BUILDING / EAST BILOXI / A HOUSE FOR SAL AND LINDA

This is Sal and Linda.
Sal and Linda Taranto have lived in their house on Kuhn for the past 15 years. Prior to this, the house belonged to Sal’s parents, and Sal grew up here. On the weekends, the home was host to many of the Taranto’s seven grandchildren. Since Katrina, their grandchildren continue to visit them, however space is very limited in their FEMA trailer.

Most of the changes that have been made on the revised plan involve opening up spaces to make the house less compartmentalized. The kitchen will open up to the livingroom with a bar counter. Also, one of the extra bedrooms has been converted to a small office for Linda to work (she is chief deputy clerk for Harrison County) and large walk-in closet in the master bedroom.

Habitat for Humanity Northern Virginia has taken extra steps to build this house with style and dignity--see the photo of the recessed lighting system being installed for the dining area. As an ex-boxer and Commissioner of Boxing for Mississippi, Sal was able to salvage a ring post from the now-destroyed Biloxi Boxing Club, and wanted to integrate it somehow into the final construction of the house. The volunteers decided to use it as a post on the back deck and will eventually string it with rope.

The salvaged ring post that has been integrated into the design of the back deck. (March, 2007)

The recessed lighting for the dining area. (March, 2007)

The kitchen, just after new tile has been laid. (March, 2007)

New siding, and paint. (March, 2007)

The front of the house after being gutted (February, 2007)

The Taranto’s house after Hurricane Katrina; one can see that the house has been lifted off it’s foundation and set back down. (February, 2007)

Revised Plan