National Accolades For KTGY’s Workforce Housing And Affordable Senior Housing Community Designs

Orange County, CA (1888PressRelease) May 13, 2008 - KTGY GROUP, INC., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that it has received two national accolades including the highly coveted Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards presented by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) for Best Affordable Apartment Community. Named “Architect of the Year” by 50+ Builder Magazine, KTGY continues to be recognized by the NAHB with prestigious awards for its design expertise in the area of workforce and affordable senior communities for College Vista in San Mateo, Calif. and Garden Grove “The Grove” Senior Apartments in Garden Grove, Calif.

College Vista in San Mateo, Calif., a 44-unit apartment community targeting San Mateo’s community college faculty, received NAHB’s Multifamily Pillars award for Best Affordable Apartment Community (40 percent of the units must be affordable to people earning 60 percent or less of area median income). College Vista has received many accolades including the Grand Award in the 2007 Gold Nugget Awards competition in the category of Best Affordable Project - Under 30 DU/AC. The Pillars, which are regarded as the multi-family housing industry’s most prestigious awards, honor superior achievement in apartment and condominium development, design, marketing and management, and are considered a showcase of future trends. The winners were announced at a gala ceremony held in conjunction with NAHB Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Conference on April 2, 2008, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“The goal with College Vista was to create quality, affordable housing in a cost-prohibitive market for San Mateo’s community college faculty,” said KTGY Group’s Stan Braden, AIA, Chairman / Principal and lead designer of the project. “It was a joint public/private partnership that encompassed the college district, the developer Thompson Dorfman Partners, KTGY, a financial consultant and city, redevelopment and utilities officials.”

Braden added, “Affordable rents and incentives for eventual home purchase encourage teachers to stay. Decks, patios, garages and spacious layouts of up to three bedrooms deliver upscale quality. The contextual architecture, innovative finance/build plan and lifestyle quality encourage concept’s replication in virtually any market.”

Previously, KTGY had worked with Mill Valley, Calif.-based Thompson Dorfman Partners, the developer of College Vista, on a similar workforce community in Santa Clara, Calif., Casa del Maestro, which united the builder and KTGY with the Santa Clara school district and a consortium of city redevelopment officials, and created a high quality 40-unit apartment project for the district’s teaching pool. Young teachers pay about one-third the market rental rate. Utilizing a portion of the district’s elementary school property, along with the motivation of the public/private partnership, helped expedite the project which was completed – start to finish – in only two years.

KTGY’s other award-winning workforce communities include Nuevo Amanecer Apartments in Pajaro, Calif., developed by non-profit builder South County Housing Corporation of Gilroy, Calif. Nuevo Amanecer provides affordable, quality homes for low income migrant and resident farm workers and is 100 percent affordable for incomes 60 percent or less below median family income (MFI). Solar roof panels are used to generate electricity, which aids in affordable living. Efficient, high-density design promotes affordability, and delivers comfortable living spaces.

In addition to the growing demand for workforce housing, KTGY’s award-winning design expertise also includes senior housing. In late January 2008, NAHB 50+ Housing Council honored KTGY’s Manny Gonzalez, AIA and principal for his accomplishments in the 50+ housing industry and awarded him with the Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation. Gonzalez is responsible for the design, land planning and production of developments throughout the western U.S. as well as active adult and affordable multi-family communities nationwide. He has been recognized with numerous awards for designs in the 50+ active adult market and recently received his fourth Gold Award from the NAHB.

Currently, KTGY’s Garden Grove “The Grove” Senior Apartments in Garden Grove, Calif. is a finalist for NAHB’s 2008 Best of 50+ Housing Awards in the category of Multi-Family Housing-Overall Community-Affordable Rental Apartments. The project has 85 units at 100% affordable and was developed by Meta Housing Corporation of Los Angeles, Calif. The winners of the 2008 Best of 50+ Housing Awards will be announced May 20, 2008 at Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium in New Orleans, LA.

Every year since 2004, NAHB 50+ Housing Council has awarded KTGY with at least one prestigious Best of 50+ Housing Award. Last year, KTGY won the silver award for its Dorado Senior Apartments in Buena Park, Calif. in NAHB’s 2007 Best of 50+ Housing Awards competition in the category of Overall Community-Affordable Rental Apartments. In 2006, Dorado Senior Apartments took home the gold award for Multi-Family Housing “On the Boards” - Affordable Rental Apartments in the awards competition and KTGY’s Gardens at Sierra in Fontana, Calif. won the silver award in the category of Affordable Rental Apartments. In 2005, KTGY was awarded the gold award for Remington Senior Apartments in Ladera Ranch, Calif. in the category of Multi-Family – Rental Apartments and the silver award for La Costa Glenn in Carlsbad, Calif. for Large Continuing Care Retirement Community Over 200 Units. In 2004, KTGY’s Mountain View Senior Apartments in Ontario, Calif. won in the category of Best Garden Apartment Community: 4 Stories and Under, Secondary Market.

“The 55+ population in the United States is expected to hit 85 million by 2014, with half of all households headed by someone age 55 or older,” notes Gonzalez. “This targeted demographic is sophisticated and educated, and generally have high incomes, net worth and home equity. In most cases, the decision to purchase a new home is a discretionary choice. Thus, in order to make a move, they are looking for exceptional product with amenities and a lifestyle that meets their needs and aspirations. KTGY’s designs have been extremely successful at achieving this challenge.”

Gonzalez has served as chair of the AIA Housing Committee, a member of BIA’s Board of Directors, and on national committees for NAHB 50+ Symposium and the University of Housing. He is currently on the editorial advisory board of 50+ Builder and has written and contributed to countless articles on residential design. Gonzalez has presented his observations to audiences at numerous local, regional and national conferences as well as the 1st International Housing Conference of the Americas in Mexico City.

KTGY GROUP, INC., Architecture and Planning, was created in 1991, with project viability and client satisfaction as abiding priorities, while providing complete planning and architectural design services for residential communities, retail developments, hospitality and related specialty projects. In a complex and changing world, the firm consistently delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance. KTGY takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studio teams, who deliver superior services, thus strengthening clients’ long-term growth and earnings objectives. Serving clients throughout the United States, the firm has locations in Irvine, Santa Monica, Oakland and Denver. For more information, contact Sayeh Rad at (949) 851-2133 or visit www.ktgy.com.