Basements are rare in Florida. A 6,200-square-foot basement with an 18-car underground garage with a car elevator and multiple lifts? Well … that’s a showstopper.
It’s exactly why the National Association of Home Builders chose the 15,176-square-foot estate now under construction on Winter Park’s Lake Osceola as its showcase for the 2026 International Builders’ Show (IBS).
Alair Homes Orlando is building the 43rd edition of NAHB’s The New American Home, and the last in Orlando. The IBS will relocate permanently to Las Vegas after next year’s convention.
The showcase homes are usually built on spec by local, master home builders and sold after the IBS. This is the first time NAHB chose a national builder, Alair, as its homebuilder partner and the first time TNAM is being constructed for a private owner with a specific mission.
Jason Eichenholz, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and CEO of Relativity Networks, bought the .7-acre lot on Sylvan Drive through a family trust in 2021 for $2.8 million. He and architect Michael Wenrich received their first approval from Winter Park’s Planning Commission in 2022.
Inspired by his son, Jonathan, a young adult with autism, Eichenholz is matching the cost of all contributions from manufacturers and suppliers dollar-for-dollar to support Jonathan’s Landing Foundation, a comprehensive intentional community creating housing for 500 people and 5,000 jobs to help adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to live with purpose and have access to meaningful work while achieving their maximum level of independence.
“This home isn’t just a showcase of the future of home building — it’s a symbol of what’s possible when passion, philanthropy and innovation come together,” Eichenholz said.
Kennerly said the value of the donation will be between $2 million and $3 million, and it sealed the deal for the project to be selected for The New American Home. “His goal in designing his house was not just to design a house that he would really enjoy, that would be fun to live in, and you know, look at all my money kind of thing,” he said. “He actually wanted to design a house that could be used in the future for fundraising, and he designed the whole house with the idea of fundraising in mind.”
The basement doubles as a meeting space that accommodates up to 100 people. The library just off the foyer serves as a boardroom. The house also features a catering kitchen with a private entrance and bar for large events.
“Jason’s desire is that once a month, or every other month, the house would be used by other nonprofits, and instead of them paying him to use the space, they would give a donation to Jonathan’s Landing,” Kennerly said.
The private residence will feature:
- Six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, with an expansive second-floor master suite and balcony spa
- A basement with a wellness and exercise suite, wine cellar and entertainment areas, including a game room and theater
- A private entrance to discreetly accommodate catering vans and staff during events
- An infinity-edge pool overlooking the lake with boating access
- Cast-In-Place concrete basement walls, light gauge metal framing for the 1st & 2nd floors and smart, sustainable solutions designed to exceed energy efficiency standards
Alair Partner Jim Krantz also has a personal connection to the project. “As a father of a son with autism, this project means everything,” he said. “My son, Luke, and Jonathan are friends and have been classmates for more than a decade, and knowing that Jonathan’s Landing provides a place for adults like them to thrive with dignity brings me hope. This home will support that mission—it’s a legacy.”
Alair partner Daniel Kennerly said the final design was a collaboration between the client, the architect and the builder. The inspiration for a car elevator came out of a brainstorming session — they were looking for a way to access the basement that didn’t involve a ramp, because they couldn’t design one with a slope that wouldn’t scrape the bottom of the sports cars.
“And I don’t know if anybody remembers whose idea it was because we were talking about 100 things that day, and someone said, ‘Can this be done?’” Kennerly said. “We had to figure out a solution to get the 18 cars into the basement without a driveway, and the car elevator was born.”
Kennerly sourced the equipment from a vendor in California, who can disguise the lifting mechanism as a grass parking space in front of the house. He consulted with builders from Michigan and Wisconsin for tips on basement construction and how to waterproof the space.
“We don’t really build underground basements in Florida, and so there’s not a lot of code written for it,” he explained.
Construction started nine months ago. Kennerly said the framing is underway, and the roof trusses will be installed this week. The rest of the development team includes interior design firm Steele Street Studios, and sustainability consultation from Two Trails. Mills Design Group is the landscape architect challenged with creating a design that protects trees and complements the steep slope of the backyard. The lanai has a summer kitchen and dining area overlooking the pool. There are multiple fire pits and fire features flanking the pool.
The development team will document the construction process over the next 10 months on the NAHB website, and the home will be unveiled next year during the International Builders’ Show (IBS), Feb. 17-19, 2026, where it will be open for tours by IBS attendees and media.
Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at lkinsler@GrowthSpotter.com or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
