KTGY-Designed Quality Workforce Housing in Escondido Celebrates Grand Opening

Urban Housing Communities Completes Crossing at Escondido for 55 Families Who Earn 30% to 60% of San Diego Median Income

IRVINE, CA – September 15, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture + Planning announces that The Crossings at Escondido celebrated its grand opening today. Developed by Urban Housing Communities (UHC) LLC, a leading developer of quality multifamily residential projects, and designed by KTGY, The Crossings at Escondido provides eco-friendly, high-quality workforce housing to families earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income. The Crossings at Escondido offers 55 thoughtfully-planned apartment homes ranging in size from two- to four-bedroom units. Rent ranges from $508 to $1,063 per month based on family size and income level.

The Crossings at Escondido features 38 two‐bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath townhomes; 15 three-bedroom, two-bath flats; and 2 four-bedroom two-bath flats occupying five three‐story buildings. Each apartment home is well appointed and has a covered patio/balcony, central heat and air conditioning, walk‐in closets, water‐saving kitchen and bathroom fixtures, dual-flush toilets, a gas range, washer/dryer hookups, tankless water heaters, and wiring for cable television. In addition, homes are equipped with energy-efficient lighting, windows and appliances, including ENERGY STAR refrigerators and dishwashers. The new community exceeds California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards by 15 percent.

“Development of The Crossings at Escondido marks the transformation of a street plagued by deterioration, poverty, gangs, drugs, and overcrowding into a safe, family‐friendly community,” said John Bigley, Chief Operating Officer for Santa Ana, Calif.-based UHC. Located at 735 Mission Grove Place in Escondido, The Crossings at Escondido’s street name was changed from Elder Place to Mission Grove Place to reflect a fresh start for the neighborhood. The name Mission Grove Place was drawn from two nearby landmarks, Mission Middle School and Grove Park.

Bigley added, “The new apartment community enhances the neighborhood’s aesthetics, embraces eco‐friendly design principles and offers a free supportive onsite resident services program while providing affordable family living.”

UHC has selected non-profit social service provider, Western Community Housing, Inc., to provide residents with specific resources that meet their physical, educational, professional and social needs. Computers with internet access, ESL classes, information on health and well‐being, fitness programs, and resources for food and utility assistance are examples of the services that will be offered to residents of The Crossings at Escondido.

Families living at The Crossings at Escondido will also have access to an onsite recreation center, which features the community’s supportive resident services program, a computer lab, a media room, a kitchen, and an office for the manager. Outdoor amenities include BBQs, picnic tables, two tot lots and informal seating areas. Indoor and outdoor spaces were designed to promote interaction and activity among residents. Adequate resident and visitor parking have also been included.

“The Crossings at Escondido was designed to not only complement the surrounding neighborhoods but also with a vision to create a higher standard for affordable housing,” said Alan Scales, KTGY Studio Director and the project’s designer, located in the firm’s Irvine office.

“The architecture of The Crossings at Escondido reflects the historic precedent in Escondido, and is designed with a Craftsman style in mind. Details such as deep roof overhangs, porch columns, horizontal siding placement and accent shutters emphasize the simplicity of detailing. These three-story building facades are articulated with ridge/eave breaks as well as one- and two-story massing not only to provide a varied street scene but also to step the building down to a pedestrian scale,” Scales said.

“The Crossings at Escondido provides private access to every unit on the ground floor bringing a more pedestrian-friendly scale to the building with traditional front doors, stoops and porch lights,” said Scales. The entries are located among generous landscaped spaces. ‘Outdoor rooms’ are provided in a variety of configurations from the more intimately scaled spaces intended for passive recreation to the centrally located playground and lawn for active recreation.”

The eco-friendly design includes solar panels to generate electricity for the common areas and outdoor lighting; and radiant barriers under the roof sheathing. Low-VOC paints, adhesives and finishes, and low dust stucco; building materials that contain recycled content, do not emit harmful chemicals and are manufactured in environmentally-friendly plants; products fabricated from engineered wood; and furniture, barbeques and trash receptacles made from recycled content were also used in the construction of The Crossings of Escondido. Approximately 75 percent of the construction and demolition waste was recycled. General Contractor for the project was Competitive Edge Construction, Inc. of Escondido.

“The Crossings at Escondido’s sustainable design and close proximity to jobs, services and education further increase affordability and quality of life for residents who have few affordable housing options, especially for larger families,” said Bigley.

The Crossings at Escondido is the product of an effectively leveraged partnership between UHC and the City of Escondido Community Development Corporation. The City committed funding by partnering with UHC to acquire the land. Subsequently, UHC secured financing through the highly competitive 9 percent tax credit program. Additional financing for the project was provided by Wells Fargo Bank N.A., the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the California Community Reinvestment Corporation.

About Urban Housing Communities

Urban Housing Communities LLC is a “mission driven for‐profit” affordable housing development partner of Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Community Development Corporation specializing in multifamily and senior housing facilities in California and Hawaii. UHC was formed in 2003 by executives of SunAmerica and ASL Housing, and has since been joined by professionals from KB Home, CalFed Bank and the California State University System. Together, they have financed or developed over 10,000 units of housing. For more information, visit www.uhcllc.net.

About KTGY Group, Inc.

Established in 1991, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture + 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, marketing 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.