As 2022 comes to a close, we’re taking this moment to reflect on how we’ve continued to grow, learn and serve others over the past year. Here are just a few of the highlights:

Awards

We were honored to receive a total of 7 awards this year! Our design and architecture were recognized with the AIA Chicago Design Excellence Award – Architecture Extra Large (Optima Kierland), the AIA Chicago Design Excellence Award – Architecture Small (Rising Sun) and the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award twice (Optima Kierland Center and Optima Sonoran Village). 

Optima Sonoran Village was further awarded the Residential Architecture Award by Architecture MasterPrize and the Champions of Sustainability Award by SRP. 

Our culture and values were also acknowledged in 2022 with the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program. 

To see the full 2022 award lineup, visit our awards page here. 

Projects and Properties

2022 was a year of growth and many exciting announcements for us at Optima. In Chicago, we finished construction on Optima Lakeview – the first multifamily development to achieve the WiredScore Home Gold Certification in North America – and excitedly opened in June. Residents at Optima Lakeview are surrounded by experiences and spaces that delight and surprise around every corner, from our heated dog park and fitness center to the rooftop sky deck with panoramic views and a heated pool for year-round use. Construction also continued on Optima Verdana in Wilmette, where residents will live among our signature vertical landscaping system, a residential courtyard and a rooftop sky deck with unsurpassed views of the community. 

In Arizona, we were thrilled to finally announce our newest project, Optima McDowell Mountain Village, in November. The mixed-use development will include six eight-story buildings – a mix of apartments and condominiums – 12 acres of greenspace and a 210,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system for reuse on-site. 

Optima Lakeview’s 7-story light-filled atrium

Culture

Throughout 2022 our culture at Optima continued to thrive through rewarding avenues of affinity and connection. We celebrated with each other at our third annual costume and pumpkin carving contest, celebrated Diwali, Oktoberfest, the 4th of July and more, held our annual master architect challenge, held an extraordinarily competitive ping pong tournament, learned how to master pickleball and shared laughs and stories on a boat.

We continued to embrace and internalize our shared values more than ever. Our team gave back to the communities we call home by volunteering at Feed My Starving Children in Arizona and Illinois. And in December, we built bikes for Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. 

We can’t thank our leadership, team members and Optima communities enough for making 2022 one to remember. Heading into 2023, we are excited to continue innovating and achieving great things together.