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Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

For potential residents, this project is literally through the roof – with rooftop shade trees, running tracks, swimming pools and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

But on the checklist of things current Scottsdale residents go through the roof in anger over, this billion-dollar project hits them all.

Desert land being developed? Check.

More apartments? Check.

More traffic? Check.

Roundabout? Check.

On May 4, the Development Review Board unanimously approved Optima McDowell Mountain Village, which plans 10- story buildings housing 1,330 luxury apartment and condo units on North Scottsdale Road.

The desert land to be developed spans from Mayo Boulevard to the Loop 101.

Scottsdale City Council narrowly approved the development in November.

The mammoth Optima project, projected to cost $1 billion to build, was opposed by council members Kathy Littlefield, Betty Janik and Solange Whitehead.

“Residents told us loud and clear to anyone who was listening in the last election that they wanted to slow down the development in Scottsdale,” Littlefield said at the November meeting.

“It seems to me all we’ve done now is try and find the ways to manage to grow more and grow higher. Higher, denser, bigger is not what our citizens voted for.”

But Mayor David Ortega and council members Tammy Caputi, Tom Durham and Linda Milhaven approved the high-end complex.

Littlefield raised concerns about water use.

“I am concerned about a couple of things with this,” Littlefield said. “We’ve been going around telling our neighbors and telling our citizens, ‘Cut back on water, cut back on water, don’t water your lawn, don’t do this, don’t do that.’”

But an Optima representative sold the Development Review Board that the development will be extremely “green.”

“This will be our most sustainable project to date,” Optima’s David Hovey Jr. promised.

“Optima McDowell Mountain Village (units) will use approximately one-quarter the amount of water of a single-family home.”

Last year, Optima transferred 2,750 acre feet of water to the city “to make the project water neutral.”

Hovey Jr. said that would provide anywhere from 11 to 32 years of demand by the new project.

Optima says it will have a 210,000 gallon rainwater harvesting storage tank – which the developer claims will be the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the United States.

Optima has a similar development at Kierland Commons.

“Other site enhancements include a new sidewalk and path system along both street frontages, a roundabout located at Mayo and North 73rd Place and a transit stop along North Scottsdale Road,” according to the plan submitted by Optima.

According to the presentation, the 20-acre development in the Greater Airport Area “has evolved as the result of 11 iterations with the mayor, city council, the city’s planning and building departments and neighborhood outreach.”

“We had over 300 letters of support and only six letters in opposition,” he stressed.

In addition to adding a bus stop, the project will have a bike path “around the entire development.”

The project’s six buildings will be built in three phases, according to Hovey Jr..

He said 25% of commercial space was added “at the request of the mayor.”

“Traffic will be on average 1% to 1.8% more daily traffic than if the project was not present,” he said.

The rooftops of the buildings are particularly stunning, featuring shade trees, running tracks – and swimming pools.

Riehl referred to a $15.6 million “height buy up that can be used at the mayor and city council’s discretion.”

According to a website marketing the project, “Consisting of approximately 970 apartments and approximately 420 luxury condos for sale is Optima McDowell Mountain Village.

“The $1 billion development features a 22-acre location … subterranean parking, an underground trash system, and approximately 36,000 square feet of world-class commercial space.”

Plans show dozens of shade trees and large, open green space, including a putting green; Optima says artificial turf will drastically reduce water use.

If they were giving out grades, the Design Review Board would give this one an A+.

“This is a fantastic project for Scottsdale,” said William Scarbrough, a board member.

“I think it’s very stunning and beautiful,” fellow board member Michal Ann Joyner added. “I think North Scottsdale’s going to be very happy to have this project.”

Ali Fakih praised the “out of the box thinking” of the project.

Even Janik, who voted against the project in November, voted for it in her role with the Development Review Board.

“You have set the stage for Scottsdale development,” Janik told Optima.

Read more on Scottsdale Progress

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

Optima McDowell Mountain Village, Optima’s newest residential and commercial proposal, is composed of six 11-story buildings with 1,500 apartments and condominiums, as well as 31,000 SF of commercial space. This community, located in a vacant lot on the south side of Loop 101 and near Mayo Avenue, Scottsdale Road, and Scottsdale Airpark, will enhance Scottsdale and stimulate healthy, sustainable growth.

“Optima McDowell Mountain Village provides a live, work, play environment that will appeal to a wide range of buyers and renters drawn to the architecture, open space, active lifestyle, sustainable design, health-based, amenity-rich community service offerings as well as its premier Scottsdale location,” Hovey says.

Read the full article on Images Arizona

Read the article on CoStar

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

For potential residents, this project is literally through the roof – with rooftop shade trees, running tracks, swimming pools and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

But on the checklist of things current Scottsdale residents go through the roof in anger over, this billion-dollar project hits them all.

Desert land being developed? Check.

More apartments? Check.

More traffic? Check.

Roundabout? Check.

On May 4, the Development Review Board unanimously approved Optima McDowell Mountain Village, which plans 10- story buildings housing 1,330 luxury apartment and condo units on North Scottsdale Road.

The desert land to be developed spans from Mayo Boulevard to the Loop 101.

Scottsdale City Council narrowly approved the development in November.

The mammoth Optima project, projected to cost $1 billion to build, was opposed by council members Kathy Littlefield, Betty Janik and Solange Whitehead.

“Residents told us loud and clear to anyone who was listening in the last election that they wanted to slow down the development in Scottsdale,” Littlefield said at the November meeting.

“It seems to me all we’ve done now is try and find the ways to manage to grow more and grow higher. Higher, denser, bigger is not what our citizens voted for.”

But Mayor David Ortega and council members Tammy Caputi, Tom Durham and Linda Milhaven approved the high-end complex.

Littlefield raised concerns about water use.

“I am concerned about a couple of things with this,” Littlefield said. “We’ve been going around telling our neighbors and telling our citizens, ‘Cut back on water, cut back on water, don’t water your lawn, don’t do this, don’t do that.’”

But an Optima representative sold the Development Review Board that the development will be extremely “green.”

“This will be our most sustainable project to date,” Optima’s David Hovey Jr. promised.

“Optima McDowell Mountain Village (units) will use approximately one-quarter the amount of water of a single-family home.”

Last year, Optima transferred 2,750 acre feet of water to the city “to make the project water neutral.”

Hovey Jr. said that would provide anywhere from 11 to 32 years of demand by the new project.

Optima says it will have a 210,000 gallon rainwater harvesting storage tank – which the developer claims will be the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the United States.

Optima has a similar development at Kierland Commons.

“Other site enhancements include a new sidewalk and path system along both street frontages, a roundabout located at Mayo and North 73rd Place and a transit stop along North Scottsdale Road,” according to the plan submitted by Optima.

According to the presentation, the 20-acre development in the Greater Airport Area “has evolved as the result of 11 iterations with the mayor, city council, the city’s planning and building departments and neighborhood outreach.”

“We had over 300 letters of support and only six letters in opposition,” he stressed.

In addition to adding a bus stop, the project will have a bike path “around the entire development.”

The project’s six buildings will be built in three phases, according to Hovey Jr..

He said 25% of commercial space was added “at the request of the mayor.”

“Traffic will be on average 1% to 1.8% more daily traffic than if the project was not present,” he said.

The rooftops of the buildings are particularly stunning, featuring shade trees, running tracks – and swimming pools.

Riehl referred to a $15.6 million “height buy up that can be used at the mayor and city council’s discretion.”

According to a website marketing the project, “Consisting of approximately 970 apartments and approximately 420 luxury condos for sale is Optima McDowell Mountain Village.

“The $1 billion development features a 22-acre location … subterranean parking, an underground trash system, and approximately 36,000 square feet of world-class commercial space.”

Plans show dozens of shade trees and large, open green space, including a putting green; Optima says artificial turf will drastically reduce water use.

If they were giving out grades, the Design Review Board would give this one an A+.

“This is a fantastic project for Scottsdale,” said William Scarbrough, a board member.

“I think it’s very stunning and beautiful,” fellow board member Michal Ann Joyner added. “I think North Scottsdale’s going to be very happy to have this project.”

Ali Fakih praised the “out of the box thinking” of the project.

Even Janik, who voted against the project in November, voted for it in her role with the Development Review Board.

Read more on East Valley Tribune

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

PHOENIX — A mixed-use project that could represent a capital investment of $1 billion in north Scottsdale received its thumbs up.

Scottsdale-based Optima Inc. received approval from Scottsdale City Council this week on a development agreement and rezoning for Optima McDowell Mountain Village. The deal was approved Monday on a 4-3 vote. Optima will build six, eight-story buildings that are each 118 feet tall. Four of those buildings will be apartments and the other two are condominiums. Those buildings will include 1,330 units plus 36,000 square feet of commercial space and other amenities throughout the development.

Optima will build studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units that range in square feet from 775 to 2,025 square feet. Each of the six buildings will have a rooftop pool.

Read more on ABC 15

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

Plans are underway for the development of a $1 billion residential project in Scottsdale, Arizona dubbed the Optima McDowell Mountain Village. Recently, the developer, Optima, received approval from the city to commence construction on the new residential community. The construction will take place at a 22-acre location on Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 Freeway.

Optima purchased the 22 acre property for its Optima McDowell Mountain Village from John Lund at $44.7 million. The property is at an convenient location, which is only a five minutes drive to Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons. Additionally, the nearby Loop 101 Freeway also offers rapid access to all of Scottsdale and other areas beyond. Therefore, the daily commute times will be reduced for future residents planning to visit Scottsdale’s most popular entertainment and dining destinations.

Read the article on Construction Review Online

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

For potential residents, this project is literally through the roof – with rooftop shade trees, running tracks, swimming pools and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

But on the checklist of things current Scottsdale residents go through the roof in anger over, this billion-dollar project hits them all.

Desert land being developed? Check.

More apartments? Check.

More traffic? Check.

Roundabout? Check.

On May 4, the Development Review Board unanimously approved Optima McDowell Mountain Village, which plans 10- story buildings housing 1,330 luxury apartment and condo units on North Scottsdale Road.

The desert land to be developed spans from Mayo Boulevard to the Loop 101.

Scottsdale City Council narrowly approved the development in November.

The mammoth Optima project, projected to cost $1 billion to build, was opposed by council members Kathy Littlefield, Betty Janik and Solange Whitehead.

“Residents told us loud and clear to anyone who was listening in the last election that they wanted to slow down the development in Scottsdale,” Littlefield said at the November meeting.

“It seems to me all we’ve done now is try and find the ways to manage to grow more and grow higher. Higher, denser, bigger is not what our citizens voted for.”

But Mayor David Ortega and council members Tammy Caputi, Tom Durham and Linda Milhaven approved the high-end complex.

Littlefield raised concerns about water use.

“I am concerned about a couple of things with this,” Littlefield said. “We’ve been going around telling our neighbors and telling our citizens, ‘Cut back on water, cut back on water, don’t water your lawn, don’t do this, don’t do that.’”

But an Optima representative sold the Development Review Board that the development will be extremely “green.”

“This will be our most sustainable project to date,” Optima’s David Hovey Jr. promised.

“Optima McDowell Mountain Village (units) will use approximately one-quarter the amount of water of a single-family home.”

Last year, Optima transferred 2,750 acre feet of water to the city “to make the project water neutral.”

Hovey Jr. said that would provide anywhere from 11 to 32 years of demand by the new project.

Optima says it will have a 210,000 gallon rainwater harvesting storage tank – which the developer claims will be the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the United States.

Optima has a similar development at Kierland Commons.

“Other site enhancements include a new sidewalk and path system along both street frontages, a roundabout located at Mayo and North 73rd Place and a transit stop along North Scottsdale Road,” according to the plan submitted by Optima.

According to the presentation, the 20-acre development in the Greater Airport Area “has evolved as the result of 11 iterations with the mayor, city council, the city’s planning and building departments and neighborhood outreach.”

“We had over 300 letters of support and only six letters in opposition,” he stressed.

In addition to adding a bus stop, the project will have a bike path “around the entire development.”

The project’s six buildings will be built in three phases, according to Hovey Jr..

He said 25% of commercial space was added “at the request of the mayor.”

“Traffic will be on average 1% to 1.8% more daily traffic than if the project was not present,” he said.

The rooftops of the buildings are particularly stunning, featuring shade trees, running tracks – and swimming pools.

Riehl referred to a $15.6 million “height buy up that can be used at the mayor and city council’s discretion.”

According to a website marketing the project, “Consisting of approximately 970 apartments and approximately 420 luxury condos for sale is Optima McDowell Mountain Village.

“The $1 billion development features a 22-acre location … subterranean parking, an underground trash system, and approximately 36,000 square feet of world-class commercial space.”

Plans show dozens of shade trees and large, open green space, including a putting green; Optima says artificial turf will drastically reduce water use.

If they were giving out grades, the Design Review Board would give this one an A+.

“This is a fantastic project for Scottsdale,” said William Scarbrough, a board member.

“I think it’s very stunning and beautiful,” fellow board member Michal Ann Joyner added. “I think North Scottsdale’s going to be very happy to have this project.”

Ali Fakih praised the “out of the box thinking” of the project.

Even Janik, who voted against the project in November, voted for it in her role with the Development Review Board.

Read more on Yahoo! News

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

The Scottsdale, Arizona, city council has approved zoning changes and a development agreement for the $1 billion-plus Optima McDowell Mountain Village mixed-use project. Developer Optima said in city council documents that it would start construction as soon as possible.

The project will encompass a total of almost 22 acres and will feature six, eight-story buildings – a mix of apartments and condominiums – around the perimeter of the property. The buildings will have 14-foot-high, glass-enclosed ground-floor levels, rooftop decks and landscaped terraces.

Optima said it will build two of the six buildings as part of the project’s first phase, according to its city council presentation.

Optima said the introduction of more than 1,300 residential units into the Scottsdale area will help ease the housing shortage in the area and help stabilize rents.

The city council approved the project’s density – 61 homes per acre – and a maximum 118-foot height in return for almost $16 million that Optima will pay into the into the Greater Airpark Special Improvement Trust Fund. The mayor and city council decide how to use money from the fund.

The project is located within the confines of the airpark, the area surrounding Scottsdale Airport general aviation facility. Airpark and city plans have identified the section of the airpark where Optima is building as one that it is suited for mixed-use and high-density residential projects.

Optima has also agreed to a special water plan through which the developer will give the city long-term storage credits it has purchased, enough to make the project net neutral for Scottsdale water demand for 10 years.

The project will also include:

• A swimming pool and running track on top of each building’s roof deck;
• Approximately 12 acres of open space with a multi-use path that will connect to the city’s bicycle master plan, a putting green and seating areas;
• 36,000 square feet of “destination” commercial and retail space within the 12 acres;
• 100% underground parking and other services to maximize usable, above-ground space;
• An approximately 210,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system for reuse onsite.

Optima executives and architects David C. Hovey and David Hovey Jr. designed the project.

Read more on The Construction Broadsheet

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

A new development is in the works from award-winning real estate development firm, Optima, with plans to make its next community, Optima McDowell Mountain Village, a sustainable, mixed-use space in North Scottsdale. The community will break ground in late 2023. 

Optima has received the green light from the city to create the new sustainable community with a $1 billion budget. The community will be located on the southwest corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway, spanning 22 acres. Optima McDowell Mountain Village will be made up of eight concrete structures holding 1,330 luxury residences and 36,000 square feet of commercial and retail space.

“We are especially excited about the location of Optima McDowell Mountain Village being in North Scottsdale so close to the spectacular McDowell Mountains and the proximity to the Loop 101 Freeway as well as current and future major employers,” says David Hovey Jr., AIA, Optima’s President and COO, in a press release.

Rather than have two separate communities, Optima McDowell Mountain Village will feature both apartments and condominiums. The new residential neighborhood will have an environmentally friendly impact by utilizing the largest private rainwater-harvesting site in the U.S. to save water and provide the city of Scottsdale with a new water system. The community will also house state-of-the-art, health-based amenities that are also eco-friendly.

“Architecturally this project will be unique with over 75 percent open space with six buildings surrounding a central sheltered courtyard comprised of a combination of xeriscape, drip irrigation and artificial turf. This will be our most sustainable project to-date and will include the largest private rainwater-harvesting system in the United States, as well as the next evolution of our vertical landscaping system and active roof decks.”

The community will be the first project in Arizona to be built under the new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC). Some highlights include utilizing solar panels, a self-containing irrigation and drainage system and an abundance of plants to provide natural shading while filtering the air and lowering the ambient temperature.

Each of the six buildings will feature a resort-style pool on the rooftop deck, spanning the Olympic pool length of 50 meters. The deck will also house a sauna, spa, cold plunge, running track, cozy fireplaces, outdoor kitchens equipped with barbecues and more. Spectacular panoramic views of the McDowell, Pinnacle Peak and Camelback Mountains can also be enjoyed.

Inside the building, future residents can anticipate enjoying well-appointed lobbies, a fitness center, a yoga studio, steam rooms, game rooms, theaters, indoor basketball courts, golf simulators, outdoor putting, kid’s playgrounds, dog parks, pet spas and more to come.

Read more on Fabulous Arizona

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details