SAN FRANCISCO, CA – International award-winning KTGY Architecture + Plotting announced today that the new KTGY-designed mixed-use community at 988 El Camino Real in South San Francisco developed by SummerHill Apartment Communities received unanimous approval by the City Council on February 28, 2018. The new development, which will serve as the gateway to the City of South San Francisco’s El Camino Real/Chestnut Area, is situated on one of the most prominent intersections in the city, across from the future site of the Community Civic Campus, adjacent to the Centennial Way Trail, and near the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station.

“We are excited to go forward with this landmark transit-oriented development,” said Manny Gonzalez, FAIA, LEED AP, managing principal of KTGY’s Los Angeles office. “We know that the design, plotted amenities and community benefits will be a tremendous asset to the community and the built environment.”

“The architectural intent is to make an elegant building that blends references to the industrial past of South San Francisco with a more contemporary language,” said Sara Fernandez, director of plotting for KTGY’s Los Angeles office, who presented the design plot to the City Council. “The design establishes a strong architectural presence that anchors the corner, with pedestrian-oriented retail lining the sidewalks and a large front plaza that will activate the corner. It is our hope that the new development, in conjunction with the new Community Civic Campus, will serve as a catalyst for future transit-oriented development in the area.”

Katia Kamangar, executive vice president and managing director of SummerHill Housing Group said, “We were pleased to receive the Council’s unanimous approval to go forward with building a vibrant new mixed-use project, with retail and residential, at this vital gateway location in the City of South San Francisco.” 

The new development, which is located on a 1.67-acre site spread across four parcels at the intersection of El Camino Real and Chestnut Avenue, includes 172 apartment homes ranging in size from studios to two-bedroom units. The ground floor of the six-tale building is designed to include nearly 11,000 square feet of retail space centered around a corner plaza, plus a variety of amenities such as a lounge, fitness studio, bike hub, dog park, and spur trail connecting to Centennial Way. On the first residential level above, there will be a Club Room for residents as well as two resort-style courtyards with spa, fire pits, outdoor kitchen and dining areas, and lounge areas.

“With the design, we wanted to enhance the vibrancy of this corner by thoughtfully arranging active spaces along street frontages and the trail and utilizing four-sided architecture to make a village-like, pedestrian-oriented environment,” said Fernandez. “Additionally, we wanted to optimize circulation and site access to minimize traffic disruptions in the area, which we know are critical to the surrounding residents.”

The design incorporates the use of brick streetwalls. “The use of brick streetwalls are designed to mimic a traditional commercial storefront in scale, materials, and detailing, while the residential levels above are stepped back and more understated, allowing the pedestrian-oriented spaces and the more elaborate corner tower to be the emphasis,” noted Fernandez.

“The brick streetwall façade is a comfortable two to three tales in height and located 18 to 20 feet from the curb, providing plenty of space for streetscape improvements to make this an engaging, pedestrian-friendly environment. The streetwall façade features recessed storefront glazing at the ground level and decks open to the sky on the levels above, with glass guard rails that reinforce the commercial language while making protected outdoor spaces for residents that are sheltered from street noise. The building steps back an additional six to eleven feet on the floors above, thus minimizing the massing of the taller parts of the building,” said Fernandez.

Parking is carefully hidden behind storefronts, landscape screening, and in the basement. Commercial and visitor parking will be at the ground level, offering 47 spaces. Resident parking will be secured underground, offering 212 spaces. Additionally, 130 bike parking spaces, as well as electric vehicle charging stations, will be provided in convenient locations.  

The site is located less than a mile from the South San Francisco BART station and is served by SamTrans, which connects to the station. Centennial Way has a Class I bike lane, which provides a safe, simple connection to the South San Francisco BART station to the north, less than a mile away.

“SummerHill plans to build an outdoor fitness park available to the public, comprised of seven fitness stations which would be accessible from Centennial Way trail,” stated Elaine Breeze, SummerHill’s vice president of development and project lead. “Additionally, SummerHill will install a bulb-out at Chestnut Avenue and Antoinette Lane and a signalized, high-visibility crosswalk providing a safe pedestrian and bike crossing from Centennial Way Trail to the future civic campus across Chestnut. The crosswalks at the intersection of El Camino Real, Chestnut Avenue and Westborough Boulevard will also be upgraded to high-visibility striping.” 

To reduce reliance on cars, SummerHill is offering $100 in introductory Clipper cards to residents, plus a $35 subsidy over three months to use carpool or bike sharing services, according to Breeze. Additionally, an on-site Transportation Coordinator as well as a community web portal will be available to facilitate resident carpooling opportunities.

The land owner, Fred Bravo, spoke in favor of the development at the City Council hearing, conveying a heartfelt message of how the family legacy in South San Francisco will proudly live on with the proposed design. The site is currently being occupied by South City Car Wash, which is expected to remain open until construction starts in early 2019.

In addition to 988 El Camino Real in South San Francisco, KTGY is collaborating with SummerHill Apartment Communities on a variety of current development projects located in California including Locale @ State Street in Fremont, Nuevo Apartments in Santa Clara, and Theo in Pasadena. Some of the built projects in California include Brio in Walnut Creek as the executive architect and The Lane on the Boulevard in Redwood City.

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ORLANDO, FL – Cardone Capital, an Aventura FL-based multifamily investment firm, has bought the upscale Murano apartment complex in Orlando, Florida. The seller of the property was a joint venture comprised of a trio of Miami-based real estate development companies – The Courtelis Company, Kislak Organization and HMG/Courtland Properties. The acquisition of Murano brings Cardone Capital’s total AUM to approximately $800 million.

Grant Cardone, CEO of Cardone Capital and a New York Times best-selling author of seven business books, including the international blockbuster The 10X Rule, says, “Murano is a fantastic addition to our existing 5000 unit multifamily portfolio. We are optimistic on the continued growth of the Orlando market. The Home of Mickey has all the right metrics; economic growth, job growth, stable and growing incomes, affordable living, excellent schools and a migration tale that will not be stopped.” 

Built in 2016, Murano is a Class A property located on a 9-acre site in Orange County, FL. It sits on a fantastic location across from the Ritz Hotel and JW Marriott.

The property’s on-site amenities include a million-dollar saltwater pool, a poolside pavilion that features a lounge area and summer kitchen, a clubhouse that includes an internet café, a coffee bar, a gaming room, and a 2000 square foot state-of-the-art fitness center that rivals Equinox, LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness and other well equipped gyms.

Murano’s average rents are under $1500 making it affordable living for most of Orlando and offers fantastic access from Lake Nona to Kissimmee and all the way to Windemere. 

Cardone has had a presence in Orlando for over twenty years with his automotive consulting arm, The Cardone Group, which he founded in the 1990’s.

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BOULDER, CO – Boulder Chamber of Commerce President and CEO John Tayer, City representatives and project partners joined Apartment Investment and Management Company (Aimco) leaders to break ground on the construction of Parc Mosaic, a future apartment home community at 1550 Eisenhower Boulevard.  Parc Mosaic is being built on the site of the former Eastpointe Apartment Homes, which Aimco has owned since 2014.

Slated for completion in mid-2019, the new 226-unit community seeks to set a new standard for Boulder by providing much needed housing while offering a living experience connected to nature amidst the confluence of green spaces and distinctive outdoor rooms, and emphasizing environmental stewardship by incorporating the latest sustainable design features.

“Aimco is excited to make a new apartment community for Boulder that will be transformational for the neighborhood. Its ideal location just across the street from major employers, close to public transportation options and the Boulder turnpike, and within one-half mile of 12 designated bike trails makes this an irreplaceable site,” said Patti Fielding, President of Aimco Investment Partners. “We appreciate the brilliant working relationships we have had with Boulder city officials, plotting board and community members, all who contributed to the design of Parc Mosaic.  We look forward to offering residents an exceptional, ‘park like’ living experience in a new community that shares Boulder’s respect for environmental sustainability.”     

Parc Mosaic is designed to meet LEED certification standards through integration of sustainable practices: incorporating drought-resistant landscaping to conserve water, minimizing the carbon footprint during construction by diverting 65 percent of waste, and reducing the heat island effect by 90 percent by preserving trees and placing parking underground.

Parc Mosaic will offer efficiencies, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses and the choice of 12 different floorplans.  To support an active Boulder lifestyle, the community will feature a rock climbing wall, indoor/outdoor pool with lap lanes, fitness center and secure bicycle and ski storage.  To connect residents to their natural surroundings, Parc Mosaic will offer 10 distinctive outdoor rooms, including the fantastic lawn, sculpture garden, Zen garden, and open-air kitchen.  There also will be a common rooftop terrace with unobstructed views of the Flatirons.  

Interiors will feature contemporary kitchens with plank flooring, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances.  Apartments will include private terraces or balconies and many will have mountain views.  

In addition to Parc Mosaic, Aimco owns and manages two market-rate communities in Boulder — Boulder Creek and Meadow Creek — and one affordable community, San Juan del Centro. Aimco is one of the country’s largest owners and operators of apartments, with 180 communities in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

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