Andrea Stetson: Special to Fort Myers News-Press | Published March 6th, 2021

Cole Ondrejka, vice president of SPO Construction Inc, loves his newest model so much, he moved in. But he can’t stay there for long. The Floridia model was so popular, he got many offers, and the final price, pending at $575,000, is even more than the original listing of $550,000.

“The house sold within 12 hours,” said Sherry Fenske Ciccone, office coordinator at SPO Construction.  “We had multiple offers.”

Ciccone said two of the people that didn’t get the model are having SPO Construction build one for them now. The house sold so fast that Cole just pulled it out of the 35th Annual Lee County Building Industry Association Parade of Homes. Today is the last day of the event that invites people to take self-guided tours of single and multi-family homes all over Southwest Florida. On display is everything from models in the low $200,000’s to ones that cost more than $4 million.

Cole is now packing up and will have to rent until his next house is built. He said the new owners will love the 90 degree barn doors that lead to the den. While barn doors are quite popular now having two meet at an angle is a more unusual architectural design.

“The fun barn doors are really unique,” said Andrea Ondrejka, who did the interior design and is Cole’s mother and part of the family business. Andrea also likes the different style elements incorporated into the home. “It is more of a farmhouse look with a little Florida coastal look,” she described. Both Cole and Andrea love the various ceiling styles. “People will probably remember the free floating ceiling that is back lit,” Cole said as he pointed to the ceiling hat hovers over the living room. 

It has white beams that form a circle with more beams leading away from it into the indented space. The play with wood continues with a shiplap wall that forms a backdrop for a fireplace and television. Dark tongue and groove cypress wood create a ceiling on the under roof portion of the lanai.

Cole also wanted to design a home that met his lifestyle. That’s why there is a second kitchen island that is higher and has bar stool chairs.

“I like sitting here watching TV,” Ondrejka explained. “Instead of being here with our backs to the TV, we sit and eat and watch TV.”

Andrea agrees.

 “The heart of your home is your kitchen,” she said. “You bring in all of the people around you in the kitchen, and you can have conversations as you are making dinner and watching television and during parties.”

The builder was creative with his use of bathrooms. One guest room has a bathroom that has a second door that leads to the hallway. Since that bathroom is shared with the rest of the house, SPO Construction put a sink in the bedroom so guests can still wash up and apply makeup even if someone is using the bathroom.

Outside there is a sitting and dining area and an outdoor kitchen under roof. Under screen, is a pool with a spacious sunshelf that is large enough for lounger chairs and an umbrella.

“I like the pool,” Cole described. “That summer kitchen we use a lot. And it’s easy to host people. There are so many seats everybody can sit right here.”

Cole’s grandfather, Stephen P. Ondrejka moved to Cape Coral in 1972 and got his contractor’s license in 1978. His family is proud that his license is number 12,708 in the state of Florida where those numbers are now in the millions.

“We are proud of that because contractors come and go and that is what makes that number so solid,” Andrea said.

Four years later Stephen P. Ondrejka started S.P.O. Construction Inc., and the company now been building custom homes in Southwest Florida for more than 40 years. Stephen W. Ondrejka followed in his father’s footsteps and Cole Ondrejka is now the third generation to work in the business.

“We are so proud of him,” Andrea said adding that Cole recently passed his contractor’s license test. “He brings a nice youth perspective.”