08:25 AM CDT on Monday, May 15, 2006

Mike Ross / WWL-TV Northshore Bureau Chief

SLIDELL -- Like many other families who lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina’s incredible storm surge and powerful winds, one St. Tammany couple decided to rebuild; however, the couple chose a new design they hope will make their home hurricane proof.

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The neighborhood is abuzz as Ted and Lea Ann ready themselves to move in to their round house.

After the initial shock of seeing their home destroyed wore off, Ted Modica and his fiancée Lea Ann went to the Internet and researched the term ‘hurricane proof houses.’ And though Modica admitted no home could be guaranteed as hurricane proof, he did find a company which designs homes that could withstand powerful winds – they’re called round houses.

The company that makes the homes says their round design allows them to stand up to some of the strongest hurricanes because there are no flat surfaces to catch the wind.

“This particular house here is designed for a 150 mile-per-hour wind. Of course, it's a round house so it's got the least resistance,” said contractor Steve Snider.

The company cautioned that although the homes are hurricane resistant, homeowners should always follow the evacuation orders of local officials if a storm approaches.

Ted and Lea Ann even went to Mississippi and Florida to see round houses that had survived Katrina and past hurricanes.

“They had no damage, hardly; I mean minimal damage. So, seeing it for ourselves really convinced us,” Lea Ann said.

Ted and Lea Ann's round house will be the first of its kind in this area when finished, and it's causing a lot of excitement among Katrina victims who are looking to rebuild. Many of their neighbors have been watching the construction and are making plans to build their own round houses.

“I know there's been a lot of interest in it. A couple of people asked me about it and I know they stopped and talked to Ted about it,” said Joe Tosh, Ted’s neighbor.

Modica was eager to move in as the walls went up on his new hurricane fortress.

“(It’s) real exciting. I've been waiting eight months for this,” Modica said.

The couple hopes that by building a round house, their home will still be around if another storm hits.