THE BEST OF ’92 : Southland Prevails in Design Awards

Southland builders, architects and developments once again dominated the design competition at this year’s Pacific Coast Builders Conference, winning two-thirds of the top awards in a contest that drew 500 entries from 14 western states and several Pacific Rim nations.

Twenty-four of the prizes in the competition’s 36 “Gold Nugget” categories went to projects located in the Southland or to developers or designers headquartered here.

The annual conference and trade show in San Francisco is the second-largest builders’ convention in the country, outranked only by the yearly gathering of the National Assn. of Home Builders.

The Gold Nugget competition, which honors the West’s best projects and emerging design trends, is one of PCBC’s highlights. The awards were announced last Thursday, during closing ceremonies for the Western builders’ 34th annual meeting.

Local firms won many of the contest’s top awards, including two of the three “home of the year” prizes, best commercial project, and the two top awards for building affordable housing.

Irvine-based Bramalea California Inc. was one of the biggest winners, capturing three Gold Nuggets. And the stately Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena was named the best rehabilitated commercial or industrial project in the West.

The prestigious “best of show” award for a detached home on a conventional-sized lot--a parcel that’s at least 4,500 square feet--went to the “22 Morning View Drive” plan at Bramalea Homes at Newport Coast, a 58-unit development near Corona del Mar.

The classic Italianesque home has four bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths and 5,570 square feet of living space, and a base price of $1.75 million. The house was also judged the best detached home over 3,000 square feet in the $500,000-plus competition.

The project--by Bramalea California and designed by McLarand, Vasquez & Partners of Costa Mesa--also won a Gold Nugget as the best detached, over-$500,000 residential development.

The best-of-show award for a detached home on a small lot went to Los Angeles-based Kaufman & Broad Home Corp. for its “Tulip” plan in California Maison de Fleur, a 146-unit development in San Jose.

The two-story, Mediterranean style home has three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and about 1,500 square feet of living space. Kaufman & Broad’s staff architects designed the house, which quickly sold out at $264,950.

Another best-of-show award went to the new administration building at the Yusen Terminal on Terminal Island, which was also named the best industrial project of any size.

Judges said that the building’s dark glass, rose-colored siding and extensive landscaping is a pleasant change from the many boxy, drab office buildings and warehouses that dot the harbor area.

Vickerman-Zachary-Miller of Oakland designed the project, which was developed by the Port of Los Angeles. It was built by Morrison Knudsen Corp. of Boise, Idaho.

Southland builders also claimed the two top awards for building affordable housing--”affordable,” at least, by Southern California’s pricey standards.

Encino-based West Venture Development Co.’s Avalon tract in the high desert town of Rosamond was named best affordable detached housing development. The four floor plans at the 108-unit project have two to four bedrooms, two baths and 928 to 1,524 square feet.

Judges praised homes in the tract for their flexibility.

Dalton Designs planned the houses at Avalon so they can “grow with the families” who buy them: A carport bonus room can be easily converted into an extra bedroom when one is eventually required, while the den can be made into a formal dining room.

Sales at the project continue, with prices ranging from $88,990 to $109,990.

The Strathern Park Apartments, a 241-unit apartment complex in Sun Valley, shared the top prize for the best affordable attached housing development with another rental project in Hong Kong.

Strathern Park is an 18-building, low-rise complex that boasts several amenities, including a recreation center and three play areas for children. Rent for a one-bedroom unit starts at $340, which may explain why the “waiting list” for prospective tenants is more than 5,000 names long.

The project was built by Strathern Park Builders, a partnership of Campbell Construction Co. and Southern Sun Builders Co. It was developed by Los Angeles-based Thomas Safran & Associates and designed by The Withee Malcolm Partnership in Torrance.

The award for the best seniors housing project went to Victoria Manor, a 112-unit apartment complex in Riverside.

It was built and developed by Beverly Hills-based Ronald Levine Construction & Investment Corp. in conjunction with the City of Riverside Community Development Department. The land was donated by the nearby St. James Church of God in Christ.

The complex has a community center, several greenbelts and courts, and even an on-site beauty and barber shop. John Oliver Cotton of Santa Monica is the architect.

Rents at Victoria Manor range from $282 to $397 a month and the project is fully leased.

The award for best apartment project of three or more stories went to 679 Gayley, a 30-unit building in Westwood. The three-story, Mediterranean-style complex is built around a courtyard and houses many professionals as well as students who attend nearby UCLA.

Los Angeles-based Fassberg Construction built the project and Wilshire West Inc. of Los Angeles is the developer. The architect is Johannes Van Tilburg & Partners, Santa Monica.

The complex is fully leased, with a waiting list of about 30 people. Monthly rents for the 24 two-bedroom units average $1,750, while rents for the six three-bedroom apartments average $2,500.

The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena was named the best rehabitated commercial or industrial project.

The original hotel was built in 1906, but was closed in 1985 after it was determined that it couldn’t survive an earthquake.

Although contest judges noted that much of the building had to be razed, they praised the $100-million rehab and new construction project for maintaining the building’s “sense of place and character.”

Two architectural firms--Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo and McClellan, Cruz & Gaylord--handled the design duties. Huntington Hotel Partners is the developer of the project; Swinerton and Walberg is the builder.

1992 Gold Nugget Winners

BEST OF SHOW

Commercial Project of the Year

Yusen Terminal--Los Angeles

Builder: Morrison Knudsen

Developer: Port of Los Angeles

Architect: Vickerman-Zachary-Miller

Site Plan of the Year

Pantai Indah Kapuk--Jakarta, Indonesia

Developer: P.T. Mandara Permai

Land Planner: D.I. Design & Dev. Consultants Inc.

Attached Home of the Year

The Harvard Condominiums, Plan A--Seattle, Wash.

Builder: Chambers-Keesling & Associates

Architect: Mithun Partners Inc.

Detached (Small Lot) Home of the Year

California Maison de Fleur, Plan 1--San Jose, Calif.

Builder/Architect: Kaufman & Broad Home Corp.

Detached (Conventional Lot)

Home of the Year

Bramalea Homes at Newport Coast--Newport Coast, Calif.

Builder: Bramalea California Inc.

Architect: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners Inc.

Special Award Finalists

Biosphere 2--Oracle, Ariz.

Builder/Developer: Space Biospheres Ventures

Architect: Sarbid Inc.

Habitat--Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

Builder/Developer: Partners in Progress:

Habitat for Humanity/Fieldstone Co.

Architect: Berkus Group Architects

Pine Street Cottages--Seattle, Wash.

Builder: Kucher/Rutherford Inc.

Architect: Marcia Gamble Guthrie

GRAND AWARD WINNERS COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL CATEGORIES

1--Best Public or Private Special Use Facility

The Samuel Goldwyn Childrens Center--Los Angeles

Builder: Cal Pac Construction Inc.

Developer: The Samuel Goldwyn Foundation

Architect: Solberg + Lowe Architects AIA Inc.

Pleasant Hill City Hall--Pleasant Hill, Calif.

Builder: Roebbelen Construction Inc.

Developer: Pleasant Hill City Hall

Architect: Charles W. Moore/Urban Innovations/Fisher-Friedman Associates

2A--Best Office/Professional Building

(100,000 square feet or less)

Saint Francis Medical Office Building--San Francisco

Builder: Cahill Contractors

Developer: Saint Francis Memorial Hospital

Architect: Heller & Leake Architects

2B--Best Office/Professional Building

(over 100,000 square feet)

The Water Garden--Santa Monica

Builder: Water Garden Associates

Developer: J.H. Snyder Co./Miller-Davis

Architect: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners Inc.

3--Best Commercial Project-Retail

U.C. Irvine Satellite Food Facility--Irvine

Builder: Linkletter Construction Inc.

Developer: UCI-Design & Construction Services

Architect: Fisher-Friedman Associates

4--Best Rehabilitated Commercial or Industrial Project

The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel--Pasadena

Builder: Swinerton & Walberg Co.

Developer: Huntington Hotel Partners

Architect: Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo Architects and Planners; and McClellan, Cruz & Gaylord

5--Best Hotel or Hotel Resort

The Manhattan--Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture, Japan

Builder/Developer: Kajima Corp.

Architect: RTKL Associates Inc.

6--Best Industrial Project

Yusen Terminal--Los Angeles

Builder: Morrison Knudsen

Developer: Port of Los Angeles

Architect: Vickerman-Zachary-Miller

SPECIAL HOUSING

7--Best Custom Home (under 4,500 square feet)

Bulkin Residence--Scottsdale, Ariz.

Builder: SWD Inc.

Architect: Allen & Philp Architects

8--Best Custom Home (4,500 square feet and over)

Lake Tahoe Residence--Zephyr Cove, Nev.

Builder: Q & D Construction

Architect: Jerry Loving Architects Inc.

9--Best Renovated, Restored or Remodeled Residential (Project or Single Home)

1201 Harvard Ave. East--Seattle, Wash.

Builder: Edifice Construction Co. Inc.

Architect: Jalbert-Rasnack-Odell/Architecture & Interior Design

10--Best Affordable Housing Development (Detached)

Avalon--Rosamond

Builder/Developer: West Venture Development Co.

Architect: Dalton Designs

11--Best Affordable Housing Development (Attached)

Fairview Park Residential Development--Hong Kong

Developer: Canadian Overseas Development Co. Ltd.

Architect: Nelson Chen, Architect/Wong Chen

Associates Ltd.

Strathern Park Apartments--Los Angeles

Builder: Strathern Park Builders

Developer: Thomas Safran & Associates

Architect: The Withee Malcolm Partnership, Architects

12--Best Apartment Project (1 to 2 Stories)

The Frank Estate--Portland, Ore.

Builder: GSL Construction Inc.

Developer: GSL Properties Inc.

Architect: OTAK Architects, PC

13--Best Apartment Project (3 Stories or more)

679 Gayley Apartments--Los Angeles

Builder: Fassberg Construction

Developer: Wilshire West Inc.

Architect: Johannes Van Tilburg & Partners

14--Best Mixed Use (Business/Residential) Project

The Academy--North Hollywood

Builder/Developer: KG Land California Corp.

Architect: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners Inc.

15--Best Seniors Housing Project

Victoria Manor--Riverside

Builder/Developer: Ronald Levine Construction & Investment Corp.

Developer: City of Riverside Community Development Dept.

Architect/Land Planner: John Oliver Cotton FAIA, Associated Architects

SITE/LAND PLANNING-PLANNING FOR TOMORROW’S PRODUCTS

16--Best Residential Product Site Plan-Under 25 Acres

Playa Pacific--Culver City

Developer: Mission-Dominion Partners I

Land Planner: David Jay Flood Architect

17--Best Community Site Plan-100 Acres or Less

The Cloisters--Morro Bay, Calif.

Developer: Keyoto Morro Bay Inc. & Morro Bay Natalie Inc.

Land Planner: RRM Design Group

18--Best Community Site Plan--Over 100 Acres

Pacific Place--Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Developer: Concord Pacific Developments Ltd.

Land Planner: Pacific Place Design Consortium

19--Best Redevelopment, Rehab or Infill Site Plan--Residential and/or Commercial

Fulton Grove--San Francisco

Developer: Urban Frontier Development

Land Planner: Solomon Inc. and Robert Heckel, AIA

20--Best New Town Land Plan

Pantai Indah Kapuk--Jakarta, Indonesia

Developer: P.T. Mandara Permai

Land Planner: D.I. Design & Development

Consultants Inc.

PRODUCTION HOUSING

21--Best Single Family (small lot) Detached Home (under 1,200 square feet)

Del Webb’s Sun City West, The Mesa--Sun City West, Ariz.

Builder: Del Webb Corp.

Architect: Iverson-Wilkinson Architects

22--Best Single Family (small lot) Detached Home (1,200 to 1,600 square feet)

California Maison de Fleur, Plan 1--San Jose

Builder/Architect: Kaufman & Broad Home Corp.

23--Best Single Family (small lot) Detached Home (1,601 to 2,000 square feet)

Heartland, Reflections--Green Valley, Nev.

Builder: Heartland Homes

Architect: Bassenian/Lagoni Architects

24--Best Single Family (small lot) Detached Home (over 2,000 square feet)

Westwind Mall, 122 Westwind Mall

Marina del Rey

Builder: Clifford D. Rome & Associates Inc.

Architect: Ade Collie

Valle Vista, Plan 4

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

Builder: Fieldstone Co.

Architect: Bassenian/Lagoni Architects

25--Best Single Family Detached Home (under 1,500 square feet)

Summerlake, Plan 1--Lake Elsinore, Calif.

Builder: Centex Real Estate Corp.

Architect: Shleppey Hezmalhalch Associates Inc.

26--Best Single Family Detached Home

(1,500 to 2,000 square feet)

Vintage Collection, The Classic Home--Foothill Ranch, Calif.

Builder: Vintage Communities Inc.

Architect: Architectural Services Group

27--Best Single Family Detached Home

(2,001 to 2,500 square feet)

Vintage Collection, The Gathering Home--Foothill Ranch, Calif.

Builder: Vintage Communities Inc.

Architect: Architectural Services Group

28--Best Single Family Detached Home

(2,501 to 3,000 square feet)

Hillcrest Meadows, Plan 3--Rolling Hills Estate, Calif.

Builder: Cal-Coast Development Group

Architect: Randy Washington Co.

29A--Best Single Family Detached Home

(over 3,000 square feet, $600,000 or less)

New Territory, Villa de Vaca--Sugar Land, Tex.

Builder: Mastermark Homebuilders

Architect: Quincy Johnson Associates

29B--Best Single Family Detached Home

(over 3,000 square feet, over $600,000)

Bramalea Homes at Newport Coast--Newport Coast, Calif.

Builder: Bramalea California Inc.

Architect: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners Inc.

30--Best Condo or Attached Home (under 1,200 square feet)

Montana del Lago, The Infinity Home--Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

Builder: RGC (RecreActions Group of Companies)

Architect: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners Inc.

31--Best Condo or Attached Home (1,200 to 1,600 square feet)

Encore, Plan 4--Laguna Niguel

Builder: Taylor Woodrow Homes

Architect: Danielian Associates

32--Best Condo or Attached Home (1,601 to 2,000 square feet)

The Harvard Condominiums, Plan A--Seattle, Wash.

Builder: Chambers-Keesling & Associates

Architect: Mithun Partners Inc.

33--Best Condo or Attached Home (over 2,000 square feet)

Montaire, PentHouse Excelsum 901--San Francisco

Builder: ZCON Builders

Architect: Heller & Leake Architects

34--Best Residential Project--Attached

The Wilshire--Los Angeles

Builder: HCB Contractor

Developer: Cal Fed Enterprises

Architect: Richard Magee & Associates and Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz

35A--Best Residential Project--Detached ($500,000 or less)

New Territory--Sugar Land, Tex.

Builder: Ashton Woods Homes, Mastermark Homebuilders, Newmark Home Corp., Trendmaker Inc. and David Weekley Homes

Developer: Markborough Texas Inc.

Architect: Thompson, Hancock, Witte

Land Planner: Kerry Gilbert & Associates, Lifescapes Inc. and Thompson, Hancock, Witte

35B--Best Residential Project--Detached (over $500,000)

Bramalea Homes at Newport Coast--Newport Coast, Calif.

Builder: Bramalea California Inc.

Developer: The Irvine Co.

Architect/Land Planner: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners Inc.

36--Best Specialty Housing Project--Resorts, Second Homes, Mixed Product Types, Etc.

Fishing Cabin--Hamilton, Mont.

Developer: Il Fornaio (America) Corp.

Architect: Backen Arrigoni & Ross Inc.