NAHB Elevates Three Distinguished MVE & Partners Projects With Four Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards

The California-based architecture and planning firm, McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners (MVE), was just honored with four major awards-recognizing three separate projects-at the National Association of Homebuilders' (NAHB) 18th Annual Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards program.

MVE & Partners' wins, which underscore the breadth and excellence of the practice, included: "Multifamily Community of the Year" and "Best Affordable Apartment Community for Irvington Terrace in Fremont, CA; "Best Mid-Rise Condominium Community" for Park Terrace at Mission Bay in San Francisco, CA; and "Best Multifamily Community Site Plan" for Seabridge Marina in Oxnard, CA.

Awarded annually by NAHB, the Pillars are widely viewed as the most prestigious national awards in the multifamily housing development and design industry. The three projects for which MVE & Partners was cited were in competition with hundreds of other entries from across the country. Irvington Terrace's win for "Multifamily Community of the Year" represents the Pillars' most coveted accolade, selected by the jury as the top multifamily community out of the 17 builder-category winners.

"We are deeply honored to receive this award, as well as the others bestowed upon us this year by NAHB," said Ernesto Vasquez, AIA, Vice President and Partner of MVE & Partners. "We are even more proud that Irvington Terrace merited special recognition for what it does for our fellow citizens. It not only houses people affordably with honor and respect, it creates a sense of place and community, both inside the development and with contiguous neighborhoods."

Multifamily Community of the Year and Best Affordable Apartment Community: Irvington Terrace at Fremont, CA (Developer: BRIDGE Housing). Steve Patterson, Chair of NAHB's Multifamily Leadership Board, said: "Irvington Terrace clearly demonstrates that affordability does not rule out good design and functionality. With affordability becoming increasingly important in this troubled economy, it's encouraging to know that affordable rentals can also be beautiful." The affordable rental component of Irvington Village, an 8.6-acre mixed-income, master planned community, Irvington Terrace encompasses 100 units that blend in seamlessly with the surrounding market-rate properties. Rendered in earth-tone colors, the rental units address the street or embrace landscaped courtyards, with features including articulated entryways, rectangular massings, and a layered sense of community throughout. Vasquez and his colleagues concentrated on creating a housing complex on par with neighboring market-rate buildings, both in its design and its ability to foster pride and community.

Best Mid-Rise Condominium Community: Park Terrace at Mission Bay, San Francisco, CA (Developer: Opus West Corporation and Phoenix Property Company). The jury stated: "It's a strong project. The exterior and interior design is cohesive throughout, and the ‘step-down' approach to the Bay is great. It's an impressive project-well-conceived, well-crafted, and well-executed. It's a special place to live." Consisting of 110 market-rate, urban condominiums overlooking Mission Bay, Park Terrace's structures range from four to seven stories. Surrounded by promenades, parks and thriving neighborhoods, Park Terrace also offers dramatic waterfront views.

Best Multifamily Community Site Plan: Seabridge Marina, Oxnard, CA (Developer: DR Horton and Oly Mandalay Bay). The judges said: "A fun place to eat, a fun place to live! Seabridge is an impressive project and the development team paid excellent attention to detail in the public sector areas. Use of the waterfront as a unifying element to the community is a very strong concept that has been well-crafted and executed. This looks like a nice place to live, work and shop." Set against a stunning Pacific backdrop in Channel Islands Harbor, Seabridge Marina is a waterfront community organized around a network of waterways and public open spaces. A variety of housing options includes single-family detached homes, attached designs, and live/work and loft residences.

Since 2001, MVE & Partners has won 13 NAHB Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards. In addition to the honors detailed above, Harmony at Colony Park was selected as a finalist in the "Best Garden/Small Scale Condo Community" category.

MVE & Partners is a national architecture, planning and interiors firm with a portfolio spanning more than 30 years. MVE's design and delivery services include the creation of residential, commercial, mixed-use, hospitality, retail, transit, interior and planning solutions from offices in Irvine and Oakland, CA, and in Honolulu, HI. MVE & Partners bridges forward-thinking design initiatives, such as sustainability, smart-growth and urbanization to the timely completion of projects. While design diversity is the cornerstone of the firm, the defining approach is the creation of meaningful, attractive environments that enhance community and quality of life.