On Thursday, February 16th, nearly 250 attendees packed the Del Mar Hilton for the first BIA general membership Breakfast of 2012.  This was the largest crowd BIA San Diego has drawn for a breakfast event in the last few years, and their was a collective sense of optimism about the direction of the industry.   The event subject, “Get more involved to get the most out of BIA,” clearly resonated with a crowd eager to get more business going by becoming more involved with BIA.

Chairman Guy Asaro emphasized the importance of a “united industry” and explained that BIA is re-purposing its Councils to provide more value to both the membership and the industry as a whole. Members walked away with a strong sense that each individual member is a critical piece to the “puzzle”.  Yet, the only way the puzzle comes together is if each “member piece” falls in place by getting involved, participating, and connecting to form a united effort.  To underscore this point and to create a light-hearted moment, several members completed a puzzle that turned out to be a huge BIA Logo.  Attendees also received a stress-releasing puzzle piece to reinforce the puzzle metaphor.

Through the re-purposing effort, BIA will provide many more opportunities for volunteering and involvement – the twin keys to maximizing membership.

The following Councils are now accepting new members: Building Resources Council (BRC), Sales and Marketing Council (SMC), Specialty Subcontractors Council (SCC), and the Young Generation of Leaders (y|GEN).  Once BIA members have determined which Council they would like to join, they can select from a number of additional Council opportunities (e.g., Events, Communications, Membership, or serving as an industry expert to address industry-wide policy issues).  Members were also encouraged to sign up for Project Green Light and our political outreach program of Crusader, which require very little time, but make a tremendous impact.

Members were also directed to contact BIA if they would like to get involved with the Political/Policy Councils and BIA Cares, the industry’s charitable arm.

If you didn’t attend, you can still get involved!  Simply visit BIA online and to fill out the “How to Participate” form or contact Michael Harris, Director of Membership, for more information.

Diverse Product Line Helps Keep

Company Around for 50 Years

Manufacturing:  Maker of 2,200 Items is a ‘1-Stop Shop for Builders’

By Mike Allen/San Diego Business Journal

It’s tough to be a manufacturer these days, but Linear LLC seems to have a winning formula.

“It has to do with our diverse product link, circling the wagons, and taking care of our customers,” said Gary Baker, vice president of marketing for the Carlsbad-based maker of electronic products that recently marked its 50th year in business.

Linear, a unit of Providence, R.I.-based Nortek Inc. makes about 2200 products today, compared with just a handful when it started out in 1961 as a manufacturer of remote control devices for residential garage doors.

Through innovation and acquisition of other businesses, Linear has expanded its line to such things as home and commercial access control systems, central vacuum systems, home audiovisual systems, speakers and personal emergency reporting systems.

“We’ve really become a one-stop shop for builders and remodelers who are putting a lot of new technology into homes, “said Mike O’Neal, Linear’s president, who joined the company in the spring of 2011.  “As the recession hit, people began putting more money into upgrading their existing homes and we have a variety of products they can use.”

Dan Stottlemyre, Linear’s president since 2005 was named vice chairman of Linear.

For a long time the business focused on garage door transmitters.  In 1978, Linear acquired a Colorado business that was one of the first makers of infrared motion detection sensors used for security purposes.  The following year, the company designed an improved garage door opener that weighted 24 pounds compared to the previous model of 60 pounds.

New Devices for New Needs
Through the various acquisitions, about 14 in all, Linear was “taking pieces of technology from different markets and different applications and leveraging them to create new devices to fit new needs, “ said Mark Lawton, Linear’s publications manager, who has been with the company for 33 years.

The business was first established in Inglewood, and grew to fill four buildings, but in 1984, the company just ran out of room, and decided to move to Carlsbad, Lawton said.

The business continued growing through most of the 1990s and into the first part of this decade.  It expanded into a 56,000-sqare-foot building in 2006.

Like many other manufacturers, Linear exported the bulk of its assembly line operations to China late in 1984.  Its plant in Shenzhen employs 1,200 to 1,800 workers depending on the season, O’Neal said.
It employs some 300 people in San Diego County, with about 275 in Carlsbad.  The Carlsbad staff includes engineers, product development, sales and marketing, finance and administrative personnel.  It also operates a distribution warehouse in Vista with 27 workers.

The regional staff number has stayed fairly flat for much of the past few years, O’Neal said.

“Actually, the company has fared very well considering the recession,“ he said.  “It’s grown but it’s been modest.  We depend to a certain degree on new home starts, but those aren’t’ happening much.”  Linear has posted solid sales figures, according to O’Neal, from its line of personal emergency reporting systems.  Those systems are aimed at helping a growing aging population who are living alone and require assistance in case of a debilitating fall.

The devices involve transmitters worn by people that emit signals if they fall or need help.  Another system made by the company that has been selling we;; entails access control systems for both home and commercial building such as hospitals and offices.  The systems include methods for providing controlled entry and exiting through doors.
Kevin Carroll, president of Tech America San Diego, the trade association for the region’s high-tech companies, said Linear’s stability demonstrates that all electronic manufacturers haven’t folded up their tents, and some were doing fairly well.

Company Profile:  Linear LLC
President:  Mike O’Neal
Revenue:  Linear’s parent firm, Nortek, reported net sales of $489 million for the first quarter of 2011, up 13 percent from the like quarter of 2010.
Net Loss:  $21.1 million in first quarter 0f 2011; $13.4 million in first quarter of 2010
No. of local employees:  about 300
Investor:  Nortek, a public company
Headquarters:  Carlsbad
Year Founded:  1961
Company description:  Renowned for innovation and quality for over 50 years, Linear is your one-stop source for smart electronic solutions including:  Access control, CCTV video, wireless security, personal emergency reporting systems, fine consumer audio-video-data and communications products, structured wiring, garage and gate entry, and central vacuum systems.

Key factors for success: Focusing on building quality products; key acquisitions made possible through ownership of a publicly traded corporation.

The Red Tape Reduction Task Force was appointed to focus on the land use permitting process and produced 17 recommendations to improve regulatory efficiency.  The  recommendations include ongoing staff  training, an end to redundant plan checks, reforming planning group procedures and the creation of an Audit Committee to monitor the regulatory process.

Some planning group members are up in arms over proposed changes to planning groups such as adding term limits and qualification requirements.  The Board decided it was better to re-vote on the items in order to avoid of litigation.

Saturday, February 25 at 11:00 a.m.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
890 Balour Drive
Encinitas CA 92024
Map and directions

The family suggests contributions in lieu of flowers to either the City of Hope or UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

View Horace’s obituary in the San Diego Union~Tribune.

“Horace was a pillar of our tight-knit industry community and even more importantly, an extraordinary generous human being,” said Guy Asaro, Chairman of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County. “  His legacy is vast, and his efforts helped lead our industry through good times and bad.  All of us who knew and worked with him will miss him sorely, especially his infectious spirit-lifting signature laughter.”

At his death, Hogan was a principal with LandArc Group, a private land development company of planned residential and mixed-use communities based in Carlsbad.  He previously was president and chief executive officer for Brehm Communities in San Diego, and before that was division president for Ryland Homes, a cofounder of Pacific Gateway Homes in Aliso Viejo, and was vice president of the Mission Viejo Company.  In all, he had more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in the homebuilding industry.

Hogan served as President of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County in 2006, the California Building Industry Association and PCBC, the West’s largest homebuilding trade show and conference.  At the national level, he was a member of the Executive Committee for the National Association of Home Builders, where he participated in briefings of industry credit market conditions with Congress, the White House, the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OTS. One consequence of these efforts was the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit at both the State and Federal levels.   Locally, it was Horace’s generosity that laid the foundation for the BIA PAC which has grown into one of the largest and most influential Political Action Committees in the region.

Hogan earned a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.  As a result of his many contributions to the community and his industry, Horace was awarded “The Spirit of Life” award by the City of Hope and was inducted into both the San Diego, and California Housing Industry’s Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his wife, Kim, and children Jake and Savannah.  Memorial service details will be forthcoming.

Borre Winckel, President & C.E.O., BIA of San Diego County

The plan is intended to bring regulatory certainty to projects that may result in modest wetland impacts that in the past have resulted in lengthy and costly delays.   It is modeled after the Multiple Species Conservation Program that established specific mitigation requirements for environmental impacts of selected species and habitats rather than on a case by case basis that added months or years to the project approval process. The mitigation plan also received approval from state and federal agencies.

The plan now goes to the full city council for approval. A hearing date has yet to be scheduled.

The BIA, joined by the Hillcrest Business Association and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, opposed the open ended extension and called for the ordinance to sunset as planned.

BIA Installation Speech
January 21, 2011

Wow, what a wonderful celebration we are having this evening. Dad, thank you for your kind words.

Tonight’s event is all about vision….. and I had the privilege of growing up in a house with a man of great vision. Dad, you had the vision to be the first in our family to leave the tuna fishing community…to go to college and then law school… and the vision to become part of this industry. I hope, as I stand here today, that you can see what an inspiration you and mom have always been to me and to the rest of our family.

To be very honest, my first career choice was to be a tuna fisherman, having grown up with that heritage. However, that choice was highly discouraged by my father as he knew that the lure of big money and the sweet smell of fish would lead a young man astray.

I would like to recognize and thank some very important people. You have already been introduced to the BIA Board of Directors, but the majority of our membership is represented by the BIA’s councils. If you are a board member of the following councils would you please stand and be recognized:

·    The BIA Cares Board, chaired by Tina Villa
·    The Builders Resource Council, chaired by John Patterson
·    The Sales and Marketing council, chaired by Melissa Deen
·    The Specialty Contractors Council, chaired by Gordon Guthrie
·    And The YGEN council, chaired by Mark Moss

Would you all join me in giving these board members a round of applause; they are the truly the backbone of our association.

Now if you would continue to indulge me for a moment, there are a couple more people that I’d like to thank.

First, I would like to thank the installation committee: Mark McMillin, my chair; Sandy Perlatti, Dawn Davidson, Jim Schmidt, Danny Gabriel, Mike Reynolds and Karla Valeri for putting together such a wonderful Industry celebration. I am sure you will all agree they have done a fantastic job. After years of attending these functions I had no idea how much work went into putting them together and this committee went above and beyond to create this evening. My sincere thanks to all of you.

I would also like to thank The McMillins, Mark and Scott, not only for their support and encouragement in my BIA involvement. But, in addition, for allowing me to be apart of their organization. What a treat it has been to work with each of you for the last 8 years.

And, lastly, I would like to acknowledge and thank this crew right down here. For those of you who haven’t noticed – these three tables down here include my immediate family: Father, uncle, my brothers, sister and nieces and nephews along with my wife and my best friend, and our three wonderful children.

As you can see, my family always travels as a herd. Whether gathering for an 8 year-old birthday party… a soccer game… a school commencement ceremony… or this special occasion, you’ll rarely find a solo Asaro; its easier to count us by the dozen.
Thank you all for your support over these many years.

And to my wife, some 16 years ago I stumbled into the house exhausted at 1 in the morning and greeted you, my new bride who was up waiting for me. You asked “where in the heck have you been”  And I explained that I had been giving a presentation before the Chula Vista City council and my item had been pulled from the agenda so it was heard at the end of the evening. That night there had been several contentious issues before the council, so I did not get to make my presentation until midnight. As I told you my story, I could see… you were wondering what the heck had you gotten yourself into. Well in those days the council hearing were shown on cable access TV with a two hour delay, so at 3 in the morning you got to see me in action. And ever since. you have been my strongest supporter and have let me pursue my passion, understanding that the late nights and extended hours meant you were going to have to pick up a lot of the slack. Thank you for allowing me to follow my dream.

And to my children, each night at dinner, I ask each of you: “What did you do today to make the world a better place and how did you choose to make a difference?” And like the smart kids you are, you always turn it around on me and challenge me to answer the same question.

And so, on the whiteboard in my office, I have written: “Choose to make a difference today!” to encourage me to find a way to answer your question every night. Tonight, I hope to show you all how I am trying to do just that.

Now, Three years ago, when Bob Cummings approached me about entering “the Chairs” on the BIA Board, I definitely remember him saying “Guy, you will be Chairman in 2012. 2012! Think of it! The economy will be zooming by then!”

Bob, you are a wonderful person, great friend and phenomenal real estate executive – but a prognosticator you are not! I thank you nonetheless for getting me here. This organization and our industry mean a great deal to me, and I am so very proud to have the opportunity to serve as BIA’s Board Chairman.

I have been in this industry for more than 30 years, and once the tuna fisherman thing was off the table, the building industry seemed like a logical choice.

I grew up in Scripps Ranch and, in fact, our family was the third family to move into the community. My father had represented the original developer on the purchase from the Scripps family.  Like many new communities back in those days, many of the families that moved in were somehow connected to the builder.

My dad had a friend who would come by the house quite often; I will never forget it. It was the mid -seventies and he drove a Ford LTD. And this LTD had a phone in it! Now remember it was the mid-seventies and the phone was the kind with the rotary dial and it was mounted right on the floor. I was certain this guy was a secret agent but I asked my father what he did and he explained that he worked for the development company; right then and there I knew I wanted to be a developer.

If that wasn’t enough to cement the deal, several weeks later a friend and I watched a helicopter circle a construction site, land, some guys got out and pointed their fingers around, and  then got in and flew off. That was definitely it! I was going to be a builder! Now who could have guessed that by the time I got into the industry cell phones would be the size of credit cards and basically free.

I was lucky enough to watch Scripps Ranch grow from the ground up. It’s truly one of San Diego’s great neighborhoods. We are so fortunate to live in a City with so many crown jewels, like Scripps Ranch. As San Diegans, all of us recognize the value of places like Balboa Park, Mission Bay Park and the Hotel Del. It would be hard to fathom our City without these treasures. But just as with our projects on today, each of these historic projects faced significant challenges: NIMBY-ism, politics and naysayers all conspired to try and keep these places from ever coming into existence.

Can you imagine if the opposition had won and Balboa Park was never built? Or if Horton Plaza – the spark that brought Downtown San Diego to prominence – didn’t exist?

What led to the birth of each of these places, and many more just like them, in spite of the opposition, were iconic leaders with vision who stayed true to their beliefs even in the face of stiff opposition.

It is so easy, especially in difficult times, like those we are facing in this industry right now, to look at the world through a porthole. To view the challenges from the limited perspective of what is immediately in front of us. But the men that San Diego history remembers were able to climb up on deck and view the expanse of the horizon that San Diego had in the distance. I am thinking about men like Alonzo Horton, John D. Spreckles, George Marston and Ernie Hahn. Men who had Vision!

Vision that transcended the here and now.

Vision that believed, with conviction, that what they were doing was right and good, and that time would prove the mettle of their purpose.

Vision that shined through the doubters and cast a light on what had been darkness.

These great community servants all had at least one thing in common: they believed in a better San Diego, and they knew their vision would benefit generations to come.

When Mr. Horton arrived in San Diego from San Francisco in 1867 he quickly realized the harbor was the best spot for a city he had ever seen. Horton intended to see his vision for San Diego become a reality. So less than a month after his arrival, he purchased 960 acres for $265.

Some called Mr. Horton a fool for the purchase of his New Town. That property is now Downtown San Diego.  Horton, like those of us in this room who dream big, saw San Diego for what it could be, and aren’t we all glad he did?

John D. Spreckels came to San Diego in 1887 and instantly fell in love with the City by the sea. Spreckels’ vision led him to invest heavily in San Diego for the next 50 years, building the Hotel Del, railroads, dams and water systems. Mr. Spreckels invested so much money in San Diego that critics routinely demonized him for his business involvement.

In 1923, he gave a speech to a room full of San Diego’s most influential business leaders. What he said to that group 89 years ago about local politics and small-mindedness still rings true today:

“The moment anybody appears with any proposition of a big constructive nature, the small town undertakers get busy digging its grave.”

He said what San Diego lacked that other successful cities had was cooperation. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

George Marston believed so deeply in his vision of Balboa Park that he put up $10,000 of his own money in 1902 to hire Samuel Parson, landscape architect for New York’s Central Park, to prepare the first comprehensive plan for Balboa Park.

Marston pushed to finish the park prior to the Panama-California Exposition in 1915. He saw it as an opportunity to showcase San Diego to the world, which would help the sleepy town grow. But because numerous locals were suspicious of Mr. Marston’s motives, many people actually opposed the concept from the beginning. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Visionaries are not limited only to the annals of history long gone. In 1972, Ernie Hahn received preliminary approval for his concept to build a new retail shopping complex in Downtown San Diego. For those of you who were not around back then, it was hard to understand why anyone would want to make that kind of investment in an area lined with tattoo parlors and seedy movie theatres.

Mr. Hahn’s project would become the genesis of the Center City Development Corporation, which started its work in 1975 and has transformed our downtown from an unsavory red-light district into the showpiece that it is today. It took Mr. Hahn 10 years to break ground on Horton Plaza, and he had to overcome numerous challenges along the way.
And at times the challenges must have seemed insurmountable.
Aren’t we all glad Mr. Hahn followed through on his vision?

Like our predecessors, what we do is immensely important. We build the homes, apartments, offices and shops that are so very vital to our way of life. We also build the social components that help bind our society: the parks, the schools and civic venues where we spend our free time.

A long time ago, when I worked as a Superintendent, I learned what was really important, was the homeowner who came up and said: “Thank you. Thank you for building this home for me and my family.” Those few words made all the hard work make sense.

Politics and recessions will come and go, but what sets us apart as a nation is our industry’s ability to build dreams. In a world filled with intangible industries and computer-generated wealth, what we do is concrete, what we do is real.

Long before someone moved into their new office or home; long before they played in that park and attended that school – someone in our industry had the vision to Plan, to create, and to build that space, that reality. That’s powerful and important.

We build the best buildings and homes in the world, generally superior in every way, yet lawmakers are trying to legislate us all out of existence.

Despite the economic challenges our industry faces, governmental regulation has continued to increase at every level, adding thousands of dollars to the cost of building homes, apartments and offices.  It’s just as important to note that the impact of numerous local regulations would have been far worse had it not been for the push back of this association. Your association!

We must build on our successes, including in the most recent election, and continue to support candidates who are pragmatic and support our vision.

Never before has it been more important for our industry to stand united. If you look at the oppositionists, those who assail our vision and our dreams, they are united as never before. And if you don’t believe in the power of a united force, just think back to 2008 when the federal government made history by nationalizing GM. The government blew out the stockholders, they blew out the bond holders and the crushed the banks and gave the company to the united autoworkers! Why, because everyone in that industry, regardless of what they do, says: “I am an autoworker.” They don’t say, “I put lug nuts on cars.” They say, “I am an autoworker.”

Our industry dwarfs the economic impact of the auto industry. Can you imagine the impact our message will have when we speak with a united voice?

As your Chairman, I plan to spend the next year expanding our membership and building a comprehensive coalition with members from every corner of the building industry. This coalition will speak with a unified voice that will help us strengthen the great foundation this industry has built.

We have to continue to dream big and see those dreams through in the face of opposition. So I challenge all of you, just as I am challenged by my children each night at the dinner table: Choose to make a difference! Choose to make the world a better place each and every day.

We are no different than the great civic leaders who came before us. When I look out into this room, I see visionaries and industry leaders. And I know San Diego is in good hands.

There will come a time when all of us will look back and take pride in what we created, what we left behind. And there will come a time when we are judged by our work.

I am confident when that time comes the people of San Diego will be grateful. I’m confident future generations will appreciate what we left them. I’m confident our vision and accomplishments will inspire them to continue to shape and care for America’s Finest City.

All of us should be proud. Together, with our predecessors, we built this city.

Thank you all for coming. Please enjoy the rest of the evening.

Next month, Cornerstone Communities will unveil Veranza at The Summit Eastlake, a new neighborhood of 111 two-story triplex homes in Chula Vista.  Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 11th and come view three decorated models showcasing exciting interiors by Blackbird Interiors and outdoor living by Terra Firma Landscape.  Veranza offers an ideal combination of style, value, energy efficiency, and a preferred address.

Summit Recreation Center at Veranza

Distinguished by Spanish, Santa Barbara and Craftsman architecture, the Veranza residences will range from approximately 1,259 to 1,656 square feet, including three bedrooms and two and one-half baths plus a side-by-side, two-car attached garage. The largest home will also encompass a versatile loft, and kitchens in two plans will feature a gourmet island for meal preparation and serving. Prices are expected to start in the mid $200,000s.

Veranza offers a new level of quality construction and efficiency.  Homes are framed with Eco Red Shield lumber, a proprietary eco-friendly chemistry that controls moisture and protects lumber from mold, wood-rot, termites and fire—dramatically increasing the life of the lumber and the safety of the home.  Veranza is an SDG&E-certified California Advanced Home project with an abundance of energy-saving enhancements, including Low-E dual-glazed vinyl windows, cool roofs, radiant barrier roof sheathing, insulated garage doors, and tankless water heaters.

“We are committed to serving California families by creating homes that emphasize inspired design, efficiency and privacy as well as neighborhoods that stand the test of time,” said Michael Sabourin, Cornerstone Communities President.

Outstanding interior appointments will extend throughout each residence, including designer-selected two-tone paint, luxurious master suites with large walk-in closets, Moen® plumbing fixtures, and advanced wiring systems for telephone, cable TV and computer connections with the option to upgrade to a Control4 home automation system.  Kitchens boast Basix solid-surface countertops with integral sink, birch cabinetry in saddle stain, and dependable Whirlpool® appliances, including gas range, microwave/hood combination and four-cycle Energy Star® dishwasher with DuraWash™ system.

A Veranza address will bring with it all the lifestyle advantages of The Summit Eastlake, including gated privacy, a community recreation center with fully equipped kitchen, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a large 25-yard lap pool, extended spa and separate children’s play pool. In addition, the community is close to major shopping centers, excellent schools and numerous fine restaurants.

Cornerstone Communities currently offers San Diegans a full spectrum of homes and townhomes with seven active communities in Chula Vista, San Diego, and San Marcos ranging from $209,990 up to $1.1 Million.

Sudberry Properties

With 500 homes and apartments currently under construction, Sudberry Properties’ walkable and sustainable 230-acre village of Civita is easily the largest residential construction site in San Diego County.  It’s also among the most ambitious.  After 10 years of planning, Sudberry Properties is transforming a 75-year-old sand and gravel quarry into a mixed-use oasis with 60 acres of parks, trails and public spaces, 4,780 residential homes and apartments in numerous configurations, and nearly a million square feet of retail shops, offices, and civic structures.

Civita by Sudberry Properties

The 230-acre community, located north of Friars Road, between I-805 and Mission Center Road, expects buildout in 10 to 15 years at a cost of approximately $2 billion.  The community’s name was derived from the Latin roots for “civic” and “vitality,” values that area also reflected in the design of the community, which blends the intimacy of a village with the vitality of an urban hub.

The first residents will be arriving soon.  December marks the grand opening of Civita’s first for-sale attached neighborhood — Origen by guest builder Shea Homes.  In January, leasing will commence at the first apartment community, Circa 37, whose name recalls the year that mining started on the site.  Residents are expected to move into both neighborhoods next spring.

“Origen is a fine example of Civita’s commitment to sustainable design, architectural character, smart growth principles, community spirit, and uncompromising quality,” said Marco Sessa, senior vice president of Sudberry Properties.
Origen features three- and four-story attached homes with urban-style architecture, dramatic vertical lines, and generous volume spaces.  Prices at Origen start in the low $400,000s.

Sudberry Properties’ Circa 37, a multi-family apartment neighborhood located in the southwest corner of Civita, will feature classic architecture with an urban vibe, and a luxuriously equipped, resort-like recreation center with a saltwater pool and extensive amenities.  Lease rates are expected to range from approximately $1,500 to $3,000 per month.

The heart of Civita, which sets the tone for the entire community, is an amenity-rich community park with two miles of trails that radiate into each neighborhood and encourage walking and neighborly interactions.
“Inspired by San Diego’s natural network of canyons, the Park District will create a highly visible greenbelt spine that visually connects Serra Mesa to the San Diego River Valley,” said Sessa.

The enhanced city park will have intimate areas for reflection and relaxation, as well as large open lawn areas. Specific details for the park will evolve out of a series of community planning sessions set for next year.
The Park District will be adjacent to the community’s Civic Center that will further celebrate Mission Valley’s connection to the San Diego River with a museum operated by the San Diego River Park Foundation.

“Civita’s location in the heart of San Diego was the muse for every aspect of the community,” said Sessa.  “Civita is taking advantage of its proximity to the San Diego Trolley by building a pedestrian bridge over Friars Road.  As a result, most Civita residents will have an easy 10- to 15-minute stroll to the trolley.  Civita is also planning to offer residents a shuttle system and a hybrid-car sharing program to provide easy access to all Mission Valley has to offer.

To create the community’s unique landscape character, Sudberry Properties sought out esteemed landscape architecture firms with decidedly different points of view and asked them to create a landscape tapestry that was lush, colorful and water-wise. Lifescapes International, Inc., which has designed 15 luxuriant casinos on the Las Vegas Strip and high-end resorts around the world, and San Diego’s Schmidt Design Group, known for its artistic artistry and environmental sensitivity, came together to create a botanical wonderland that takes advantage of Civita’s unique location and climate.

“We’re set designers – sets you can actually live in,” said Don Brinkerhoff, chairman of Lifescapes International, whose philosophy was reinforced by a professor from Madrid, who counseled, “’If you want to be happy for an hour, go to dinner; if you want to be happy for a month, take a trip; if you want to be happy for a lifetime, plant a garden.”
As a result, Civita will be replete with formal gardens and massed plantings that emphasize color, texture and form.  Medians don’t present a single row of trees marching down the street; rather, they combine flowering trees, shrubs, and flowers to create a lush garden ambiance that will define Civita.  The landscape team’s initial design is now visible along the new Civita Boulevard that traverses the community west to east, starting at Mission Center Road.

Brinkerhoff says he has an easy-to-follow rule for creating spectacular landscapes:  “Buy big trees.”  Trees take a long time to grow, he said, “So if you buy big trees, you’re buying ten to 15 years of life.”

The developer of Civita took that recommendation to heart.  Many of the trees are three times larger than typical landscape specimens.  And, for Arbor Day last year, Sudberry Properties planted a Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus Macrophylla) that was 30 feet tall and 30 feet wide with eight trunks – similar in size and impact to one of Balboa Park’s landmark specimens.

Sudberry Properties’ attention to detail is already paying off.  It has amassed numerous prestigious awards for its earth-friendly and sustainable design, including the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA), California’s highest environmental honor.   Last year, Civita was identified as a ‘Catalyst Project” for the California Sustainable Strategies Pilot Program by the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development. The Civita plan achieved a “Gold” certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED-ND pilot program for its numerous sustainable features.

For information, visit www.CivitaLife.com

Menas Realty Company

Julie Menas, Menas Realty Company

I guess you could say Menas Realty Company is  approaching “middle age” as we will be celebrating our  39th anniversary in 2012.   This time of year always seems to be a time of reflecting on the past while looking to the future.

As I look back at Menas’ earliest days and compare the little ole HOA Management company from 1973  with today’s version, I’m proud to say that while we might be a different company than we were when we took on our first HOA, we are the same company.    We may not look like we did in the 70’s  ( no more bell bottom pants and big hair), but the core values that were at the heart of Menas Realty Company in 1973 are the same core values that define us today.

Menas Realty Company is a “company of people” not just HOA’s.  We hire great People who have a passion for serving others, and we give them the Freedom to be themselves and to take care of our clients.  We treat our Employees like Family and our Clients like guests in our home.  Our guiding principle is, above all else, The Golden Rule (Treat others like you would want to be treated).

We offer competitive pricing delivered with our very personalized quality customer service.   We give our Clients what they ask for in a very timely manner hoping they are pleased and impressed and will think of Menas Realty Company when asked for a recommendation.

As you may know, Menas Realty Company recently purchased a new software, VMS, and we’re now in the process of integrating our two systems. VMS is attractive to us for many reasons, including their track record of making companies like ours become more successful and efficient.

Menas Realty Company will continue evolving to adapt to the ever-changing environment around us. After all, change is one of the only constants in our industry.  That said, as we embark on our next 39 years, we do so anchored by the same core values that inspired our foundation.

Thank you all and let’s make it a great 2012!

Davidson Communities

There’s a flurry of construction activity just north of San Diego’s popular SR 56 corridor at Carmel Valley Road and Caminito Vistana where Davidson Communities will open its newest gated community, Miraval at Torrey Highlands, early next month.

Miraval by Davidson Communities

The Del Mar-based homebuilder is now completing Miraval’s model home complex, a gated entry and water feature, and the first phase of seven new homes. Davidson is also widening a stretch of Carmel Valley Road from two to four lanes and installing new landscaping and a trail connection.

Davidson’s Miraval offers 41 four- to six-bedroom, single-family detached homes on lots averaging 5,000 square feet. Pricing is expected to begin in the $700,000s.

“Located near high-achieving schools like Westview High School and Cathedral Catholic High School, Miraval was designed to complement the lifestyle of busy families,” said Bill Davidson, president of Davidson Communities.

Miraval’s three floor plans, range from 2,793 to 3,287 square feet and offer four to six bedrooms, 3.5 to 4.5 bathrooms, and a two-car garage. Popular features include a teen loft, generous flex space, walk-in kitchen pantry and a downstairs bedroom with a full bath.

Del Mar-based Design Line Interiors is handling interior design for Miraval’s model home complex.

Design Line Interiors

Design Line Interiors of Del Mar has been awarded four Silver Awards for design excellence from The Nationals, a prestigious sales and marketing competition sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) National Sales & Marketing Council, based in Washington, D.C.

ColRich's Sandalwood, interior design by Design Line Interiors

Silver award winners are the top vote getters in each category and move on to become finalists for Gold Awards, which will be announced and presented on Feb. 8, 2012 at The Nationals’ awards in Orlando, Florida.

One San Diego builder, ColRich earned two silver awards, both for the Sandalwood project in Carlsbad. Brookfield Homes Southland division was awarded a silver for Garden House, and William Lyon Homes won a silver award for The Flats in Los Angeles.

Here are the official categories:

*Best outdoor living space:  Sandalwood Plan 2 – ColRich (San Diego)
*Best interiors under 1,500 sq. feet:  The Flats Plan 4 – William Lyon Homes (Los Angeles)
*Best interiors 1,500 to 2,500 sq. feet:  Garden House Plan 1 – Brookfield Homes Southland (Orange County)
*Best interiors over 2,500 sq. feet: Sandalwood Plan 2 – ColRich (San Diego)

“It’s always an honor to be recognized by one’s peers, especially on a national level,” said Dawn Davidson, president of Design Line. “These four silver awards cross the full spectrum from luxury detached to attached urban homes, and are a tribute to the quality produced by our homebuilder clients.”

Now in its 31st year, The Nationals pays tribute to superior sales and marketing achievements by individual professionals, homebuilders and associates, and sales and marketing councils. A full list of silver award winners can be found here: http://www.thenationals.com/pages/winners/silver2012.php

Brookfield Homes

Construction has begun at Brookfield Homes’ newest community, Sago at The Foothills in Carlsbad. The builder will debut Sago’s three model homes in March 2012.

Sago by Brookfield Homes

“Currently, the first and second floors are raised and roof sheeting has started,” said Lora Heramb, vice president of sales and marketing for Brookfield Homes.  “Upon completion, these model homes will reflect many innovative and creative interior design characteristics with unique use of color, design and space”.

Sago will offer two-story homes ranging from approximately 1,750 to 2,050 square feet with three to four bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Priced from the mid $400,000’s, Sago will offer affordable yet amenity-rich housing to those wanting to live in Carlsbad without the high price tag.

Located three miles from the coast at The Foothills in Carlsbad, Sago has four floor plans to choose from, all of which include courtyards for outdoor living space. All Sago homeowners will have access to The Foothills’ resort-like Swim Club, equipped with a pool, paddle tennis courts, fireplace, barbecue and more.

Brookfield Homes, who was just voted #1 New Home Builder in San Diego, has had great success at The Foothills, debuting its eco-savvy neighborhood Rockrose in 2010. Rockrose was recently voted #1 New Home Community in San Diego, and has received accolades from several parties including the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). With the debut of Sago, Brookfield is anticipating continued success at The Foothills.