The Heights by McCaffrey Homes Designed by Danielian Associates

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1 GreenHomeBuilder PRINT & ONLINE TM America s Premier Green Homebuilding Resource Volume 8, Sept/Oct The Heights by McCaffrey Homes Designed by Danielian Associates Exterior Products & Pavers Showcase ABC Green Home 2.0 The GHB Interview with Sam Rashkin of

2 Project Profile: The Heights by McCaffrey Homes Affordable and Luxurious Living This Gold Nugget Award-winner is small and luxurious at a low cost. By Deborah Briers 25 GREEN HOME BUILDER September / October 2013

3 The Heights at Loma Vista is Fresno builder McCaffrey Homes most recent home run. This community demonstrates that despite uncertain market conditions, success can be achieved by sticking with a time tested formula: quality + location + affordability = homes that sell. Since opening in October of 2012, homes in The Heights are selling faster than they can be built. New homeowners, many who never envisioned ever being able to own their own home, much less a new one in such a wonderful community, are overjoyed. Located in the City of Clovis, just east of Fresno in California, homes in The Heights can be purchased by first-time buyers as a viable alternative to apartments. Initially priced between $199,000 and $250,000, the neighborhood offers FHA financing that yields monthly payments equivalent to apartment rents. There are four home plans, including a one-story home targeted for a move-down empty-nester. Universal design features are offered for wounded service members and other impaired individuals. In addition to lower purchase cost, there are many benefits of buying small. Smaller homes cost less to operate and require less maintenance, giving owners more time for family, friends and fun. Small can also live large. Floor plans in The Heights incorporate gourmet kitchens with great rooms for entertaining. Master bedrooms with spa-like baths are luxurious as well as spacious. Plotting with use easements (approved by the City) yields usable 10-foot side yards, which combined with 12-footdeep full-width rear yards, create abundant outdoor space. A collaborative effort between architect Danielian Associates, interior designer CDC Designs and landscape designer Broussard Associates results in floor plan adjacencies that enable indoor spaces to flow seamlessly into the outdoors. The recession has impacted homebuyers attitudes. Today s buyers are more cautious and price sensitive. Home shoppers are seeking sensible designs with style and high-end amenities as they realize that big This room blends in with the kitchen, allowing people to go from outside to TV room to kitchen within seconds. This site plan for the Loma Vista Urban Village provides the framework for sustainable growth within the City of Clovis. The people here have big hearts. Despite having a population of close to a million, Fresno has retained its small town charm. Karen McCaffrey of McCaffrey Homes 26

4 Earth Sense program incorporates smart environmental solutions based upon five principles. comes with a price. It can best be summed up as practicality without sacrifice. Small is becoming the new normal, said Karen McCaffrey of McCaffrey Homes. The Heights at Loma Vista s innovative, high-density architectural solution provides 13.8 du/acre detached homes that live large the small way. Even electric bills are small since a solar electric system, high efficiency appliances and tankless water heaters come standard in each home. The City of Clovis developed the master plan for the Loma Vista urban village. The concept for the development of the Spa-style master bathrooms feature granite countertops, high end cabinetry, walk-in closets and tankless water heaters. Spacious master bedrooms offer a retreat for busy parents. To help keep the family cool, each bedroom and the living room come with a ceiling fan. 3,307-acre Loma Vista site is that of a high quality residential community focused around two core areas, called community centers, a business campus, and the Reagan Educational Center. The City s Planning & Development Services Director, Dwight Kroll, hired Danielian Associates in 2007 to develop the planning document. A close working relationship between the planners at Danielian and the city s planning staff resulted in a master plan that realizes the City s vision and serves as the zoning code. The central philosophy of the planning guide is preserving farmland, cutting sprawl and reducing car trips. Community features include an old-fashioned village 27 GREEN HOME BUILDER September / October 2013

5 With the kitchen at the heart of the home, this one-story plan features wrap-around sliders, opening up the space visually. green, two community centers, a network of trails, multiple parks and Main Street that combines commercial and residential uses. Designed around focal points such as schools or village greens, the City s vision was to create a compact, thriving, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood where residents can live, work and play. One of the first builders to bring the City s vision for Loma Vista to life is McCaffrey Homes. McCaffrey is a third generation, family-oriented builder dedicated to bringing high quality homes to people throughout Fresno County. Over the past 35 years, McCaffrey has built 8,000 homes regionally and has grown to truly understand their homebuyers. Because the San Joaquin valley is largely driven by agriculture, McCaffrey has developed an internal green rating system, Earth Sense, as a way to promote stewardship of the land. Karen McCaffrey describes their strong connection to residents as the reason they have remained a local home builder. The people here have big hearts. Despite having a population of close to a million, Fresno has retained its small town charm. People matter here. There is the sense that people will take time to help others. The high-density, single-family home configuration created for The Heights at Loma Vista is, according to Karen McCaffrey, their most innovative product to date. Karen and her husband, Robert McCaffrey, have a long-standing friendship with community planning and design specialist Arthur Danielian that dates back to a 1991 collaboration on more than a thousand homes. Several years ago he showed them a prototype his team had developed for high-density SFD communities. This concept inspired McCaffrey because in addition to affordability, the various plans offer appeal to a range of homebuyers, from young millennials buying their first home, to downsizing baby boomers and retirees on a fixed income. Every aspect of The Heights is planned with quality in mind. Homes are designed to accommodate variable lot and home widths that enhance the street-scene. Exterior details and four- sided architecture means that rear and side elevations are as handsome as the front of the home. Owners can choose between 15 exterior color schemes which allow them to express their individuality within the context of a unified community. Interior details include energy efficient stainless steel appliances 28

6 An expanded side yard combined with the rear yard increases the home s overall living space by creating adjacencies between similar uses. in the kitchen, granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and elegantly appointed master suites. As part of McCaffrey s commitment to environmental responsibility, their Earth Sense program incorporates smart environmental solutions based upon five principles: Conserving Energy: Homes are filled with numerous energy efficient features such as radiant roof barrier, higher efficiency insulation, insulated stucco system, high performance low-e windows, tankless water heater, and more. Plus a third party inspector verifies each new home exceed the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards by 30 percent (Title 24). Conserving Water: Water is a precious resource. Weather smart irrigation and landscape designs outside, combined with water saving features inside, conserve water and money with lower water bills. Conserving Resources: To help conserve natural resources, McCaffrey s building team recycles construction waste and uses engineered wood construction products that help to protect our forests. Flooring selections are offered from renewable or reclaimed materials. And to help conserve resources, every new McCaffrey home features a built-in kitchen recycle center. Creating Healthier Living Environments: To help improve air quality, advanced heating and air conditioning systems and filters are used. Homes also use materials with low VOC paint and flooring, formaldehyde free insulation, and nonozone depleting refrigerant. Building Livable Neighborhoods: Open space for parks and walking trails enable homeowners to enjoy outdoor activities and neighborly interaction. Neighborhoods are built near schools, shopping, business centers, and medical care, saving time and energy in commutes. So far, The Heights have received several awards including plan 4, a recipient of a Grant Award Gold Nugget in the under 2,000 SF category at PCBC. Plans 1 and 2 also earned Merit awards in the same category. Deborah Briers of Danielian Associates is Director of Business Development. She may reached at dbriers@danielian.com. Project Team Architect: Danielian Associates Builder: McCaffrey Homes Interior Designer: CDC Designs Landscape Architect: Broussard Associates 29 GREEN HOME BUILDER September / October 2013