KTGY-Designed Communities Up For National Awards

Five KTGY-Designed Residential Communities Among Finalists in National Multifamily Housing Industry Award Competition
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Honoring Best in Rental, Affordable Apartments, Lofts, Mid-Rise Condo Communities

IRVINE, CALIF. - KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has recognized five KTGY-designed multifamily residential communities among the top trend-setters in the multifamily housing industry, as part of its annual Pillars of the Industry Awards program promoting excellence in apartment design, development, management and marketing. Hundreds of entries—representing apartment and condo communities from across the country—vied for this year’s awards, which are considered among the most prestigious in the housing industry.

This year’s finalists are showcased virtually with NAHB Multifamily's new venue for the Pillars Awards – the Internet. An interactive presentation at this link – www.nahb.org/pillarsawards shows the five KTGY-designed finalists and other innovative multifamily communities to viewers all over the country.

The Lofts at Promenade in Long Beach, Calif., which received recognition as a Pillars of the Industry Award finalist in two categories: "Best Rental Community (non-garden 5 stories or less)" and the "Best Multifamily Community Site Plan," was chosen on the basis that this challenging discontinuous site transformed a former “parking district” surface parking lot in the heart of Downtown Long Beach into a unsurpassed sophisticated urban living environment offering 104 luxury, loft-style apartments plus 401 parking spaces for area businesses and project residents. Developed by Lyon Realty Advisors, LLC, in a public/private collaboration, The Lofts is located within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, entertainment, world-class events, beaches, employment, mass transit including LA Metro Blue Line providing convenient transportation to Downtown Los Angeles.

The Lofts' sustainable design, modern loft-style architecture includes 10’ ceilings with exposed metal ducting, large picture windows, concrete flooring, industrial designer fixtures and hardware, open-concept gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, European-Style cabinets, stainless steel appliances and in-home washer/dryer. The amenity rich, resort-style residential community consists of two separate mixed-use buildings situated at a diagonal and linked by a spectacular pedestrian bridge, which joins four levels of residential built over at-grade commercial space and parking podium and a seven level parking garage topped by a “Rooftop Sky Lounge” tucked behind four levels of residential over at-grade commercial space. The rooftop amenities include an outdoor pool, spa, cabanas and lounge areas, fireplace, barbecue, entertainment area, lush landscaping, state-of-the-art fitness center with yoga and Pilates classes, business and conference center with WiFi, and spectacular panoramic views of city lights and mountains.

The Bond in Oakland, Calif., which received recognition as an award finalist as the "Best New Loft Apartment Community," was selected for its pioneering sustainable design and urban infill, transit-oriented development that cost-effectively resolves the issues of how to meet the increasing demand of high-density construction at a lower construction cost without sacrificing design and aesthetics. Developed by The Embarcadero Pacific Company, the Bond’s eight-story poured in place structure, without cladding, offers an innovative template that is superior to other urban, transit-oriented structures. This revolutionary model, which creates a stunning architectural form out of a structural concrete shell, can be replicated in other urban areas where budget limitations impact the deliverability of a high quality, high-density building.

Incorporating concrete, glass and metal with an architectural design inspired by the fashionable Bond Streets in London and New York, the 105-unit luxury residential community provides sophisticated urban living in historical context adjacent to shopping, restaurants, employment and transportation, and capitalizes on the spectacular panoramic views of the estuary and city skyline. The Bond offers unique amenities including large, exclusive onsite 4,000-square-foot dog park (none existed in the area), electric vehicle charging stations (first in the region), and complimentary ferry tickets for residents, residents are treated to a unparalleled "White Glove" rental experience with concierge services typical of five-star hotels across the globe.

555 YVR in Walnut Creek, Calif., which received recognition as an award finalist as the "Best Mid-Rise Condominium Community," was chosen on the basis of its many attributes: Downtown Walnut Creek’s first live-work-shop-play residences; the first in its market to debut a "Sky Lounge," amenity, a mixed-income condo development and a residential building in a CBD/BART Station node; and achieving highest prices per square foot and fastest absorption rate in the market. Developed by Thompson Dorfman Partners, LLC, with KTGY as the project architect, in conjunction with Kwan Henmi as the concept design architect, 555YVR is a modern, environmentally-friendly, transit-oriented development featuring 87 spacious one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den and two-bedroom homes, as well as townhomes and live-work units. All units feature luxury finishes, stainless steel appliances and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows. Located adjacent to the Walnut Creek BART Station, 555 YVR is steps to world-class shopping, restaurants, civic, cultural, entertainment destinations, employment centers, and transit links.

555 YVR offers residents a Sky Lounge rooftop terrace, which features an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, WiFi access and spectacular 360-degree views of the San Ramon valley and Mt. Diablo. Residents also enjoy a state-of-the-art media room, a private fitness center, a lushly landscaped courtyard with a water feature and bench seating, an on-site protected dog run and WiFi connectivity in common areas, which is ideal for tech-savvy professionals.

Designed by KTGY, The Crossing in Anaheim, Calif., received recognition as an award finalist in several categories: "Best Clubhouse at a Multifamily Community," "Best Leasing or Sales Center," "Best Interior Merchandising at a Multifamily Community," and "Best Brochure for a Rental Apartment Community." Developed by SARES-REGIS, The Crossing is a unique transit-oriented development in Anaheim, featuring 312 well-appointed lofts, one- and two-bedroom apartment homes (some with dens) and 39 live/work units. Located adjacent to the Anaheim Metrolink and Amtrak train stop and close to shopping, dining and entertainment venues, the new transit-oriented/pedestrian-friendly community is a conversion of industrial land to luxury rental apartments and live/work units.

A candidate for LEED® Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, The Crossing was designed and built as an environmentally-friendly, smoke-free residential community promoting healthy living and sustainable practices. The Crossing has dedicated parking for 120+ bicycles and preferred parking for fuel efficient vehicles; and its cool roof technology reduces the heat island effect. Other green features include: Broan SmartSense® ventilation systems to improve air circulation, high-grade energy efficient windows, water-saving fixtures including high-efficiency dual flush toilets, energy-saving compact fluorescent lights, low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paint, adhesives and carpet, carpets made from 100% post-recycled content (recycled plastic bottles) and a community recycling program. There are also separate chutes for recyclables. To mitigate the noise of the trains passing by, great care was taken to orient units to private courtyards within the buildings. These courtyard spaces act as the social heart of the project, joining with the spacious club room, fitness center/spa, and leasing areas to create an exciting, hip, and sophisticated environment.

Villaggio on Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, which received recognition as an award finalist as the "Best Affordable Apartment Community (40% of units must be affordable to people earning 60% or less of area median income)," was selected for its thoughtfully-planned, mixed-income, sustainable apartment community that provides quality housing and residential amenities including excellent educational, health and social programs for the community members. Developed by National Community Renaissance and situated near the vibrant and successful Victoria Gardens and City Hall, the Tuscan-inspired community consists of one, two and three-story buildings with spacious two and three-bedroom units, as well as a 5,600-square-foot community building, two tot lots, a pool and fitness center, business center, and an education center for residents.

“Creativity in design and a clear understanding of the entrants’ local markets characterized this year’s entries,” said Charles R. Brindell, Jr., President and CEO of Trammel Crow Residential, and chair of NAHB’s Multifamily Leadership Board. “The results are outstanding apartments and condos that their residents will take pride in for years to come.”

KTGY has won countless awards for its many multifamily, mixed-income, affordable, workforce, senior and campus housing projects and was recently honored with seven Awards of Merit in the 2010 Gold Nugget Award design and planning competition. The Gold Nugget Award program honored the firm's wide range of capabilities, excellence and innovation in addressing complex design/build issues in attached, detached and sustainable communities as well as transit-oriented developments.

About NAHB
The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 175,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for 2010. Visit www.nahb.org.

About KTGY Group, Inc.
Established in 1991, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, provides comprehensive planning and award-winning architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, and in Denver. See www.ktgy.com.

Construction to Begin on KTGY-Designed Valley Brook Townhomes

KTGY-Designed, Eco-Friendly Workforce Housing to Break Ground in Breckenridge, Colorado
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Construction to begin on Valley Brook for 42 Local Employees and Their Families

DENVER, COLO. - According to KTGY Group Inc., Architecture and Planning, a new residential development will break ground next month in Breckenridge, Colo. Designed to LEED® Silver standards by KTGY Group on the site of a former airport runway owned by the town, Valley Brook will provide high-quality, environmentally-friendly, transit-oriented workforce housing for local employees and their families. The new 4.5-acre infill development will consist of 42 two-story for-sale townhome units ranging in size from 1,150 square feet to 1,384 square feet and offering two to three bedrooms with attached garages.

"Affordable workforce housing is important for the economic vitality of the Town of Breckenridge and to preserve the character of our community,” said Laurie Best, long-range planner with the Town. “We are looking forward to the development of Valley Brook to create an affordable neighborhood that is ideally located close to schools, jobs, parks, shopping, trails and transit.”

Located at 1100 Airport Road in Breckenridge, between Upper Blue Elementary School and the Breckenridge Police Department, Valley Brook will be built as an environmentally-friendly residential community promoting healthy living and sustainable practices. It is designed to LEED® Silver standards. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and provides a definitive national standard for what constitutes a “green building” and is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. The project is an in-fill development site, and features solar photo-voltaic panel systems and ENERGY STAR appliances and light fixtures. Other green features include: high-grade energy efficient windows, water-saving fixtures including high-efficiency dual flush toilets, low flow faucets and shower heads, low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paint and adhesives, carpet made from a high percentage of recycled content and a community recycling program. Each home will also have a passive radon mitigation system, high efficiency hot water heaters, and indoor air quality exhaust system. Landscaping will be focused on native species that don't need long-term irrigation.

The Valley Brook townhomes will also include large two-car tandem garages, attic storage, front porches and entries. The pedestrian-friendly site plan also provides a one-way loop road. The residents of Valley Brook can also take advantage of the adjacent Blue River corridor and connection to bike trails and walking paths. Recent improvements to the nearby path, which include the addition of a new bridge over the river, will make the neighborhood more easily accessible to the network of paths. The neighborhood will eventually include a playground and a common recreational area.

KTGY's Principal Michael Ohara, AIA, states that Valley Brook's mountain-Victorian style design, reminiscent of the mining heritage of the Colorado Mountains, will seamlessly integrate into the aesthetic fabric of the neighborhood and use the same high quality finishes and materials as surrounding market-rate properties. “Architectural integration is always a top priority for all of our residential projects,” Ohara notes. “We adjusted the roof planes on the various buildings to maximize solar exposure for the PV panels. The result was a pleasing variation in the building elevations that we accentuated with color and the use of varied exterior details.”

Of the 42 units, which will be built in phases, there will be 14 two-bedroom/two-bath townhomes available to those who qualify at the 80 percent area median income (AMI) level, priced at $165,000. Also at the 80 percent AMI level, there will be eight three-bedroom/two-bath units, selling for $187,500.

At 105 percent AMI, there will be 14 two-bedroom/two-bath townhomes, each selling for $267,000. Additionally, there will be six three-bedroom/two-bath units available for those at 105 percent AMI, which will sell for $302,000.

“The Town of Breckenridge is truly a leader in balancing the housing needs of both its year-round residents and its visitors,” says Ohara. The Town of Breckenridge offers a challenge to attainable housing that larger population centers don’t face. Breckenridge's basic industry, tourism, requires a large number of seasonal workers as well as full-time permanent workers, thus it needs all types of housing, from ownership to employee and short-term rental housing (six months or less). Tourism also creates a diverse employment base of non-basic industries: retail, housing, utilities, public transportation, personal care, health, education, local government, finance, entertainment and social services.

"If we cannot provide housing for those that work in these non-basic industries, it will be difficult, and ultimately, perhaps impossible, to sustain our basic industry – tourism," adds Best.

“Sustainable design and close proximity to jobs, services and education further increase affordability for residents who have few affordable housing options, especially for larger families,” says Ohara. A family of four earning $69,760 (80 percent of area median income) will pay about $187,500 to purchase a three-bedroom townhome at Valley Brook.

Recognized as a leader in the region, KTGY continues its stride in producing award-winning workforce housing developments that integrate the latest urban design trends and green building technologies with the needs of the end user. KTGY is well recognized for its designs in single family, affordable, senior and campus housing as well as retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments.

For more information, call the Town of Breckenridge at (970) 547-3112 or the Summit Combined Housing Authority at (970) 423-7044 or (970) 423-7041 or visitwww.summithousing.us.

About KTGY Group, Inc.
Established in 1991, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, provides comprehensive planning and award-winning architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, and in Denver. See www.ktgy.com.

The Muller Company Achieves First LEED Gold CS in California

The Muller Company Awarded LEED Gold on a Recently Completed Class A Office Building in Santa Ana, Calif.

LAGUNA HILLS, CALIF. – The Muller Company, a full service real estate company specializing in management, investment and development of commercial real estate in the western United States, announced today that Tustin Centre Office Phase II in Santa Ana, Calif. was awarded LEED® Gold Certification for its exceptional green design and construction under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for Core and Shell (CS). This new 82,042-square-foot, four-story Class A office building, which is located at 1525 N. Tustin Avenue, near 17th Street, is the first Core and Shell building to receive LEED Gold in all of California. The project is owned by an investment client of BlackRock, Inc. and The Muller Company is the developer and property manager.

“Tustin Centre II's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Tustin Centre II serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.”

The Muller Company incorporated numerous green design and construction features in the development of Tustin Centre II. Nearly 96 percent of all construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills, equating to more than 1,774 tons of waste, which earned a LEED exemplary performance credit from USGBC; and more than 21 percent of the materials used in construction contained recycled content.

The new building also incorporates the use of low-emitting paints, carpet, adhesives and wood, and recycled content; low-flow faucets and showerheads, waterless urinals and dual-flush toilets, which will save 250,000 gallons or 44 percent of the water typically used by a building of this type and size; and native plants and drought-resistant plants for landscaping, which will save 262,631 gallons or 75 percent of the water normally used for landscaping.

The project also purchased 104 megawatts of Green-e power, which represented 35 percent of the building’s predicted annual electrical consumption over a two-year period (more than half of the power to run the building for a full year of operation will come from renewable energy sources). Furthermore, to maximize energy efficiency, 90 percent of the suites have daylight views, and the roof qualified as a heat island effect reducer through ENERGY STAR compliant roofing.

To encourage the use of alternative forms of transportation, three-preferred parking spaces are provided for carpoolers and three for those driving low emitting vehicles. There are also 10 bicycle racks and two shower and changing room facilities for the building's tenants.

The new building, which opened in October 2009, will be 100 percent leased in November 2010 by Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC), a state-funded nonprofit organization that provides life-long services and support for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The lease with RCOC was one of the largest signed in Orange County this year.

Tustin Centre also includes a 10-story 196,000-square-foot Class A office building, which was constructed in 1991 and is currently ENERGY STAR pending. This building serves as the headquarters of real estate brokerage and investor Grubb & Ellis Co. and a host of other tenants. An investment client of BlackRock is the owner and The Muller Company is the property manager for both buildings.

Looking forward, The Muller Company will continue to apply its renovation and rehabbing expertise to the green-building market. Karen Winter, Director of Property Management, who has been with the company for more than a decade, says, “There's a growing interest among clients - especially government tenants - to occupy green buildings and have their improvements certified under the LEED for Commercial Interiors designation. Not only is it good for business, but some of the changes promoted by the USGBC affect the bottomline, like low water usage and energy efficiency.”

About The Muller Company
The Muller Company has over 30 years of experience in developing, acquiring and managing a diverse portfolio of over 20 million square feet of office, industrial and retail real estate throughout the western United States, with nearly 11 million square feet currently under management in the California and Phoenix markets. Over the years, The Muller Company has partnered with institutional owners such as GE Capital, Capmark, Rockwood Capital, BlackRock, ING Realty and Metlife. Empowered by an entrepreneurial spirit and guided by an owner’s perspective, The Muller Company excels at mining the long-term value from every asset that it manages by adding value, either through leasing, capital improvements, refinancing, operational audits and repositioning. For more information, contact the Director of Business Development, Lori Ann Haigh at 949.460.5380 or visit www.themullercompany.com.

Mercy Housing Plans New Green Affordable Apartment Community in Stapleton, Colo. Designed by KTGY Group

Mercy Housing Plans New $11.5 Million Affordable Apartments in Stapleton
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KTGY Named Architect of Mercy Housing’s Bluff Lake Apartment Homes

DENVER, COLO. - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that after months of collaboration between leading national affordable housing developer Mercy Housing, the City of Denver, Colo., and KTGY, Mercy Housing is slated to break ground in January 2011 on Bluff Lake Apartment Homes, a new high-quality, eco-friendly residential community for families earning between 30 percent and 50 percent of the area median income.

Designed by KTGY, Mercy Housing’s Bluff Lake Apartment Homes will offer 92 thoughtfully-planned apartment homes ranging in size from 402 square feet to 1,261 square feet. The apartments include 36 one-, 46 two- and 10 three-bedroom homes. Fifty percent of the apartments will be dedicated to assisting families in transition as part of the Denver's Road Home initiative to end homelessness. Rent is expected to range from $400 to $950 per month, based on family size and income level.

Located on 2.33 acres, northeast of the planned Eastbridge Town Center in Forest City's master-planned community of Stapleton at the intersection of E. 31st Avenue Street and Hanover Street, the $11.5 million, four-story apartment community will feature a spacious community room for larger resident meetings and after-school programming and daycare services, a computer lab, a fully-equipped kitchen, smaller group meeting spaces, landscaped courtyard areas, a 3,000-square-foot playground, and convenient laundry facilities. An additional 3,000-square-foot building will be used for community functions for the surrounding neighborhood.

Convenient to employment, public transportation, shopping, services, parks and recreation, Bluff Lake Apartment Homes is approximately 10 minutes from Downtown Denver. There is also a new light rail line planned along the I-70 corridor. Within walking distance from the site is a new community center, the Sandcreek Regional Greenway, and Bluff Lake with its system of walking trails.

"Recognizing that shelter alone is not sufficient for residents’ success and well-being, Mercy Housing offers Resident Services programs at our properties," said Christopher Auxier, Mercy Housing Colorado Regional Vice President of Development. "Mercy Housing is committed to developing affordable, program-enriched housing for low-income families, seniors and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities. Every property is built with an unwavering commitment to quality and value." According to Denver's Road Home organization, the most commonly reported reasons for homelessness in the Denver area are loss of a job (35 percent), housing costs (31 percent), and the breakup of a family (20 percent); 60 percent of the homeless in Denver are people in families with children. Mercy Housing and KTGY intend to counter these statistics by providing a stable, service-enriched home for residents of Bluff Lake Apartment Homes.

According to KTGY's Principal Michael Ohara, AIA, Bluff Lake Apartment Homes’ design is modern contemporary and the location's urban context provides easy access to the greater Stapleton community with the single-family neighborhood to the west. The apartment community's surface parking on the east side of the site provides a buffer from a busy north/south arterial street.

"We wanted the apartment community to fit in to the greater context of Stapleton,” said Ohara. “The massing and the use of environmentally-friendly materials has been well received by the Stapleton community, and we look forward to helping provide this much needed resource in one of the regions’ premier master-planned neighborhoods."

Bluff Lake Apartment Homes’ attractive, sustainable design, cohesive layout and high quality residential living encourage healthy living and a sense of community among the residents. “The placement of shared spaces such as the community center, lobby, and courtyard elevate the importance of onsite resident services and social interaction and increase resident satisfaction,” said Ohara.

Some of the eco-friendly design features include ENERGY STAR rated appliances and energy-efficient lighting; water-saving fixtures in the kitchen and bathrooms; dual flush toilets; tankless water heaters; the use of low-VOC paints, adhesives and finishes, and low dust stucco; building materials that contain recycled content and do not emit harmful chemicals; and low water landscaping. A high percentage of the construction waste will be recycled.

Bluff Lake Apartment Homes was recently awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority. This will be Mercy Housing Colorado's second affordable housing development in the Stapleton community. Mercy Housing opened Parkside Apartments in Stapleton in 2009, which provides 68 affordable homes. The organization currently owns and manages nearly 900 units of housing in Colorado, including the Denver area, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Fraser and Durango. The median household income for families living at Mercy Housing Colorado properties is $19,167.

Today, more than one-third of the United States’ populations – approximately 95 million people – are affected by the housing crisis. Of these people, more than 45 million have incomes below $25,000 and roughly 12 million households earn less than $10,000 per year. And to make matters worse, the demand for affordable housing continues to exceed the supply. For every 100 extremely low-income renter households, there were only 39 rental housing units affordable and available for them in 2007. By 2008, the number of affordable and available units had declined to 38. The shortage will likely be worse in 2010 marked by households with extremely low incomes facing an absolute shortage of affordable rental housing. Mercy Housing’s goal is to have 60,000 affordable multifamily rental homes in the United States by 2014 to help meet the increasing demand for quality affordable homes.

About Denver’s Road Home
Denver’s Road Home is a comprehensive plan about creating opportunity and helping people regain control of their lives. A variety of services are offered for both short and long term assistance, including services to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place as well as employment, substance treatment, mental health and permanent housing. For more information, visit www.denversroadhome.org.

About Mercy Housing Colorado
Mercy Housing Colorado, the regional business center of Mercy Housing, owns 14 affordable housing properties across the state that are home to more than 2,000 residents, including families, seniors, formerly homeless individuals and people with special needs. Mercy Housing Colorado is a developer, owner and manager of nearly 835 units of affordable and supportive housing that serve more than 2,000 Colorado men, women and children every day. For more information about Mercy Housing Colorado, visit www.mercyhousingcolorado.org.

About KTGY Group
Established in 1991, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, provides comprehensive planning and award-winning architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland, Santa Monica, and in Denver. See www.ktgy.com.

KTGY-Designed The Crossings at Escondido Breaks Ground

UHC Breaks Ground on The Crossings at Escondido, a 55-Unit High Quality Affordable Housing Community
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KTGY-designed new community features 55 safe, healthy, attractive and supportive apartment homes for working families in Escondido

ESCONDIDO, CALIF. - Urban Housing Communities LLC will gather next Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. with City of Escondido officials including the Mayor and City Council, architect KTGY Group, project partners and local residents for the ceremonial groundbreaking on the future site of The Crossings at Escondido. In 12 short months, working families living in the Mission Park area of Escondido will have a new place to call home.

“This will be a beautiful project for the community that will bring change to the Mission Park neighborhood in a positive way. This project will provide wonderful opportunities for people to live in healthy, well-managed housing with easy access to schools, transportation and services. It's a very exciting project!” said Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler.

Designed by Irvine-based KTGY Group, the development of The Crossings at Escondido marks the transformation of a street plagued by deterioration, poverty, gangs, drugs, and overcrowding into a safe, family-friendly community. “The Crossings at Escondido represents more than just another development by UHC,” said John Bigley, Chief Operating Officer for UHC. “Today we see work beginning—buildings being demolished and dirt being turned—to make life better not just for the people who will one day live here, but for the entire community. This project is just one component of the City of Escondido’s overall plans for revitalization.”

The Crossings at Escondido will enhance neighborhood aesthetics, embrace eco-friendly design principles and offer a supportive resident services program while providing affordable family living. Formerly known as “Elder Place,” UHC successfully collaborated with the City to have the street renamed Mission Grove Place to reflect a fresh start for the neighborhood. The name Mission Grove Place was drawn from two nearby landmarks, Mission Middle School and Grove Park.

The Crossings at Escondido is the product of an effectively leveraged partnership between UHC and the City of Escondido Community Development Commission. The City committed funding by partnering with UHC to acquire the land. Subsequently, UHC secured financing through the highly competitive 9 percent tax credit program. Additional financing for the project was provided by Wells Fargo Bank N.A., the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the California Community Reinvestment Corporation.

About The Crossings at Escondido

The Crossings at Escondido will feature 38 two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath townhomes, 15 three-bedroom, two-bath flats, and two four-bedroom two-bath flats. Apartment sizes average 1,200 square feet. Each unit will offer Energy Star appliances, central heat and air conditioning, a covered patio or balcony, washer/dryer hookups, high speed internet access and be wired for cable TV. Community amenities include a recreation room with a computer lab, media center and kitchen, picnic areas and two playgrounds.

The Crossings at Escondido was designed not only to complement the surrounding neighborhoods but also with a vision to create a higher standard for affordable housing. With a pedestrian friendly emphasis, each residence is provided with private, ground floor entries located among generous landscaped spaces. These "outdoor rooms" are provided in a variety of configurations from the more intimately scaled spaces intended for passive recreation to the centrally located playground and lawn for active recreation. Proposed to reflect the historic precedent in Escondido, the architecture is designed with a Craftsman style in mind. Details such as deep roof overhangs, porch columns, horizontal siding placement and accent shutters emphasize the simplicity of detailing. These three-story building facades are articulated with ridge/eave breaks as well as one- and two-story massing not only to provide a varied street scene but also to step the building down to a pedestrian scale.

Construction is scheduled to begin on June 21st, with at least 75 percent of the construction and demolition waste being recycled. The project exceeds California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards by 15 percent. Eco-friendly design features include solar panels to generate electricity for the common areas and outdoor lighting; radiant barriers under the roof sheathing; water-saving fixtures in the kitchen and bathrooms; dual flush toilets; tankless water heaters; Energy Star rated lighting, appliances, windows and sliding glass doors; low-VOC paints, adhesives and finishes, and low dust stucco; building materials that contain recycled content, do not emit harmful chemicals and are manufactured in environmentally-friendly plants; products fabricated from engineered wood; and furniture, barbeques and trash receptacles made from recycled content. Competitive Edge Construction, Inc. is the general contractor.

The Crossings at Escondido effectively blends housing with onsite supportive services designed to help residents move toward a life of stability and opportunity while becoming self sustaining members of their community. UHC has selected non-profit social service provider, Western Community Housing, to provide health and wellness services, educational classes, job attainment assistance, life skills training, youth programs, and community-building activities.

The Crossings at Escondido will be home to 55 families earning 30 to 60 percent of the area median income for San Diego County. Rents range from $557 to $1,124 per month based on family size and income level. Interested applicants should contact Solari Enterprises, Inc. at (714) 282-2520.

About Urban Housing Communities

Urban Housing Communities LLC is a "mission driven for-profit" affordable housing development partner of Morgan Stanley and Banc of America Community Development Corporation specializing in multifamily and senior housing facilities in California and Hawaii. UHC was formed in 2003 by executives of SunAmerica and ASL Housing, and has since been joined by professionals from KB Home, CalFed Bank and the California State University System. Together, they have financed or developed over 10,000 units of housing. For more information, visit www.uhcllc.net.

About KTGY Group, Inc.

Established in 1991, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, provides comprehensive planning and award-winning architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, and in Denver. See www.ktgy.com.

UHC MEDIA CONTACT:
Merilee Langdon
(714) 835-3955 x120
mlangdon@uhcllc.net

Real Estate Veteran Robin DeLotell Leverages Business Relationships to Launch New Company

CORONA DEL MAR, CALIF. - With over 25 years focused on business development and marketing for the real estate community, industry veteran Robin DeLotell has launched Robin DeLotell & Associates (RDA) to enhance client capabilities and create new opportunities for clients to gain market share and boost revenues. DeLotell originally founded RDA in 1993 with clients such as KTGY Group, Inc., The Collaborative West, Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Roxburgh Agency, and others. She joined KTGY full-time in 2005 and then became a partner, where she helped build and establish the 25-person architectural firm as one of the largest and most respected architectural and planning firms in the country.

RDA’s host of services include strategic positioning and marketing, comprehensive business and marketing plan development and implementation, company diversification and expansion, domestic and international business development, strategic leveraging to connect people and businesses, alliance formation, event coordination including seminars, advisory groups, and trade shows, and business development/marketing staff training.

"With the current market dynamics, there is a strong demand for results-driven business development and marketing services provided on an outsourced basis," said DeLotell. "Launching Robin DeLotell & Associates at this time allows me to take RDA to the next level with the added five-year exposure to high-level client relationships as well as collaborating with a variety of firms that can benefit from my expertise and industry relationships." DeLotell will continue to work with KTGY and The Collaborative West, an international landscape architecture firm.

"I love this industry and the people in it, and bringing companies together that can benefit from each other’s experience and services," DeLotell said. "Long-term relationships and the ability to strategically leverage these relationships are what allows a firm to gain market share and increase revenues."

DeLotell's business strategy is to elevate her clients' visibility by utilizing her existing key relationships as well as RDA’s client’s relationships to establish one-on-one targeted meetings, alliance formation, event coordination, participation at trade events, and membership in professional organizations. "The key to RDA’s client’s success is follow-through until we get the job/client,” said DeLotell. “I find that is the real difference between successful business development people and the rest. Follow-up is vital and I have a proven track record at maintaining long-term relationships as well as doing the necessary follow-up until the deal is done.”

According to KTGY's CEO Tricia Esser, "Robin DeLotell's professionalism and dedication to understanding where the market is headed and how to help position us in the community has been a valuable asset to our firm. Her commitment to connecting KTGY with the industry and building great, lasting relationships has been essential to KTGY's success."

The Collaborative West President Paul Haden said, "I have collaborated with Robin DeLotell in business development in a host of markets, regions and client types -- commercial, residential, institutional -- both in the private and public sectors. She is a professional who brings great ideas, a superb knowledge of the industry, and a commitment to her work that is truly unique. Robin is, in short, a 'results professional.’”

What building trends does DeLotell see on the horizon? “I see the real estate industry's focus on transit-oriented developments (TODs) and real placemaking continuing,” DeLotell said. “I also see the demand for more affordable housing to continue and homebuilders will respond by building smaller homes, located closer to work (infill), and to be energy efficient. I don’t believe that many consumers are interested in spending more money on a home just to have it environmentally-friendly, but builders are finding ways to incorporate green building products and practices that will not add to the cost and will save consumers money on their monthly utility bills as well as being good for the environment. Building green will become an amenity and not a cost to the consumer," DeLotell added.

DeLotell graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Planning from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. She has been a full member of Urban Land Institute (ULI) since 1988 and is currently the Vice-Chair of Programs for ULI's Orange County District Council, a member of ULI's national Sustainability Development Council and a member of ULI's Urban Marketplace 2010 committee. She is also a past Vice-Chair of Sponsorship for ULI's Orange County District Council and Building Industry Show Seminar Committee Co-Chairman for two consecutive years. Other professional affiliations include International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Orange County Building Industry Association (BIA) and United States Green Building Council (USGBC). In 2009, USBGC awarded DeLotell the LEED Green Associate designation.

About Robin DeLotell & Associates
With over 25 years focused on business development and marketing for the real estate industry, Robin DeLotell & Associates has established long-term client/consultant relationships that increase revenues and visibility to foster opportunities and expansion. Robin DeLotell & Associates provides a responsive, nimble, and personal approach to business development that can only be achieved by working with a synergistic client base. The firm's goal is client success, which is accomplished through a complete understanding of a client's business and developing a strategy that is specific, realistic, and attainable. For more information, email robin@delotell.com or visit www.delotell.com.