In the Midwest, Steve Huff is aiming to build the ultimate tornado-proof home. Mr. Huff, a software entrepreneur, is building a 70,000-square-foot reinforced-concrete, chateau-style home in rural Christian County, Mo. The home, known as Pensmore, has 12-inch-thick walls and ballistic-proof windows that have been tested to withstand the equivalent of a two-by-four board traveling at 40 miles an hour, mimicking the speed at which debris can be hurtled during a big storm. "If a tornado came up, you'd be foolish to leave this house," Mr. Huff says.
Mr. Huff, who is an investor in a concrete company, says that the home will also be resistant to intruders: "It would be like trying to drill your way through a bank vault."
When it is completed in early 2014, it will be one of the largest private homes in America. Mr. Huff says he plans to have lots of extended family stay with him, as well as visiting writers, scientists and other students who may want to study the safety and environmentally sustainable technologies used to construct the home.
With its turrets and picturesque setting in the Ozark mountains, this house should be like a fairy-tale castle. But this vast 72,000 square-foot gothic château has been drawing bemused comments from across the U.S. The private home in southwest Missouri being made from concrete and will be one of the largest in the country when it is completed.
It is the brainchild of millionaire concrete company chairman Steven T.Huff.
There is another 23,020 square-feet of space in the basement and the garage is 4,000 square-feet.
Luke Pinkerton who is working on the building said the idea was to create a home that uses very low energy, as well as having strong resistance to tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fire, flood and insect damage.
The home is less than 90 miles from Joplin, which was devastated when it was hit by a tornado that killed 159 people in May.
'What we're able to do is develop a home that has very, very good insulating properties for heating and cooling,' he said. 'It's very robust and strong.'
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He is building the home using materials manufactured by his Wisconsin-based company TF Concrete Forming Systems.
The local planning office has been fielding calls from all corners of the country about the massive construction.
'It's got to the point where it's capturing national attention,' said Todd Wiesehan, planning and zoning administrator for Christian County.
Called Pensmore, the home includes two elevators, 13 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a billiard room, a home theatre, a music room and a 1,600 square-foot library.
Blueprints submitted in 2007 show the main level and second story span 44,641 square-feet.
A building permit shows that the cost of just the materials being used to build the home is $6.89 million.
Pensmore, which sits on 500 acres of land, has been in construction since 2007, said Mr Wiesehan.
He estimates it's another year or two away from completion.
Steven T. Huff Family LLC applied for the permit in March 2008, just days before the county's new planning and zoning regulations took effect. The property is grandfathered in. “We have not completed any inspections on the actual structure. We don't have that ability,” Atchley said.
The project manager -- Steven's brother, Joe Huff -- did invite county workers to the site. “It's our understanding it is an ICF -- basically an insulated concrete form structure,” Atchley said. The family may be protecting the construction itself. They could be interested in trying to keep it confidential for a possible patent.
Steve Huff stands in front of Pensmore, the 72,000-square-foot chateau-style mansion
he says will demonstrate durable, energy-neutral technology.
he says will demonstrate durable, energy-neutral technology.
No matter why the property owners are private, the structure stands out in the rolling hills of the Ozarks. The blueprints show two elevators, 15 bedrooms, a 1,600-square-foot library, and a nearly 1,300-square-foot master bedroom.
Steven Huff is reportedly an engineer and chief technology officer of Overwatch Systems, Ltd. According to the company’s website, it delivers multi-source intelligence to the defense department.
The permit for the Highlandville structure requires that one family live in it at one time. It also states the owners cannot rent, lease or sell any rooms.
Blueprints show the 23,000-square-foot basement will be used mostly for "storage." It will also include a billiard room, exercise room and home theater.
Blueprints show the 23,000-square-foot basement will be used mostly for "storage." It will also include a billiard room, exercise room and home theater.
The Pensmore mansion will be complete in a couple years, owner Steve Huff says.
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