Our town is growing, and we are getting ready for the best summer yet. More houses have been completed, and now another venue joins Fonville Press and Caliza Pool as a place for friends, families, and neighbors to get together in Alys Beach.

Designed by Town Architects Marieanne Khoury-Vogt and Erik Vogt, this gracious and spacious compound home will eventually be a private family retreat. In the meantime, it's our own shared Alys Beach Compound - designed for all types of fun events, planned and impromptu parties, and a variety of functional services.

In the concierge's office, relax in front of the fireplace and catch up with the news around Alys Beach. And if you can't leave your work behind, homeowners and guests have access to a computer and fax machine.

We've outfitted our own special Alys Beach "home" theater in the Compound. There's plenty of comfy seating for a real movie night out - without dealing with Destin traffic. It's perfect for a family, a special birthday party or a lively group of neighbors and friends. You can make arrangements for popcorn and cokes or more elaborate refreshments.

A cozy fitness center outfitted with treadmills, elliptical machines, and a stretch area allows for a workout in comfortable and convenient surroundings. There's also a treatment room with a masseuse on call for a relaxing massage.

The Compound also features a variety of gracious outdoor spaces to host an intimate gathering. The large courtyard with its pool and towering palms is an inviting space throughout the day. A delightful second-floor veranda is perfect for sharing a bottle of wine and watching the sun set behind the butteries.

The Compound will offer the beginnings of our informal lending library. You bring a good book in; you take a good book out. If it's really good, you bring it back and recommend it to a neighbor.

The first Alys Beach concierge, who will be on hand to help with special requests, will be working
in the. Compound, where visitors who are renting a home in Alys Beach will check in.

Next time you are here, please stop by the Compound and say hello. You never know what will be going on. And aren't chance meetings the best? You might just meet a neighbor and make a new friend.

See you around the Compound.