and its team during
the Envisioning.
Baytowne Wharf Case Study
>>>
>>>
A Story Comes To Life
The project’s Discovery Center
became a must-see attraction
for day visitors and prospective
real estate purchasers. Inside
were artistic renderings of
the completed Village, design
inspirations taken from the
area’s architectural gumbo, a
mini-theatre showing a film of its
vision, and story-driven exhibitry
demonstrating how the Village
will be stimulating, educational,
entertaining and memorable for
all ages.
What’s In A Name?
E+S named the new village
“Baytowne Wharf” – a more
romantic, memorable (and
pronounceable) name than
“Choctawhatchee Bay.” The
name is a tribute to the kind of
picturesque, laid-back fishing
villages that once dotted the
coastline from Brownsville, Texas
to Charlotte Harbor, Florida
that Sandestin’s Village will be
modeled after.
Transform
>>>
Same Time Next Year
The moving story of the future
Village at Baytowne Wharf was
told in a 12-minute Film using the
metaphor of the region’s native
sea turtles who, like the resort’s
residents and guests, choose
these white sand beaches to
return to year after year.
Baytowne Wharf Case Study
>>>
From Story to Glory
The Planning Notes show how
the creation of a resort village
is like a science focused on
capturing the sights, textures,
aromas, sounds and activities of
a guest’s experience. Throughout
the Planning Notes, E+S played
a pivotal role in describing
potential programs, restaurants
and amenities so vividly they
actually became real, including a
grand water tower in the centre
of town, long spacious verandas,
timber walkways over the
Village’s golden wetlands and the
placement of local art throughout
the Village.
Shape
Baytowne Wharf Case Study
A story about being on the wrong
side of the tracks turns out well.
A quiet, historic, Florida bay
gets its day in the sun.
An authentic fishing Village becomes
real for thousands of visitors.
And bayside property is now worth
more than nearby oceanfront.
Take that, ocean.
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Baytowne Wharf Case Study
Great stories allow people to identify with an idea or an ideal.
Stories stretch margins, increase demand and create value.
Stories build customer loyalty and underpin enduring organizations.
Curious? Call 604.913.2226
Envisioning+Storytelling
5775 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V7W 2S1
Telephone 604.913.2226
Facsimile 604.913.2227
www.storydriven.com
Baytowne Wharf Case Study
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