KTGY-Designed Eco-friendly Student Housing Begins Construction in Northern California

The Sobrato Organization Begins Construction on KTGY-designed Eco-friendly Apartments for Santa Clara University Students

IRVINE, CALIF. - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce construction of a new student housing community at Santa Clara University (SCU) in the Silicon Valley. The developer is The Sobrato Organization of Cupertino, a family-owned, privately held real estate investment organization focused on residential and office developments.

Upon completion in fall 2011, this new eco-friendly residential community, designed by KTGY, will provide 400 beds for the University’s junior and senior students.

“Santa Clara University is excited to have its first eco-friendly housing complex for students, especially since the university’s mission is to become more sustainable and climate neutral,” said Joe Sugg, assistant vice president of University Operations at SCU. “While we teach our students about the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling, the best way to lead is by example.”

SCU is committed to climate neutrality by 2015, meaning the University intends to have net zero carbon emissions by that year. The University has also implemented many energy efficiency measures to help reach this goal.

“This new development represents a partnership between Santa Clara University and The Sobrato Organization to ease the demand for on campus student housing,” said The Sobrato Organization’s Rich Truempler, director, development. “For over 50 years, the Sobrato Family has played a dynamic role in the emergence and growth of the Silicon Valley. We are very pleased to help Santa Clara University meet the needs of its growing student population and its sustainability and climate neutrality goals.”

The new student housing is located at 1260 Campbell Avenue on 5.18 acres of land in both the cities of Santa Clara and San Jose. The urban infill site is directly adjacent to SCU’s Stephen Schott Stadium and within easy walking distance to University classes and events as well as rail transit.

Designed under the Build It Green standards, which incorporates the latest in energy efficiency, indoor air quality, resource conservation and water conservation, the new housing is being built on the site of a former commercial/industrial building. Some of the eco-friendly design features include:

• Energy Star-rated lighting and windows
• Dark Sky compliant exterior lighting
• Water-saving fixtures in the bathrooms
• High efficiency dual-flush toilets
• Trash and recycling receptacles made from recycled content
• Zero volatile organic compound (VOC) interior paints and low VOC interior finishes and adhesives
• Building materials that contain recycled content and do not emit harmful chemicals

The thoughtfully-planned student apartment homes will range in size from one bedroom, one bath at 604 square feet to four bedrooms, two bathrooms at 1,382 square feet. The new student residential community will feature a 4,500-square-foot student services center, which includes a spacious multipurpose event room with a kitchen and support services facility. Outdoor amenities include social and recreation areas plus bike storage.

According to David Obitz, KTGY principal and lead designer for the project, the new student housing community and student services center will blend with SCU’s mix of Early California, Italianate, and contemporary themes.

“The new student residential community’s design concept and organization gathers the student housing around a series of greenbelt mews, anchored by a central courtyard. The sequential spaces are activated by two volleyball courts, a bocce ball court, multiple outdoor kitchen/barbecue and seating areas and plazas. All ‘roads’ lead to the hub of activity, the student services center,” added Obitz.

KTGY has won countless awards for its many campus, mixed-income, affordable, workforce, and senior housing projects. KTGY recently completed a new housing development for professors and staff of the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) as well as a 1,753-bed student housing development, which achieved LEED Gold on the campus of University of California, Irvine (UCI), KTGY's third UCI campus project. KTGY is currently designing three off-campus student apartment projects near several impacted campuses in the prime markets of San Diego, San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles. The sites are directly adjacent to or within ¾ mile of the main campuses. Developers are considering student housing developments as the market has shifted from condo-mania to for-rent product, Obitz stated.

About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, theology, and engineering, plus master’s and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.

About The Sobrato Organization
Since 1953, the Sobrato Family has played a pivotal role in shaping Silicon Valley with unique facilities that provide compelling benefits for forward-thinking companies. Founded by John A. Sobrato in 1979, The Sobrato Organization today remains a family-owned firm with no outside investors or joint venture partners. Led by chairman and founder John A. Sobrato and his son, John M. Sobrato, who serves as chief executive officer, the firm is known for its integrity and dedication. Today, Sobrato owns more than 86 commercial properties in the Silicon Valley and over 400 acres of land throughout Santa Clara and Alameda counties. Sobrato's office and R&D projects comprise 7.96 million square feet, most of which are Class A, mid-rise office buildings. The firm also owns 30 apartment communities totaling 7,300 units along the West Coast. For more information, see www.sobrato.com.

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, Calif., Denver, Colo., and Tysons Corner, Va. See www.ktgy.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 Earns National Recognition with 7 Gold Nugget Merit Awards
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Diverse Range of Capabilities, Excellence & Innovation are Praised

IRVINE, CALIF. - KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, has earned seven Awards of Merit in the 2010 Gold Nugget Award design and planning competition honoring 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. KTGY's winning projects were selected from 440 entries from the 14 Western States and international countries. The KTGY-designed Solaris in South Jordan, Utah, earned several honors, including “Residential Detached Community of the Year,” for providing first-time homebuyers in Utah with the opportunity to afford a modern, contemporary-style, Solar- and Thermal-powered home. The Gold Nugget Grand Award winners will be selected from the Award of Merit honorees on June 10, 2010.

The Solaris Collection received an Award of Merit for "Residential Detached Community of the Year" and The Solaris Collection - Plan A earned an Award of Merit for “Best Single Family Detached Home on a Small Lot (3,200-4,500 sq. ft.)." The Solaris Townhomes also won recognition for the "Best On the Boards Multi-Family Project." Built by Garbett Homes, Solaris is located within Daybreak's South Station master-planned community, developed by Kennecott Land as Utah's first sustainable master-planned community. The Daybreak community offers miles of nature trails for biking, walking, jogging, or hiking, swimming pools, playgrounds and parks, walking distance to UTA Trax, community gardens, community sports facilities, pavilions, and a new charter school and convenient access to shopping nearby.

"The inspiration for Solaris was to respond to a well-educated, environmentally-sensitive market in Utah and offer the first Solar powered homes. To this end, it was important to allow the Solar panels to show from the street as part of its sustainable design and construction. We did our homework up front and found state and utility rebates that would surely make this program a homerun for the buyers," said KTGY's Principal John Tully.

According to Garbett Homes Marketing Director Rene Oehlerking, "The Solaris Collection offers the most affordable Solar-powered, single-family homes in Utah (from $206,900 after solar rebate). Garbett Homes is also the first production builder in Utah to offer bold, modern architecture."

Tully said, "Working closely with Garbett Homes, we wanted to create an attainable, contemporary, Solar-powered, Thermal-powered, single-family detached home marketed to the first-time buyer. We wanted it to be priced around $200,000 and have three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a two-car garage. We were told it could not be done, but we did it! The modern design helped in achieving this feat – with clean lines and open-plan design we were able to simplify the home and therefore the construction costs."

Solaris has been well received by the marketplace. Oehlerking said that despite the current economic recession, Garbett Homes has sold at a better sales rate than any other previous neighborhood. The Solaris Collection consist of homes ranging in size from 1,442 square feet to 2,791 square feet on 4,500-square-foot lots. A total of 42 single-family dwellings are planned for the development. The Solaris Collection's Plan A homes range in size from 1,442 square feet to 2,112 square feet. The energy-efficient homes include modern contemporary design, vaulted ceilings in entry and living room, tiled front entry way and kitchen, recessed lighting, Energy Star GE stainless steel appliances, upgraded finish carpentry, ceiling fans, mini-chamfer sheetrock corners, large, dual-paned, low-E vinyl windows, central air conditioning with 13 Seer AC units, white membrane roof to reflect excess heat, exterior finish of stucco and Hardie-board, beautiful private porches connecting residents with the neighborhood, professionally landscaped and maintained community, security lighting, maintenance-free soffit and fascia, full rain gutters, outside waterproof electrical outlets, and double car attached garage with automatic opener.

The Gold Nugget Awards program recognized The Solaris Townhomes in the category of "Best On the Boards Multi-Family Project." There are 79 units planned. "Garbett Homes is the first and only builder in Utah to offer Solar and Thermal (PVT) as standard on townhomes," Oehlerking said. "The Solaris Townhomes are also the most affordable green, solar-powered home ever, with townhomes starting in the $170,000s."

The Solaris Townhomes range in size from 1,190 square feet to 1,416 square feet. "In a down market and competing with short sales and foreclosed homes, we needed to innovate and bring a truly remarkable product to the market and captivate the limited buyers," said Tully. "The design is modern, the standard features are outstanding (tankless water-heaters, solar panels, 100% Energy Star Rated, NAHB Green Home Certified, stainless steel appliances, and gas ranges). The floorplans are amazing and the price is remarkable. We were able to do this by cutting our construction time to 45 days per building, and self-financing the vertical construction. We cut out the bank and have our sub-contractors extend terms to 45 days. We believe that we have a winning new construction product to compete with discounted existing home sales."

Additionally, KTGY received a Gold Nugget Merit Award in the category of "Best Multi-Family Housing Project – 4 to 6 Stories For Sale" for 555 YVR, Downtown Walnut Creek’s first live-work-shop-play residences. Developed by Thompson Dorfman Partners, 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 featuring luxury finishes, stainless steel appliances and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows. Located in the commercial business district on the site of former office buildings and surface parking lot, adjacent to the Walnut Creek BART Station, 555 YVR is steps to world-class shopping, restaurants, civic, cultural, entertainment destinations, employment centers, 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. The builder was Palisades Builders.

"555 YVR's live-work-shop-play environment minimizes commuting and lessens pollution as it includes close proximity to public transit lines, neighborhood parks and shopping centers, business and medical services, churches and schools," said Stan Braden, AIA, NCARB, chairman and principal of KTGY. “Furthermore, 555YVR’s sustainable design and lower energy bills and pedestrian-friendly location increases affordability for residents, which is more important than ever in today’s challenging economic climate.”

KTGY received two additional Awards of Merit in the category of "Best On the Boards" for its design and planning of Aldea at Porter Ranch in Los Angeles, Calif.; and Tasman Station in Sunnyvale, Calif. Aldea at Porter Ranch won an Award of Merit in the category of "Best On the Boards Site Plan." The developer of Aldea at Porter Ranch is Porter Ranch Development Company, a joint venture between Shapell Homes and Liberty Building Company. The 60-acre mixed-use village, located in the heart of the Porter Ranch master-planned community, represents a bold direction in defining a horizontal mixed-use urban village supporting a contemporary lifestyle, says KTGY's Ken Ryan, principal and head of KTGY’s community planning and urban design studio.

"Envisioned as a departure from the San Fernando Valley’s auto-centric pattern of insular single-use enclaves, the seamlessly integrated living, shopping and entertainment village was crafted to promote a pedestrian-friendly, engaging and exciting living environment," Ryan said. "The major feature of the village’s framework is its two primary organizing elements: a central east-west linkage system and a north-south transitional zone, with a central civic core placed at the intersection of the armatures. A network of private drives and alleys geometrically reinforce these organizing elements, connecting in an efficient and understandable grid design."

According to Ryan, the project’s visual icon is its east-west “promenade street” – a walking street reminiscent of the great urban neighborhoods of Brooklyn and San Francisco – featuring front-facing architecture with a direct connection to the 20-acre lifestyle retail/restaurant district at one end and a community recreation center anchoring the opposite end.

Tasman Station received an Award of Merit for "Best On the Boards Multi-Family Project." Tasman Station is an upscale, transit-oriented mixed-use retail and residential community in Sunnyvale, located adjacent to a VTA light rail line and platform. Developed by Essex Property Trust and targeting environmentally-sensitive Silicon Valley professionals, the sustainable design consists of three principal, five-story buildings, with four levels of residential over a podium; 15 percent of the units are affordable. All units feature well-proportioned decks for indoor/outdoor enjoyment. With completion slated for March 2011, the $138.9 million project includes 284 dwelling units and a freestanding Fresh & Easy market on the corner.

"Tasman Station's generous plan sizes average over 900 square feet," Braden said. "Arches, trellises, balconies and rooflines animate contemporary interpretation of Spanish Mediterranean vernacular. The podium level will feature a pool, spa, clubhouse, business center/cyber café, fire pits, shuffleboard court and plazas, courtyards, water features and gardens. Green Points, light rail stop located across the street and walkable neighborhood highlight eco-friendly concepts. Easy access to two major freeways provide added benefits.”

KTGY also received a judges special award, the "Building Industry Community Spirit Award" for its planning and design of three Habitat for Humanity homes in Yorba Linda, Calif. Located at 4965 Park Avenue in Yorba Linda, Calif. According to KTGY's Jill Williams, AIA and principal, "The sustainable design maximizes available square footage on a small infill site to create attractive, very livable, comfortable homes that are affordable for working families and in harmony with surrounding market rate neighborhood. The project uses Habitat for Humanity's new 'Mixed-Income Model,' which includes homes for both very low-income and moderate-income families within the same development."

Simplicity in framing facilitated construction by a volunteer workforce and the three-home development was completed in 7.5 months from framing to dedication. KTGY donated its architectural services as well as assisted in the construction of these craftsman-style homes in Yorba Linda on "Build Day." "The two-story, three-bedroom Craftsman-style homes carry on the beautiful, historic precedent of this great neighborhood with sitting porches, stone veneer accents, attached two-car garages turned to the rear and accessed from a private drive; and a material palette that is reminiscent of the era with shingles and clapboard siding," Williams added. “Lush landscaping, trees, meandering walkways to create warm and welcoming pedestrian guest entry.”

KTGY has been committed to working with Habitat for Humanity throughout northern and southern California for many years. Recently, KTGY was called upon to develop the next series of homes for Habitat for Humanity in northern California, which will be going after LEED Platinum status. Last year, KTGY designed and assisted with the building of Habitat for Humanity of Orange County's four homes in Anaheim on East Julianna Street.

The Gold Nugget Awards honor creative achievements in architectural design and land use planning for residential, commercial and industrial projects. Drawing more than 440 entries from the western states and internationally, an increase of nearly 18 percent over last year's number of entries, the Gold Nugget Awards program is the premier event of the annual PCBC, the nation's largest regional trade show and conference. Grand Award winners will be announced at the Gold Nugget Awards Luncheon on Thursday, June 10, 2010, at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. See www.goldnuggetawards.com.

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.

KTGY Principal Ken Ryan Invited to Speak on TOD Design Trends at Fresno Convention Center
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“TOD Development: Design Trends, Considerations and Everything Else Mother Never Taught You"

IRVINE, CALIF. - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that Ken Ryan has been invited to participate as a speaker at the City of Fresno's Workshop, "Making Transit Oriented Development (TOD) a Reality in the San Joaquin Valley," on Friday, May 28, 2010, at the Fresno Convention Center from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm. Ryan is a principal and head of KTGY’s community planning and urban design studio and Ryan and his studio are currently serving as the design advisor for the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) High Speed Rail Transportation District, located next to Angel Stadium. ARTIC recently received Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) 2010 Compass Blueprint Recognition Award for Sustained Leadership and the 2009 Gold Nugget Outstanding On-the-Boards Site Plan Grand Award.

Ryan's presentation, “TOD Development: Design Trends, Considerations and Everything Else Mother Never Taught You," will feature the latest trends in the design of TODs including innovative, environmental-friendly technologies as well as how to create successful TODs that complement, revitalize and support the local economy. Ryan will highlight TOD examples, review lessons learned from initial ideas to the built environment, and offer insights regarding the challenges and opportunities for addressing the issues of place, livability, demographics/lifestyle, phasing, and mobility from a design perspective. Attendees will be provided a handout summarizing key Design Guideline considerations, areas to avoid, and elements to embrace as part of TOD planning. His presentation will start at 2:30 pm.

With over 25 years of experience, Ryan has been responsible for a wide variety of complex, high-profile projects throughout the United States. His impressive list of recent projects includes ARTIC, Corona High Speed Rail Transit District, Aldea Town Center at Porter Ranch, Chapman University, and La Floresta, a multigenerational urban infill community.

“By sharing some of our work, we hope to engage and enlighten attendees to the possibilities of how TOD, particularly as it relates to the current High Speed Rail efforts, provides a strong platform for addressing the issues of livability, affordability, sustainability and mobility in a deeper, more integrated way," Ryan says. “It’s more than reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT); it’s about applying the fundamentals of great neighborhoods to an urban setting and allowing for compelling memorable places to emerge."

Ryan has served on numerous local, regional and national boards including: two-term past Mayor of the City of Yorba Linda; past two-term Chairman of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Toll Road Agency; past Board Member of the Orange County/Riverside County Major Investment Study (MIS) Corridor Agency; past Board Member of the Transportation Corridor System (TCS) Orange County Toll Road Agency. He is currently: Advisory Board Chairman for Abode Communities of Orange County; a member of the National Board of Directors for Trauma Intervention Programs, Inc.; Chairman of the Placentia Linda Hospital's Governing Board; and is an Advisory Board Member of Planning, Policy, and Design at U.C. Irvine. He is a past Member of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Fire Authority; and recently served as a Member of the City of Anaheim’s Housing Element Ad Hoc Committee.

Ryan has been selected numerous times in Builder & Developer magazine’s “Who’s Who in Homebuilding”, was recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential People in North Orange County Magazine, and was one of three representatives from the United States invited to participate in an International roundtable discussion held at the SINO-International Real Estate Summit in Shanghai, China. He guest lectures at University of Southern California (USC), California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, and University of California, Irvine, and has published numerous articles regarding the planning profession. He regularly participates in Orange County radio and television programs and printed media interviews and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Planning from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona.

For more information about the event, visit www.fresno.gov/TODWorkshops or contact Bonique Salinas at the City of Fresno at Bonique.Salinas@fresno.gov or 559.621.8024.

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.

KTGY Principal Chris Texter to Speak at Orange County Housing Trust Summit in Irvine
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New Ideas and New Direction: Housing Innovation and Sustainability

IRVINE, CALIF. - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that Chris Texter, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP and principal has been invited to participate as a speaker at Orange County Housing Trust’s fourth annual summit, “New Ideas & New Directions: Looking Towards the Future,” on May 20, 2010, at the University of California, Irvine, at the Student Center from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. This year’s Summit will feature a diversity of experts who will bring insight and clarity to the county’s and state’s housing status and offer their views on Orange County’s housing future.

Texter’s presentation, “New Ideas and New Direction: Housing Innovation and Sustainability,” will focus on the new design trends, green products and sustainable technologies that are influencing the housing industry. The presentation will include examples of recent and future communities that demonstrate innovative and practical solutions to sustainable communities. The projects will illustrate how architectural design is impacted by Sustainable ideas imposed on the community and by ideas by choice. These will include communities that promote sustainable lifestyles by way of Transit Oriented Development, Mixed Use or Urban Infill to sustainable building construction in Urban and Suburban communities. The presentation will demonstrate the ability to integrate sustainable building practices into the planning, construction and operation into affordable and market rate construction. His presentation begins at 10:55 am.

“It is no longer a question of providing sustainable design features as a novelty because sustainable building practices have gone main stream,” Texter said. “The builder or developer that is not incorporating sustainable features will be behind the market demand. We are now at a point of determining the furthest extent to which sustainable building practices can be integrated based on market demand, selling/renting prices and budgets.”

The question is how will planning and architecture actually influence the lifestyle choices that lead to sustainable “living” not just a sustainable “building,” Texter asks. “Planning communities based on a core that supports the adjacent living will have a different impact on our lifestyle then the recent past. Whether this adjacency is either vertical or located across the street, differing uses are no longer seen as non-compatible. Furthermore, not only are these uses compatible but they are harmonious and should exist as one in a sustainable living environment. The focus has broadened from the sustainable building product to the sustainable community to the sustainable city,” Texter said.

Concentrating on multi-family and mixed-use developments, Texter is called upon for his keen knowledge and talent in code interpretation, leading to unique solutions and innovative designs for KTGY’s clients. With nearly two decades of experience throughout California and Nevada, Texter excels in the resolution of complex challenges including difficult sites, tight budgets, and scheduling concerns.

For more information about the event, visit www.ochousingsummit.com.

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.

KTGY Principal Mike Flynn to Participate as Moderator and Panelist at ICSC’s Global Retail Real Estate Convention in Las Vegas
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Building Green Panel: “What Has Worked, What Hasn’t Worked, and Where Do We Go From Here?” Held on May 24th at 2:30 p.m.

IRVINE, CALIF. - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that Mike Flynn, a principal and LEED AP, has been invited to participate as the moderator and panelist at the International Council of Shopping Centers’ (ICSC) annual RECON, The Global Retail Real Estate Convention held from May 23-25, 2010, in Las Vegas, NV. Flynn’s panel, which will be presented on Monday, May 24, at 2:30 p.m., will focus on green building and is entitled, “Corporate Retailer to Boutique Retailer – What Has Worked, What Hasn’t Worked, and Where Do We Go From Here?”

Panelists for the session will also include: Paul Loubet, president of Dreyfus Real Estate; Barry Giles, CEO and LEED facility emeritus for Building Wise, LLC; and Doug Wiele, a founding partner of Foothill Partners, Inc. “Our session will discuss the goals and reasons for sustainable building, the risks, how we measure sustainability, and the design approaches and systems that have proved to be cost effective sustainable solutions,” says Flynn. “We will also discuss why retail has historically lagged behind the corporate office market in adopting sustainability as an important building and design component and how future green legislation can impact retailers.”

According to Pacific Gas & Electric’s Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), Restaurants are the retail world’s largest energy user. They use almost five times more energy per square foot than any other type of commercial building. “Electrical utilities are likely to increase peak demand rates, and to expand incentive programs for owners who have energy-efficient facilities,” notes Flynn.

“Many people think that only new buildings can be green but there is quite a lot that can be done to improve an existing building’s or shopping center’s energy efficiency without incurring a major expense, whether LEED certification is desired or not. However, if you’re building today without LEED, you’re building in obsolescence. Companies need to be very smart about how they go green so that the money as well as energy is used efficiently,” Flynn says.

With 40 years of experience, Flynn serves as a leader guiding the design and implementation of a wide variety of high profile commercial, mixed-use, retail, entertainment and resort projects throughout the United States and overseas. Keeping him in the forefront of the industry is his notable understanding and comprehensive experience with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building and the Build-it-Green rating programs, including the latest products and cutting-edge technologies in sustainability/green building practices. Flynn’s proficient management skills and background provide KTGY and its clientele superb quality in design and final product. Prior to joining KTGY, Flynn served as senior vice president/director of commercial, retail and entertainment projects for a national firm with 1,600 employees in the United States.

Flynn is a licensed architect in the following states: California, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virginia. He holds a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Certificate and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified Professional. He is also a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Urban Land Institute (ULI) and U.S. Green Building Council. Flynn received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.

About ICSC
Founded in 1957, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is the global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its 60,000 members in the U.S., Canada and more than 80 other countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, lenders, retailers and other professionals as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world. Visit www.icsc.org for more information.

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.

KTGY Earns Two Grand Awards in Gold Nugget Competition For Green Residential Community & World-Class Intermodal Mixed-Use Site Plan
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12 High Honors Recognize Firm’s Diverse Portfolio of Design Excellence

IRVINE, CALIF. - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, has earned 12 high honors (2 Grands and 10 Merits) in the prestigious 2009 Gold Nugget design and planning competition honoring 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 the critical planning of transit-oriented districts. The firm's winning projects are located throughout Northern and Southern California and were selected from more than 375 entries from 14 western states and internationally. The Grand Award winners were announced during the PCBC in San Francisco at the Gold Nugget Awards gala on June 18, 2009. PCBC is the nation's largest regional trade show and conference.

"Our success and the success of our clients reflect our clear understanding of the important balance between development, market knowledge and financial performance," said KTGY's CEO Tricia Esser.

The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) was awarded the Grand Award for "Outstanding On-The-Boards Site Plan." Located in Anaheim, ARTIC is envisioned to be a world-class transportation center that will serve as a major transit gateway and TOD location for Southern California. Designed as a transportation destination for the future, ARTIC will accommodate the California High Speed Rail, the California/Nevada Maglev Trains, additional Metrolink and Amtrak service, and a Monorail to the Disney Resort Area along with other modes of ground transportation.

A strong public realm and Urban Design Framework form the armature for creating place with plazas, pedestrian promenades, and a riverwalk allowing for future residential, retail, office and hospitality uses to complement and integrate with the iconic vision for the Transit Center. The City of Anaheim is the lead Agency working closely with multiple stakeholders and partnering with the Orange County Transportation Authority.

In addition to receiving the Gold Nugget Grand Award, the American Planning Association Orange County Chapter recently awarded ARTIC with the 2009 Outstanding Planning Award for Focused Issue Planning, which recognizes an unusually high merit report or development plan.

"This major transit gateway will connect Orange County to other areas in California, the United States and around the world, and help ease the demand for local and regional airport expansion and offer future users convenient alternatives for using the auto," said Ken Ryan, principal and head of KTGY's community planning and urban design studio. "This catalyst project is anticipated to be implemented in multiple phases over the next 20 years with phase one consisting of a 13,000-square-foot terminal building, 23,000 square feet of retail space and 30,000 square feet of civic space." In addition to Ryan, KTGY's ARTIC design and planning team includes Geoff Graney, lead designer; Mark Hickner, planning and entitlement director; and Lora Kennedy, project planner.

The Glen at Hidden Hills master-planned community, developed by O'Brien Homes, won a Gold Nugget Grand Award for "California Green Builder Residential Community." The Glen in picturesque Napa, Calif., offers a distinct rich elegance that embraces the enchanting complexities of the wine country and validates the premise that sophisticated single-family detached home design can pair comfortably with environmentally friendly construction. Stylish design integrates classic themes, luxury and practicality. With three to five bedrooms, these one- and two-story homes offer elegant exteriors, spacious interiors with a host of comforting details and sustainable construction and design features. In a streetscape as carefully planned as the homes, a well-textured neighborhood responds to the beautiful setting of rolling hills and open spaces. Tien Shin-Shen, LEED AP, Studio Director joined Jill D. Williams, AIA, Principal and design lead for the team, in partnering with O'Brien for the successful development of The Glen.

This is the second year in a row that one of KTGY's designs has won the Grand Award in the category of Best California Green Builder Residential Community. Last year, KTGY-designed Poppy Lane at Natomas Meadows in Sacramento, Calif. won the Grand Award in this category while KTGY was also honored in 2008 for two other outstanding sustainable communities, Vantage of Palo Alto in Palo Alto, Calif. and Carsten Crossings in Rocklin, Calif. In the 2009 Gold Nugget competition, Vantage of Palo Alto also received a Merit Award for "Outstanding Attached Project - under 18 du/acre."

"As a member of Build-It Green as well as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), KTGY continues to stay at the forefront of this dynamic industry and has LEED accredited and sustainability/green building experts," says Jill Williams, AIA and principal. "We work in partnership with our clients to get the highest benefit from incorporating eco-friendly and sustainable architecture programs with our buildings and designs."

KTGY's Principal David Senden, along with Ben Kasdan and Bryan Sevy from KTGY, partnered with a team of architectural students from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, and were recognized for their contribution and forward thinking ideas in the Gold Nugget Awards' Imagining the Future Design Charrette. The Charrette explored new home and neighborhood design ideas for the GEN Y Buyer.

The Gold Nugget Merit winners are as follows:

* Cottonwood Creek Apartments (BRIDGE Housing Corporation) in Suisun City, Calif. - "Outstanding Affordable Project - Under 30 du/acre" and "Outstanding Low Rise Apartment Project (up to 3 stories of housing) for Rent"

* Diamond Apartment Homes (Jamboree Housing Corporation) in Anaheim, Calif. - "Outstanding Affordable Project - Under 30 du/acre"

* Granite Court (Jamboree Housing Corporation) in Irvine, Calif. - "Outstanding Affordable Project - 30 du/acre or more"

* The Ashton at Dublin Station (The Hanover Company) in Dublin, Calif. - "Outstanding On-The-Boards Apartment Project"

* Serenade at RiverPark (RP Apartment Ventures LLC) in Oxnard, Calif. - "Outstanding Neighborhood Site Plan up to 20 Acres"

* Lytle Creek (Lytle Development Joint Venture III) in Rialto, Calif. - "Outstanding On-The-Boards Site Plan"

* Connemara - Plan 4 (O'Brien Homes) in Pacifica, Calif. - "Outstanding Single Family Detached Home - 2,500 to 3,500 sq. ft."

* Hidden Hills - Plan 2 (O'Brien Homes) in Napa, Calif. - "Outstanding Single Family Detached Home - 2,500 to 3,500 sq. ft."

* Vantage of Palo Alto (Warmington Homes of California) in Palo Alto, Calif. - "Outstanding Attached Project - under 18 du/acre"

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

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 http://www.ktgy.com/.