Cape Coral Just Made Florida History: The First-Ever St. Jude Dream Home Showplace Breaks Ground

For the first time in state history, a St. Jude Dream Home Showplace is being built in Florida — and it's happening in our own backyard. On the lot at 4848 SW 24th Ave. in Cape Coral, Bahnam Builders held a "Lot Pop" champagne celebration to officially kick off a project that will bring together roughly 100 local trade partners, vendors, and national sponsors, all donating time, materials, and expertise to build a home from the ground up for one cause: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

What Exactly Is a Dream Home Showplace?

Every year, St. Jude Dream Home giveaways raise money nationwide by building a home entirely through donated labor and materials, then giving it away to a raffle winner. A Dream Home Showplace works a little differently: rather than a raffle, the finished home will be sold on the open market, and every dollar of net proceeds goes directly to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It's the first time this specific model has been approved for a Florida build — something that, according to organizers, almost didn't happen at all.

The Numbers Behind the Build

The home is being designed as a four-bedroom, three-bath property with a three-car garage, a spacious backyard, and an outdoor kitchen — the kind of layout SWFL buyers know well. Construction is expected to begin at the start of next year with completion targeted for late 2027, after which the home will be open for public tours before it's featured in the 2028 Builder's Showcase and Parade of Homes. At sale, the home is expected to fetch more than $1 million, with all net proceeds benefiting St. Jude.

A Cause That Hits Close to Home

Integrity 1st Group's own Sheri Harris co-leads the Bahnam Builders sales team on this project, and for her, the mission is personal. Her five-month-old grandson spent a month in the NICU, requiring two operations and two hospital stays before he was old enough to walk. Watching other families navigate the same fear — and the financial stress that so often comes with it — is part of what drove her to help bring this project to Cape Coral.

Since Danny Thomas founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 1962, the childhood cancer survival rate has climbed from roughly 20 percent to over 80 percent. The hospital's mission remains the same: no family should ever receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food, because a family's only job should be helping their child live.

City Leaders & State Officials Weigh In

The celebration drew more than just builders and vendors. District 2 Councilwoman Laurie Lehmann called the project a milestone for Cape Coral, while State Sen. Jonathan Martin spoke about what St. Jude represents for families everywhere.

How You Can Get Involved

Bahnam Builders is still looking for roughly 100 local contractors, tradespeople, vendors, and businesses willing to donate time, materials, services, or expertise to the build. If your business has ever wanted to make a visible, lasting impact on the SWFL community, this is about as meaningful as it gets — a Florida first, built entirely by neighbors, for kids who need it most.