Optima McDowell Mountain Village Archives - Page 7 of 9

Optima McDowell Mountain Ushers in a New Era of Luxury Living in North Scottsdale

For more than four decades, Optima has shaped some of Arizona’s most architecturally distinctive residential communities. From its award-winning properties in Old Town Scottsdale and the Biltmore Phoenix area to Optima Kierland in North Scottsdale, the design-driven development firm has built a reputation for modernist architecture wrapped in lush vertical landscaping and resort-level amenities. Its communities are recognizable not only for their aesthetic, but for the lifestyle they create.

Now, Optima McDowell Mountain marks the firm’s next chapter in North Scottsdale. Rising at the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Loop 101, the 22-acre mixed-use community expands on everything residents have come to expect from the brand: open space, biophilic design, and elevated shared amenities, all framed by sweeping views of the McDowell Mountains. With apartment tower 7220 now leasing and condominium tower 7230 in pre-sale ahead of its anticipated 2027 completion, the momentum signals a strong appetite for a more connected, amenity-driven way of living in this part of the Valley.

“This is a significant milestone for Optima,” said David Hovey Jr., AIA, president of Optima. “It’s the first time in four years we’ve introduced for-sale residences in Arizona, and we’re bringing everything we’ve learned over the past four decades into this new community. Optima McDowell Mountain reflects our ongoing commitment to thoughtful design and quality living, and it represents the next chapter in our legacy.”

Life at Optima McDowell Mountain is designed to extend far beyond the walls of a single residence. Each building in the community will be centered on roughly 1.5 acres of resort-style amenities, creating an environment where wellness, recreation, and social connection are woven into everyday life. At the rooftop level of tower 7230, a dramatic Sky Deck will overlook the McDowell Mountains, anchored by a 50-meter Olympic-length heated lap pool and a running track that wraps around the perimeter. Residents will also find an outdoor spa and cold plunge, a sauna, fire pits, shaded lounge areas, outdoor kitchens, yoga studios, and gathering spaces designed for everything from quiet mornings to sunset entertaining.

At ground level, the amenity offering continues with a depth rarely seen in traditional condominium developments. Plans call for a fully equipped fitness center with indoor and outdoor training areas, Pilates and group fitness studios, locker rooms, and spa-inspired spaces, including a sauna and massage room. Recreation expands to include indoor pickleball and basketball, two outdoor pickleball courts, bocce, a golf simulator with chipping and putting areas, and even a sports lounge. A business center with conference and huddle rooms supports remote work, while a private movie theater and chef’s kitchen-equipped party room offer space to host. Families and pet owners are equally considered, with indoor and outdoor play areas, a pet park, and a pet spa integrated into the design.

The scale of open space is equally compelling. Nearly 75 percent of the 22-acre site is dedicated to landscaped grounds, anchored by a 10-acre central park that forms the heart of the community. Pedestrian paths and bike trails weave throughout the property and connect to Scottsdale’s broader trail systems, reinforcing a lifestyle that encourages movement and outdoor time. The setting feels intentionally layered, with architecture softened by vertical landscaping and desert plantings that frame views of the surrounding mountains.

Location plays a central role in the appeal. Positioned at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101, the community offers immediate freeway access, making it easy to reach the Scottsdale Airpark, Kierland Commons, Scottsdale Quarter, TPC Scottsdale, and other North Scottsdale destinations within minutes. Residents can walk or bike to nearby restaurants and retail while still enjoying the sense of retreat afforded by open space and mountain vistas. It is a rare balance of connectivity and calm, particularly in this highly sought-after pocket of the Valley.

Sustainability is not treated as an afterthought but as a defining element of the project. Optima McDowell Mountain will incorporate what is expected to be the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the United States, capable of storing up to 210,000 gallons for on-site irrigation. The development is also the first in Scottsdale to be built under the city’s newly adopted International Energy Conservation Code and International Green Construction Code, signaling a commitment to long-term environmental performance.

Additional features reinforce that focus, including solar panels, self-irrigating vertical landscaping that provides natural insulation and air purification, fully underground parking to reduce surface heat retention, high-efficiency VRF heating and cooling systems, induction cooktops, and EV charging for residents and guests. Together, these elements position Optima McDowell Mountain as both forward-thinking and rooted in the realities of desert living.

With residences in the first condominium tower now selling and completion anticipated in Summer 2027, Optima McDowell Mountain represents a significant evolution in North Scottsdale’s residential landscape. The Sales Gallery is now open by appointment.

$1B Optima McDowell Mountain Village will break ground in 2023

Award-winning real estate development firm, Optima, announced today plans to move ahead with its next Arizona residential development, Optima McDowell Mountain Village, in North Scottsdale after receiving the city’s approval for the $1 billion sustainable mixed-use community.

Breaking ground spring/summer 2023, the 22-acre site, located on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway, Optima McDowell Mountain Village is comprised of six concrete-framed, eight-story buildings that will include 1,330 luxury residences and 36,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. The development will be a mix of condominiums and apartments.

Optima McDowell Mountain Village will create an environmentally friendly residential neighborhood in the burgeoning area of North Scottsdale with a state-of-the-art, all-inclusive, health-based, amenity-rich community. Most notably from a sustainability perspective, it will be the largest private rainwater harvesting site in the U.S. The residences within the community are expected to use half as much water as the average Scottsdale multi-family residence and a quarter as much water as the average Scottsdale single-family home. Optima is also providing the City of Scottsdale with 2,750 acre-feet of water that will be deposited into the Scottsdale water system.

“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” said David Hovey Jr., AIA, Optima’s President and COO. “Architecturally this project will be unique with over 75% 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 both the new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC). A few highlights of the sustainable features include 75% open space that will be a combination of artificial turf, xeriscape landscaping and native plants; high-performance mechanical systems, solar panels; 100% underground parking to mitigate the heat-island effect, and Optima’s signature vertical landscape system. The vertical landscaping system, with its self-containing irrigation and drainage, enables a palette of vibrantly colored plants at the edge of each floor to grow both up and over the edge of the building. The integration of enhancements to the vertical landscape and architectural shading systems protects homes from the sun and creates additional privacy, while filtering the air and lowering ambient temperature.

The kind of sophisticated architectural detail that characterizes Optima’s Arizona projects will be reprised at Optima McDowell Mountain Village, and represents the next evolution of Optima’s architecture and construction. Designed by internationally recognized architects David C. Hovey, FAIA and David Hovey, Jr. AIA, the six buildings, with undulating landscaped facades, echo the shapes of the McDowell Mountains. The eight-story buildings are designed to have complex elevations that step in and out creating depth, shadow and texture that enlivens each face of every building. Adding to the dynamic effect will be the outdoor terraces provided for every residence that will be edged with trailing native plants cascading down the building. The buildings have been designed to emulate the colors of the desert with bronze glass, railings and planters. Glass-enclosed, 15-foot-high ground-floor levels will feel utterly transparent.

Each of the six buildings will contain its own resort-style amenity offering which will include a rooftop deck with a 50-meter Olympic-length swimming pool; a sauna, spa, and cold plunge; a running track that will follow the perimeter of the roof; outdoor fireplaces; lounge seating; outdoor kitchens with barbecues and dining spaces and sheltering arbors covered with vines. Every rooftop will offer spectacular views of the McDowell Mountains to the east, vibrant sunsets to the west, Pinnacle Peak to the north and Camelback Mountain to the south.

The ground-floor level of each building will be similarly outfitted with spacious, well-appointed lobbies; a fitness center and yoga studio that look out over the lushly landscaped courtyard; a sauna and steam room; a residents’ club with game room and theater; an indoor basketball and pickleball court; an outdoor pickleball arena; a golf simulator; an outdoor putting/chipping area; indoor and outdoor kids’ play spaces; a massage room; a dog park and pet spa; and a business center and conference room.

With views of the majestic McDowell Mountain range as the backdrop, the location is just a five-minute drive to the shopping, dining and entertainment destinations of Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons. Being adjacent to the Loop 101 Freeway and just two minutes from the SR-51 Highway and ten minutes away from the I-17 Highway will allow residents to be just 15-25 minutes from Downtown Phoenix, Glendale, Old Town Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Also, the development will feature a bicycle and pedestrian path around the perimeter of the development that will connect to the bicycle and multi-use paths of the City of Scottsdale Bicycle Master Plan.

Registration is now open for both the condominiums and apartments to be among the first to learn about upcoming sales and leasing opportunities. For more, visit OptimaMcDowellMountainVillage.com.

Optima develops largest private rainwater harvesting system in U.S.

Real estate development firm Optima has verified it’s moving ahead on plans to build a $1 billion sustainable mixed-use residential area with the nation’s largest private rainwater harvesting system. The project is located at the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway and will be called Optima McDowell Mountain Village. The 1,333 residences are expected to use half as much water as the average Scottsdale multi-family residence, and one-quarter as much water as the average single-family home. The project should provide the City of Scottsdale with 2,759 acre-feet of water that will be deposited into the Scottsdale water system. For more information, visit OptimaMcDowellMountainVillage.com.

City pumping up N. Scottsdale sewer system

If sewage is fun – you must be in Scottsdale.

According to a recent newsletter from Councilwoman Solange Whitehead, “Elected leaders from around the state and the governor’s office attended my ‘Building Arizona’s Energy and Water Future’ session and Scottsdale Water Executive Director Brian Biesemeyer served on the water panel.

“But the Popsicles were the real hit at the conference. Fruity, delicious and made from Scottsdale recycled waste water. Everyone was talking about the Popsicles!”

Scottsdale Water spokeswoman Jessica Lema confirmed Biesemeyer moderated a water panel hosted by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns Aug. 30, adding:

“Popsicles made with recycled water from Scottsdale’s Advanced Water Treatment Facility were served after the discussion.”

The panel’s theme was “Water: What’s Happening – And What’s Next.”

In North Scottsdale, what’s happening is construction – of sewer lines.

And what’s next is Optima McDowell Mountain Village, which plans 10 story buildings that will house 1,330 luxury apartment and condo units on North Scottsdale Road.

On May 4, the Development Review Board unanimously approved the Optima development on desert land from Mayo Boulevard to the Loop 101.

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.

But in the “no hard feelings” department, Littlefield, Janik and Whitehead joined the other four council members in approving an infrastructure reimbursement agreement with Optima McDowell Mountain Village.

Biesemeyer gave the presentation on the sewer build-out across undeveloped land between Scottsdale Road and the TPC Golf Course.

He stressed Optima will pay for the construction – with “reimbursement from the city for portions that are not required for Optima.”

Sewer development fee funds will pay for part of the project, with future developers to be charged “payback” for the sewer lines they will use.

The new sewer pipes will allow for even more development south of the 101 between Pima Road and Scottsdale Road.

Optima is developing 20 acres at 18777 N. Scottsdale Road, just off the freeway.

The rezoning last fall included a development agreement on sewer infrastructure.

After poring over results of a commissioned study, the city “concluded that the sewer infrastructure capacity needed to serve all of the existing and future development in the area would need to be significantly increased beyond what was planned,” according to the agenda background on the Optima agreement.

Instead of having the developer put in its minimum sewer pipe requirements, the city asked Optima to construct “larger diameter sewer mains which are sized to handle future projected flows for development in the area.”

The Progress asked Biesemeyer how much the whole new system will cost.

“An estimate of construction cost will be developed as design nears completion,” he replied. “Optima will be paying up to 26% of design and construction costs.”

Biesemeyer was asked if the sewer lines will extend as far as the proposed Banner hospital and Axon campus projects on the west and east sides of Hayden Road south of the Loop 101.

“The sewer would serve the proposed Banner site but local sewer line would need to be constructed by the developer,” he said.

“Axon would also need to construct local sewers but is able to connect to an existing sewer on Hayden Road.”

According to Biesemeyer, construction on the Optima-and-others sewer line “will be completed in phases to minimize traffic and community disruptions.”

He expects construction on the North Scottsdale sewer project to begin in the spring and finish a year-and-a-half later.

Inside Arizona’s New $1 Billion Sustainable Luxury Community

As Optima McDowell Mountain takes shape in North Scottsdale, award-winning real estate firm Optima is setting a new benchmark for sustainable luxury with its $1 billion mixed-use community.

The development spans 22 acres on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway and features residences, cutting-edge green building techniques, expansive open space, and community-driven amenities.

Some of its most notable environmentally friendly initiatives include:

The largest private rainwater harvesting system in the U.S.: A state-of-the-art system designed to capture and store approximately 210,000 gallons of rainwater in an underground concrete vault, repurposing it for irrigation and minimizing overall water use.
75% open space: There will be 14 acres of open space, with over 70% available to the public and 30% reserved for residents. The landscape will include a combination of native xeriscaping, shaded seating areas, putting greens, and a network of pedestrian and bicycle pathways.
Optima’s signature vertical landscaping system: This self-sustaining system allows lush, drought-resistant plants to cascade down the facades of the buildings, providing natural insulation, filtering air pollutants, and reducing the urban heat island effect.
Advanced energy-efficient building systems: The buildings will incorporate solar panels on the roof, high-performance VRF heating and cooling systems, induction cooktops in the residences, and EV charging in the parking garage.
100% underground parking: By moving all parking below ground, the development mitigates heat retention at the surface level.
Green codes: The community will be the first project in Scottsdale to be built under both the recently adopted International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC).

Designed by internationally acclaimed, award-winning architects David Hovey Sr., FAIA, and David Hovey Jr., AIA, Optima McDowell Mountain positions itself as a national model for water conservation and green building.

Optima McDowell Mountain: $1B Scottsdale community celebrates strong pre-sales

Luxury real estate developer Optima has launched sales for the first condominium tower at its $1 billion Optima McDowell Mountain community in North Scottsdale, marking the company’s return to Arizona’s for-sale residential market for the first time in four years.

Located on a 22-acre site at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101, the community has already generated nearly $27 million in early reservations, underscoring strong demand for the amenity-rich and architecturally distinctive homes.

The debut tower, dubbed 7230, will include 196 luxury condominiums ranging in size from 728 to 2,204 square feet. Floorplans will include one-, two- and three-bedroom options with estimated starting prices in the $600,000s. Features will include floor-to-ceiling glass, landscaped private terraces, smart-home integration and designer kitchens. Buyers will have the opportunity to personalize finishes and even combine units into larger custom residences—a feature that has driven more than 60% of early reservations so far.

“This is a significant milestone for Optima,” said David Hovey Jr., AIA, president of Optima. “We’re bringing everything we’ve learned over the past four decades into this new community. Optima McDowell Mountain reflects our ongoing commitment to thoughtful design and quality living.”

The full development will consist of six eight-story towers that include both for-sale condominiums and apartments, as well as 36,000 square feet of retail and dining space. It is designed with a strong emphasis on sustainability and open space, with 16 acres—approximately 75% of the site—dedicated to landscaped areas, walking paths, biking trails and a 10-acre central park.

Each building in the community will be anchored by about 1.5 acres of rooftop and ground-level amenities. The 7230 tower will feature a Sky Deck with panoramic views of the McDowell Mountains, a 50-meter heated lap pool, rooftop running track, spa, saunas, firepits, and indoor-outdoor entertainment spaces. Additional amenities will include a state-of-the-art fitness center, pickleball and bocce courts, a golf simulator, movie theater, coworking spaces, pet spa, and children’s play areas.

The development also incorporates an ambitious approach to environmental stewardship. Optima McDowell Mountain will house the nation’s largest private rainwater harvesting system, with a capacity to store 210,000 gallons for irrigation use. It will also be the first Scottsdale project built under the new International Energy Conservation Code and Green Construction Code. Other sustainability features include solar panels, self-irrigating vertical gardens, 100% underground parking to minimize surface heat, and EV charging stations.

The first apartment tower is expected to open in fall 2025, followed by the condominium tower in summer 2027. The Optima McDowell Mountain Sales Gallery is now open by appointment.

Optima McDowell Mountain unveils custom homes that are larger than its penthouses

First look: Optima Inc. is set to unveil custom homes at its Optima McDowell Mountain community in north Scottsdale that are even bigger than its penthouse suites.

Read more on Phoenix Business Journal

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain for more details

Construction to start on $1B luxury residential development, rainwater harvesting site in Scottsdale

Optima’s president and COO David Hovey Jr. shares details about what’s in store for the $1 billion project in north Scottsdale.

Read more on Phoenix Business Journal

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

Health Care Banner Health to build $400M hospital campus in Scottsdale

Hospital bidding wars are alive and well for prime land in north Scottsdale. After losing a state land auction late last year, the state’s largest health system now has plans to build a hospital on another parcel nearby.

Read more on Phoenix Business Journal

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain Village for more details

City pumping up N. Scottsdale sewer system