KTGY-designed Fusion in Sunnyvale wins NAHB Best in American Living Silver Award

O’Brien Homes Townhome Community Raises the Bar on Multifamily Amenities

OAKLAND, CA – February 13, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture + Planning, is pleased to announce its latest achievements in home design excellence. Fusion in Sunnyvale, Calif., built by O’Brien Homes of Foster City, Calif., was honored at National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2012 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, FL, at the Best in American Living Award (BALA) ceremony on February 9, 2012. Fusion, a 228-unit eco-friendly townhome community in Silicon Valley’s thriving tech industry, received a Silver BALA in the category of Multifamily Housing up to 5 Stories.

Fusion presents stylish new townhomes that boast open floor plans, green features and attractive architecture with prices from the mid $400,000s. With a host of outstanding community amenities, Fusion offers various home styles, including flats, carriage-style and traditional townhomes, all with attached two-car garages. These chic townhomes feature contemporary and Spanish Eclectic-influenced architecture as well as other appealing exterior features from spacious decks and patios to unique landscaping. Fusion has seven different floor plans with two to four bedrooms, ranging in size from approximately 1,198 to 1,882 square feet of living space.

“The demand for new townhomes has exceeded our expectations at Fusion,” said Susie O. Frimel, marketing director for Fusion. “The interest level remains high and we see close to one hundred visitors each week which means there are many prospective buyers in Silicon Valley looking to make a home purchase.”

According to Frimel, Fusion had 19 sales last month. “Rental rates are on the rise and people realize this is a good time to buy while interest rates are so attractive,” Frimel stated. “Buyers love the floor plans, architecture, landscaping and community amenities at Fusion including having a gym at ‘Pulse.'”

“Fusion’s community recreation center (“PULSE”) is the new standard for multifamily amenities,” Frimel remarked. “It is housed in a renovated existing recreation center building and includes Wi-Fi lounge, flat screen TV, fireplace, catering kitchen, 12-seat theater (which can be reserved for private functions), and a premium fitness center. Outdoor amenities include a spacious fire pit area with tables and seating, a playground for toddlers, a meditation garden and a putting green.

“Residents can gather with friends, mingle with neighbors and work out without getting into their cars,” Frimel added.

According to KTGY Group’s Jill Williams, AIA and principal in charge of the firm’s Oakland office, Fusion seamlessly integrates 36 new contemporary and Spanish Eclectic buildings with three existing buildings. “We designed five distinct ‘districts,’ which creates more intimate neighborhoods and adds balance and texture within community. Each district has a special feature and unique landscaping design, which adds to the individuality and defining character and feel of the district,” said Williams. An extensive exterior paint palette also adds to the diversity and character of the community.

“Since the target market includes young singles and couples who are work-focused, our design included creating places for them to gather, relax and connect in ‘outdoor rooms’ as well as the indoor amenity spaces,” Williams said.

Located off East Duane Avenue and De Guigne Drive, Fusion targets first-time buyers, starter families, empty nesters, and high-tech professionals who work in the Silicon Valley. The residential community is ideally situated close to major freeways and employers and provides residents with access to all the conveniences of the Silicon Valley while offering an array of community amenities that make it unique in the area. Fusion residents also enjoy close proximity to the revitalized downtown Sunnyvale, fine dining, shopping, entertainment and recreation destinations, including 18 prize-winning parks.

“To appeal to nearby young Silicon Valley professionals, interiors are smart, flexible floor plans with rooms suitable for home offices, extended guests or roommates,” added Williams. “All plans have spacious decks with room for furniture and gas grills – important to people living in this region. Light and bright entryways with front doors with windows and sidelights set these townhomes apart from the typical townhome. Abundance of windows for natural light, roomy showers, generous kitchens with eat-in bars perfect for entertaining, enjoying take-out or working on a laptop.”

Fusion homes feature a number of eco-friendly, tech-savvy and cost-reducing green features including low-E dual paned windows, efficient tankless water heaters, water-saving features throughout the homes, Energy Star® bathroom fans, Green Label Plus carpeting, low-VOC interior wall and ceiling paint, bioretention and filtration features in neighborhood landscaping, LED landscaping and street lighting.

For more than 25 years, the Best in American Living Awards, commonly known as BALA, have raised the bar for design excellence in the building industry and have highlighted those builders, architects, interior designers, remodelers, developers and land planners who have achieved superior levels of creativity and innovation.

Other 2012 BALA award-winners, designed by KTGY, include two prestigious Platinum Award (one for 12th & Burnside in Portland, Ore., in the category of Multifamily, On the Boards; and for Primera Terra in Playa Vista, Calif., in the category of Neighborhood Design); plus two BALA awards for Paragon at Old Town in Monrovia, Calif., a Gold Award for Rental Development up to 4 Stories and Silver Award for Smarter Growth Community.

For more information about the Best in American Living Award (BALA) program, visit www.nahb.org/bala.

For more information about Fusion in Sunnyvale, visit www.fusionsunnyvale.com.

About O’Brien Homes
O’Brien Homes has been building outstanding neighborhoods throughout the San Francisco Bay Area since 1976. Led by a highly experienced management team, the company works closely with city planners, residents and neighbors to develop new communities that are sensitive to the environment and complimentary to the existing surroundings. Working closely with the most talented architects, landscape architects and interior designers, O’Brien Homes is committed to building classic neighborhoods with lasting design and appeal. Our primary goal is happy customers in beautiful homes. Visit www.obrienhomes.net.

About KTGY Group, Inc.
Celebrating its 20th year, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, provides comprehensive planning and award-winning architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, market trends and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, Calif., Denver, Colo., and Tysons Corner, Va. See www.ktgy.com.

ANNE MONAGHAN
MONAGHAN COMMUNICATIONS

t: 830.997.0963 | anne (at) MonaghanPR (dot) com
c: 949.677.2933 | f: 888.889.8953