KTGY Wins Prestigious Best of 50+ Housing Gold Award For Best Affordable Senior Apartment Community On the Boards For Echo Park

NAHB awarded KTGY 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Gold Award "Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Affordable) - On the Boards" for Echo Park, an affordable urban infill senior apartment community in Echo Park, Calif., which is targeting silver certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system. End Quote

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease) May 04, 2009 - Named "Architect of the Year" by 50+ Builder Magazine, KTGY GROUP, INC., Architecture and Planning, continues to be recognized for its years of dedication to 50+ communities and the ability of its design and planning experts to meet the needs and wants of this growing market segment. The National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) 50+ Housing Council awarded KTGY the prestigious 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Gold Award in the category of "Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Affordable) - On the Boards" for its design and planning of Echo Park, an affordable urban infill senior apartment community which is targeting silver certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system.

Every year since 2004, NAHB 50+ Housing Council has awarded KTGY with at least one prestigious Best of 50+ Housing Award. Last year, KTGY received the Best of 50+ Housing Gold Award in the category of "Multifamily Housing: Overall Community – Income-Qualified Affordable Rental Apartments" for Garden Grove Senior Apartments in Garden Grove, Calif.

Located in one of Los Angeles' most historic neighborhoods, this new 1.24-acre affordable urban infill redevelopment project replaces some older housing units with 90 affordable senior apartments. Situated directly across from Echo Park, one of the city’s most iconic settings, it will offer a perfect amenity for the future residents of the community. It lies adjacent to the historic landmark 85-year-old Angelus Temple, which is home to the faith-based group that is developing this new community, and is within a short walking distance of Sunset Boulevard and its convenient retail establishments.

Residents of the new Echo Park apartment homes will enjoy on-site amenities that include a pool, fitness center, hobby and craft room, kitchen, 2,230-square-foot solarium and comfortable lounging areas. In addition, the proposed redevelopment includes a unique 3,000-square-foot multi-purpose room that is designed to serve as a Chapel for the community and surrounding neighborhood. The space features a courtyard and fountain functioning as a gathering space for residents. There is a "Victory Garden" and potting shed to allow residents to create their own horticultural pursuits as well as a workshop that provides a place for the do-it-yourselfers to fix those things like they did at home. Floor plans range in size from a studio (360 sq. ft), one-bedroom (530 sq. ft.) and two-bedroom (795 sq. ft.) apartments.

This community is intended to serve the affordable housing needs of senior citizens in and around the Echo Park area. It will also provide much needed housing for members of the church and, in particular, will serve as a place for retired pastors to reside and still feel a part of the church family.

Senior housing and multifamily design expert, KTGY's Manny Gonzalez, AIA, LEED AP and principal, says that the architectural character of Echo Park apartment homes relates well to that of the Angelus Temple yet pays homage in both style and detail to that of the surrounding historic residential neighborhood. The new development also maximizes and maintains Echo Park's dramatic views. "The overall design of the building working into the hillside helps maintain the views of the neighbors behind, while at the same time the angled balconies maximize park and cityscape views for Echo Park residents," Gonzalez notes.

In order to provide a cost effective building for this affordable community, the overall building shape was based on a double-loaded corridor over a simple parking structure, Gonzalez adds. "It followed the frontage of the collector streets reinforcing the urban edge that is intended by the area plan to face the park. Those units fronting the park will also have dramatic city views and the floor plans feature an angled terrace to maximize the opportunity. At the same time, the plan proposes to buffer the adjacent single-family homes by placing open space and lower scaled community building between the main building and the neighbors. The reduced parking count allowed for the gardens, patios and landscaped areas of this open space to actually be on grade rather than over structured parking. Nestling that smaller parking garage into the sloping site also allows for those single-family homes perched on the lots above the site to maintain their own city views," says Gonzalez.

Last year, NAHB 50+ Housing Council honored Gonzalez for his accomplishments in the 50+ housing industry and awarded him the Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation. He is also a member of the NAHB Multifamily Leadership Board, 50+ Education Committee and the University of Housing as well as being on the Editorial Advisory Board of 50+ Builder magazine. In his more than 25 years of practice in residential development, Gonzalez has won numerous other awards for his designs including Gold Nugget, Best in American Living, Pillars of Industry, MAME and Elan. Most recently, one of his designs was recently selected for the BALA/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence for the Sustainable and Affordable Community Falcon Crest. He has served as Chair of the AIA Housing Committee, on the Board of Directors for the BIA, and on national committees for the NAHB Multifamily Leadership Board, The 50+ Symposium and University of Housing.

The winners of the 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards were announced during NAHB’s Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium in Philadelphia, PA on April 28, 2009. Gonzalez served as the chairman of this year's 50+ Housing Symposium.

About the 50+ Housing Council
Across the nation, builders and developers are striving to meet the housing needs of boomers, empty nesters, active adults, retirees and older seniors. Since 1989, the 50+ Housing Council has served the needs of NAHB members involved in all aspects of 50+ housing, including design, development, finance, ownership, management and sales and marketing. With 10,000 people turning 50 every single day and 50+ consumers accounting for more than one quarter of all new home sales, it's the fastest growing segment of the housing industry. For more information about NAHB, visit www.nahb.org.

About KTGY GROUP, Inc.
Established in 1991, KTGY GROUP, INC., Architecture and Planning, provides comprehensive planning and architectural design services for residential communities, retail developments, hospitality and related specialty projects. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients throughout the U.S., KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, and in Denver. For more information, see www.ktgy.com.

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