Optima Enhances Virtual Sales Model, Tops Off Construction of Luxury Residential Tower

In these unique times, multifamily development firm Optima is debuting an enhanced virtual sales experience at 7180 Optima Kierland to accommodate prospective buyers in advance of the luxury residential community’s summer opening.

The 12-story tower has topped off construction and just last month surpassed 65 percent sold. Now, to respect necessary social distancing, Optima has upgraded its online buying experience, which the company first introduced more than three years ago, to allow for a more comprehensive and interactive platform for buyers. While stay-at-home restrictions limit prospective buyers from house hunting in the traditional sense, Optima is ensuring that the tools are in place to support those who are in need of a future home.

“More than 50 percent of our buyers are from out-of-state, so virtual communication is the preferred method regardless of the ability to physically visit our onsite sales gallery,” said Crel Vogel, sales manager at 7180 Optima Kierland. “We’re still seeing buyers purchase a home with us as they look to the future and identify Optima Kierland as an incredible opportunity. These buyers and prospects have confidence in the Optima brand and are familiar with the high-quality that Optima consistently has delivered at its other developments.”

In the past several weeks, Optima has sold three homes, all from out-of-state buyers using the virtual platform.

“As we surpass this key construction milestone that signifies our final phase of development, we are adjusting and adapting our sales model in order to help future residents address their housing needs while also taking the necessary precautions to ensure everyone stays well in the process,” said David Hovey Jr., AIA, president and principal architect of Optima. “7180 Optima Kierland embodies a fresh take on Optima’s signature design featuring spacious private terraces that accentuate the tower’s distinctive architecture, a wide range of floor plans and an exciting array of amenities and services for a hassle-free lifestyle.”

Priced from the $500Ks to over $2 million, 7180 Optima Kierland is comprised of 202 thoughtfully designed, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, plus a collection of premium penthouses perched atop the highest floor. The tower features a collection of unparalleled amenities both on the ground floor and rooftop Skydeck including Arizona’s first residential rooftop running track, a heated lap pool, a full outdoor bar and kitchen with entertaining spaces, indoor and outdoor theaters, a state-of-the-art fitness center, an indoor basketball/pickleball and squash courts, and more.

Homeowners will enjoy walking to high-end shopping and dining at Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter and an array of nearby golf courses. The building is designed to float above grade level with nearly six acres of landscaped open space that create a park-like setting for the community. Optima Kierland’s award-winning residential buildings, designed by David Hovey Jr., have been recognized for the company’s commitment to design, sustainability and innovation.

For more information about 7180 Optima Kierland, to arrange a virtual tour or to schedule a private appointment, visit Optima-Kierland.com.

Here are the winners of AMA’s Tribute Awards

Each year, the Arizona Multihousing Association (AMA), the statewide trade association for the apartment industry, hosts its annual Tribute Awards program.

Arizona’s apartment industry annually generates 22,000 jobs, $699 million in wages and $3.8 billion in economic output. Events such as the Tribute Awards are important because they elevate the industry and create motivation for improvement for more than 2,300 AMA members.

The Tribute Awards are about more than one night of recognition – being a nominee, a finalist or award recipient creates new opportunities for mentorship, leadership development and pathways for promotion.

Due to the current climate, the 28th Annual AMA/Cox Communications Tribute Awards ceremony took place virtually on Aug. 21. A total of 660 nominations from 34 member companies participated. Volunteers donated 575 hours of their time to judge all the nominees.

“The Tribute Awards program creates more opportunity for young, diverse professionals and creates new pathways for this talent pool to be mentored and succeed,” said Courtney LeVinus, AMA President and CEO. “The program continues to recognize and develop ethical leaders that positively impact thousands of apartment community residents by strengthening and elevating rental housing properties across Arizona.”

The AMA’s nomination and interview process is one of the most rigorous in the industry.  AMA judges conduct an interview and nominees complete a questionnaire or aptitude test to keep the process impartial while learning more about each candidate. The playing field is level whether nominees are a large or small organization, in Maricopa County, or Tucson, or other counties around the state.

“It is truly an honor to be nominated for this prestigious award, and means your team feels you are an example that others should follow as they seek to become the best,” said Reid Butler, Tribute Awards Committee Chairman.

“The Tribute Awards annually recognize the best within our industry across Arizona. Tributes is one way the AMA ensures our industry is always improving, while empowering future leaders that will continue to uphold the highest standards,” LeVinus said. “I am proud to be a part of the AMA as we recognize these individuals for continuing to raise the bar each year.”

2020 Tribute Awards winners

Housekeeper: Roxanne Redfield, Greystar Real Estate Partners

Service Technician: Ildefonso Alejandro Salinas Duran, Camden Property Trust

Service Supervisor 1-199 Units: James Brancatelli, Quarterpenny Management Service

Supervisor 200+ Units: Carlos Silva, PEM Real Estate Group

Leasing Consultant: Isaac Davis, Bella Investment Group, LLC

Assistant Manager: Kimberly Frampton, BH Management Services

Community Manager 1-199 Units: Staci Zimmerman, Baron Property Services, LLC

Community Manager 200+ Units: Nicole Woodley, Baron Property Services, LLC

Property Supervisor: Sandra Giambanco, MEB Management Services

Regional Service Supervisor: Troy Carnicle, BH Management Services

Best Team & Community prior 2001: Denim Scottsdale Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC

Best Team & Community 2001-2011: Encantada Queen Creek, HSL Asset Management, LLC

Best Team & Community 2012-2019: 7160 Optima Kierland, Optima Realty Inc.

Community Manager Outside the Valley: Hilda Lopez, Shelton Residential

Maintenance Supervisor OTV: Jose Mills, Quarterpenney Management

Best Team & Community OTV: The Colony, Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC

Volunteer of the Year Tucson: Kimberly Barrow, MEB Management Services

Volunteer of the Year Statewide: Michelle Sinclair, Evergreen Devco, Inc.

Industry Partner Statewide: Mark Zinman, Zona Law Group

Industry Partner Tucson: Natalie Evans, Apartments.com

Corporate Employee of the Year: Luis Verger, Shelton Residential

Arizona Executive of the Year: Lesley Brice, MC Residential

Developers Award for Best Community Design, High Rise Style: The Link Phoenix, CA Ventures

Developers Award for Best Community Design, Garden Style: Riverwalk, MC Residential

Developers Award for Best Community Design, Mid/Low Rise Style: Arista at Ocotillo, P.B. Bell Companies

Renovated Community of the Year: The Wexler, Chamberlin & Associates

Affordable Community of the Year: Downtown Motor, MEB Management Services

Appreciation for 28 years as title sponsor: Cox Communications

Phoenix proves ‘most resilient condo market’ in wake of COVID-19

Leading multifamily developer Optima is capitalizing on the resilient Phoenix condo market as the newest tower within its $500 million Optima Kierland development, 7180 Optima Kierland, is now 85 percent sold as it averages 4.5 sales per month, making it among the top two fastest-selling luxury condominium developments on the West Coast.

As the housing market in Arizona continues strong sales in 2020 with healthy annual price increases and substantial sales volume, the multifamily market echoes similar success. 7180 Optima Kierland leads the Arizona condominium market, averaging 4.5 sales per month since January 2020, which is approximately five times greater than the rest of the market where a typical new condominium development averages only 0.89 sales per month.

“Of the eight West Coast condo markets we track, Phoenix has proven to be the most resilient in the wake of COVID-19 and 7180 Optima Kierland stands out as the fastest-selling condominium community in the state of Arizona,” said Paul Zeger, partner of Polaris Pacific, a leading sales and marketing brokerage that tracks condominium market trends. “Compared to other urban cores such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Phoenix-metro market stayed more active during the months of the pandemic. Therefore, the area’s growth can be seen more like a continuation of pre-COVID trends rather than merely a rebound from depressed spring and summer sales volumes that many other West Coast cities had to overcome.”

With only 32 residences remaining for sale priced from the $500Ks to over $2 million, 7180 Optima Kierland is comprised of 202 thoughtfully designed, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, plus a collection of premium penthouses perched atop the highest floor that will be unveiled in March 2021.

Read the full feature on AZ Big Media

Visit Optima Kierland for more details

Optima Unveils Luxury Penthouse Collection

Four luxury penthouses were recently unveiled at the nearly sold out 7180 Optima Kierland in north Scottsdale with two penthouses available for private tours starting this week.

Among the most impressive high-rise residences in Arizona, priced from $1.349 to $1.445 million, according to a press release, the penthouses are part of The Mountain Collection, which is a limited selection of penthouses with views of the McDowell Mountains, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and an “ultimate indoor-and-outdoor living experience.”

“We’ve truly saved the best for last as we debut these very special penthouses that grace the top floors of 7180 Optima Kierland and serve as a capstone to the most elevated building that we’ve ever created here in Arizona,” said David Hovey Jr., president, COO and principal architect of Optima, in a prepared statement. “This exclusive, highly curated collection of residences embodies our collective vision for what refined, high-design living is all about.”

Each penthouse features a private terrace adorned with hanging greenery – a signature of Optima’s award-winning design aesthetic – and upgraded finishes including European Oak wood flooring and Gieffe Cucine cabinetry, polished granite countertops, tiled terraces, upgraded lighting, 10-foot ceilings and appliances from high-end brands Bosch and Elicia.

 

Read more on Scottsdale Independent

Visit Optima Kierland for more details

PHOTOS: A Peek Into the Stunning Fifth and Final Tower at Optima Kierland

7190 Optima Kierland, the fifth and final tower within the Optima Kierland development in North Scottsdale, is now open.

The 10-story tower is comprised of 216 residences, including studio, one-, two-, three-bedroom and penthouse apartments, along with the development’s first Olympic-length pool and 24-hour concierge. The amenity-rich building has already been met with high demand, achieving 30% leased even before residents moved in.

This  final tower features a rooftop Sky Deck with a 50-meter Olympic-length lap pool, as well as a ¼-mile running track, spa and cold plunge, lounge seating, fire pits, outdoor bar and kitchen with TVs, and stunning views of the McDowell Mountains. Additional amenities include an indoor basketball court; an outdoor pickleball court; an expansive indoor/outdoor fitness center with state-of-the-art cardio and fitness equipment, free weights, yoga studio and Pilates studio; indoor golf simulator; sports lounge; and an outdoor putting and chipping area.

The apartments, which range from $2,600 to over $11,000 per month, are complete with high-quality designer materials and fixtures, soaring ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, gourmet kitchens, spa-quality bathrooms, and the latest in smart home technology. Lush hanging gardens and expansive private exterior spaces bring the outdoors into  harmony with indoor living.
7190 Optima Kierland features exclusive offerings such as fire pits and grills on the terraces of the three-bedroom and corner two-bedroom residences.
Residents will have access to a 24-hour concierge as well as Optimized Service, which offers complimentary white glove services within each resident’s home, including in-home package delivery, grocery delivery, and plant watering, available daiy. Residents will also be able to utilize Optima Kierland’s 24/7 Virtual Personal Assistant. This virtual concierge is available by phone, email, or text to provide customized assistance with reservations, travel, tickets, coordination, and more.
Optima’s dedication to sustainability and innovation is reflected in Optima Kierland’s design, with 9.5 acres of lushly landscaped courtyards that feature native, drought-resistant plants that help mitigate the heat island effect. Each residence features a private terrace with Optima’s signature vertical landscaping system that enables a palette of vibrantly colored plants to grow up and over the edge of the building, providing additional privacy while simultaneously filtering the air and lowering ambient temperature. Additional sustainable features include the efficient architectural shading system comprised of louvers and curved, perforated panels, as well as the advanced building materials utilized to maximize the tower’s longevity, such as a post-tension concrete structure, aluminum sunscreens and louvers, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Read more on Scottsdale.com

Visit Optima Kierland Apartments for more details

Masters of the Southwest: A Father-Son Duo is Redefining Sustainable Desert Living

On a sunny winter day, residents of Optima Kierland are pursuing their morning rituals—walking the dog, working out in the fitness room, running on a track around the rooftop pool, powering up a Zoom call in the lounge, heading to the underground garage for the commute to work. But the 1,000-unit condo and rental complex, spread across five towers, is not your typical brown-box-and-a-balcony multifamily project so prevalent around the Valley. Instead, it is a sustainable, architectural tour-de-force, balancing concrete and glass, shade and sunlight, voids and cubic forms, all cooled with lush plantings that defy boundaries between outside and in.

The project is one of the latest achievements by father-and-son architects David Hovey Sr. and David Hovey Jr., who, along with other family members, run Optima, headquartered in Scottsdale and Chicago. Known for their edgy, architecturally striking designs of multifamily complexes and innovative construction techniques and materials, the Hoveys—and their company—have found the secret sauce to success. Optima is a soup-to-nuts company that develops, designs, builds and manages projects, overseeing everything from site selection to specifying kitchen sink faucets.

“I’ve been a fan of the Hoveys’ architecture for a long time,” says architect Anthony Floyd, who heads Scottsdale’s green building program and has worked with the Hoveys on sustainability strategies for several of their projects. “They’ve changed how we view multifamily housing here. What they create is unlike what we’ve seen in Arizona—or even the world.”

The history of this modernist dynasty began with Hovey Sr. Born in New Zealand to a Kiwi mother and a U.S. Marine father, he moved with his family to Chicago when he was 15 years old. “Chicago is the foremost city in the world for modern architecture,” Hovey Sr. says. “Being there sparked my interest in architecture.”

Hovey Sr. enrolled in the Illinois Institute of Technology, where Mies van der Rohe had served as dean and shaped the school’s modernist bent. “Mies was no longer at IIT when I studied there,” he remembers, “but some of us went to his house one night and didn’t leave until 4 a.m. He lived in an old brick apartment—not one of his designs—because he didn’t want to be constantly accosted by clients.”

During college, Hovey Sr. worked as an assistant to the curator of contemporary art at the Art Institute of Chicago, igniting his love of modern art and inspiring his later work in metal sculpture. His first job out of school was with a small firm, but, wanting to experience a larger office, Hovey Sr. signed on with noted Chicago architect Helmut Jahn, working there for four years during the 1970s.  

“My son and I are contemporary architects. We are interested in the design, materials and technologies of the 21st century. We’re not interested in allusions to the past.”

David Hovey Sr., FAIA, architect

But there was always an itch to do his own thing. “My IIT professor, Arthur Takeuchi, always said that an architect was the low man on the totem pole when it came to projects,” Hovey Sr. recalls. “He said the best outcome was to be not only the designer but also the developer and client.”

Heeding those words, Hovey Sr. launched Optima in suburban Chicago in 1978, along with his wife, Eileen Sheehan Hovey, who handled the real estate component of their projects. Before long, they were specializing in design-driven multifamily complexes around the city and, later, joined by their children, Tara Hovey, who handles financial strategies for the company, and David Jr., who earned his master’s in architecture at his father’s alma mater and now serves as CEO.

Frequent winter visitors to Scottsdale, the family opened a second Optima office in the desert in the early 2000s, sensing a market that was open to innovative modernist housing. By then, Hovey Jr. was helping push forward Optima’s shape-shifting experimentations with design, materials and construction methods. “When I was working as a construction superintendent on our job sites,” says Hovey Jr., “I observed inefficiencies between architecture and construction that could be improved by prefabrication.”

Though they became known for apartments and condos, the father and son have long experimented with techniques and approaches by building single-family spec homes, completing several over the years in North Scottsdale. “We had to find a new language for architecture here in Arizona,” Hovey Sr. says. “Studying Frank Lloyd Wright’s shelters, we learned to design optimum structures in the desert, ones that celebrated the indoor-outdoor relationship and incorporated sustainable features, such as solar power and passive cooling. We took what we learned from these spec homes and translated that into our multifamily work.”

After completing their first Arizona project, the Biltmore Optima, the Hoveys wanted to include landscaped roofs and terraces for the next site, Optima Camelview. Hovey Jr. worked with ASU to study desert plants in terrace- and rooflike beds at a site in Glendale. “We looked at about 150 kinds of plants and trees,” Hovey Jr. notes. “We learned which survived in extreme sun or shaded spots and which didn’t.”

Optima Camelview, a condominium project, won accolades and awards for its—literal—green design of lushly landscaped terraces, as well as other sustainable strategies, such as shaded glass walls, underground parking and public open space. Optima Sonoran Village, rental apartments in downtown Scottsdale, followed, expanding on the design theme, as did the recently completed Optima Kierland. Under construction now is Optima McDowell Mountain, which will be a six-tower development of rental apartments and condos, mixing in street-level retail and even more amenities and green elements, such as rainwater harvesting, than the previous projects. 

As the Hoveys moved forward with projects, they developed relationships with core groups of craftspeople, such as Jerry Barnier, founder of Suntec Concrete. “We started working together about 15 years ago,” says Barnier, “and we found that the Hoveys are very receptive to pushing the design forward efficiently. They understand what works and what doesn’t when it comes to construction. They push everyone to do their best work.”

Despite recent pushback about high-density development in some parts of the Valley, the Hoveys are secure in their place in the desert’s urban landscape. “Having density and height on a site allows us to create open space that’s accessible to the public—and not just our building residents,” Hovey Sr. points out. “It also gives us room to have setbacks that are landscaped. Our McDowell Mountain project is planned around a central park open to everyone.”

Always looking for future possibilities, the father and son prefer to concentrate on one or two projects at a time. “Each development we do is a progression, a journey of how we envision people living in the 21st century.”

Optima Sonoran Village in downtown Scottsdale has five residential towers set around landscaped courtyards with views of Camelback Mountain. Each apartment has plant-fringed balconies that add to the greenscape.
A stint working at The Art Institute of Chicago sparked David Hovey Sr.’s love of contemporary art and his own work as a sculptor, including “Kiwi,” which graces an Optima project in Chicago.
Optima Kierland Center, the Hoveys’ most recent project, is a series of condo and  apartment dwellings offering luxe amenities, including cooling landscaping, rooftop pools and running tracks, a golf simulator and a dog “spa” for washing pooches.
In the heart of the Camelback Corridor, Biltmore Towers was the Hoveys’ first foray into the Arizona multifamily market and featured unique design elements, such as recessed balconies, red trellises and orange sunscreens.
Optima Verdana in suburban Chicago includes retail offerings at street level and apartments above.
The Camelview Village condo development put Optima on the local design radar, with innovations such as landscaped balconies and open space, as well as an edgy, modernist design. According to architect and Scottsdale’s green building head, Anthony Floyd, both David Hovey Sr. and David Hovey Jr. lived in units on site. “That’s what I call proof of concept,” says Floyd. “They could see what worked—and what didn’t.”
In downtown Chicago, Optima Signature and Chicago Center includes 42- and 57-story towers, with forms, details and colors inspired by Russian painter Kazimir Malevich and American artist Donald Judd.
Also in Chicago, the Lakeview project features indoor open space as a response to the climate.
“Curves and Voids,” a sculpture by David Hovey Sr., graces the gardens at Sonoran Village.

“Our single-family homes are experimental. They are our ‘Case Study’ projects from which we take ideas and apply them to our multifamily work.”

—David Hovey Sr., architect and Optima founder

Read more on Phoenix Home + Garden

Optima Kierland Center adds 2nd luxury apartment tower

Award-winning real estate development firm, Optima, and joint venture partner, Principal Real Estate Investors, announced today that a new luxury apartment tower, 7140 Optima Kierland, is coming soon to Optima Kierland Center in North Scottsdale.

Registration is now open for the VIP Waitlist, which is set to launch in mid-June. Optima will offer both in-person appointments as well as virtual leasing opportunities, allowing prospective residents to secure an apartment in the new tower.

7140 Optima Kierland is the second apartment tower within Optima Kierland Apartments, the rental community at Optima Kierland Center. The development also has two condominium towers. Construction on the 12-story tower is well underway with the building topped off, windows in and power on. First move-ins are slated for August.

The first apartment tower, 7160 Optima Kierland, achieved the fastest leasing rate ever in the Valley with 134 move-ins occurring within its first three months of opening in May of 2017. The community has remained over 95 percent occupied since.

“With the demand we saw at 7160 Optima Kierland, we believe there is a larger market looking for the design and lifestyle we offer at Optima Kierland Center,” said David Hovey Jr., AIA, president and principal architect of Optima. “We look forward to offering the community another chance to live at Optima Kierland, featuring a distinct combination of space, style and design.”

Read the full feature at AZ Big Media

Visit Optima Kierland Apartments for more details

Metro Phoenix condo market cited as ‘most robust’ through pandemic

Polaris Pacific, the leading real estate sales and marketing group for new residential communities, announced today the introduction of a weekly, real-time market trend dashboard that measures changes to the condominium sector of eight core West Coast markets and provides data to navigate the complexities created by COVID-19 on these condominium markets.

Of the eight West Coast markets,  Phoenix-metro has been the most robust market through the pandemic in terms of sales volumes and prices, according to the latest report. The Phoenix/Scottsdale condo market has been remarkably resilient through the pandemic. We never saw the same steep drop-off in this market as we did in all others. Weekly transaction values briefly leveled off slightly below pre-pandemic levels before roaring back six weeks later, beginning in mid-May.

Read the full feature at AZ Big Media

Visit Optima Kierland for more details

Phoenix Proves “Most Resilient Condo Market” in Wake of COVID-19

Leading multifamily developer Optima announced this week that the newest tower within its $500 million Optima Kierland development, 7180 Optima Kierland, is now 85 percent sold as it averages 4.5 sales per month, making it among the top two fastest-selling luxury condominium developments on the West Coast.

As the housing market in Arizona continues strong sales in 2020 with healthy annual price increases and substantial sales volume, the multifamily market echoes similar success. 7180 Optima Kierland leads the Arizona condominium market, averaging 4.5 sales per month since January 2020, which is approximately five times greater than the rest of the market where a typical new condominium development averages only 0.89 sales per month.

“Of the eight West Coast condo markets we track, Phoenix has proven to be the most resilient in the wake of COVID-19 and 7180 Optima Kierland stands out as the fastest-selling condominium community in the state of Arizona,” said Paul Zeger, partner of Polaris Pacific, a leading sales and marketing brokerage that tracks condominium market trends. “Compared to other urban cores such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Phoenix-metro market stayed more active during the months of the pandemic. Therefore, the area’s growth can be seen more like a continuation of pre-COVID trends rather than merely a rebound from depressed spring and summer sales volumes that many other West Coast cities had to overcome.”

With only 32 residences remaining for sale priced from the $500Ks to over $2 million, 7180 Optima Kierland is comprised of 202 thoughtfully designed, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, plus a collection of premium penthouses perched atop the highest floor that will be unveiled in March 2021.

Read the full feature at Commercial Executive Magazine

Visit Optima Kierland for more details

Scottsdale Luxury Condo Tower Sells Out Quickly; Construction Begins on Next Tower

The latest tower within Optima’s $500 million Optima Kierland development in Scottsdale has completely sold out at a record pace—and construction is underway on the next project.

The 205-unit luxury condo tower at 7180 Optima Kierland is now among the fastest-selling condominium towers in the country, said David Hovey Jr., President, COO and Principal Architect of Scottsdale-based Optima.

 

Read more on Phoenix Business Journal

Visit Optima Kierland for more details

person name goes here

Maintenance Supervisor

Glencoe, IL





    Acceptable file types: *.pdf | *.txt | *.doc, max-size: 2Mb