WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 27, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 50+ Housing Council announced the winners of its 2015 Best of 50+ Housing Awards, honoring excellence and innovation in the design, development, lifestyle and marketing of housing that appeals to the mature market. The annual awards program, held during the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, showcases the latest trends in housing for that market sector.
“This year’s winners created beautiful and functional homes and communities that address the needs and desires of the mature buyer and renter,” said Steve Bomberger, chairman of NAHB’s 50+ Housing Council and president of Benchmark Builders Inc. in Wilmington, Del. “We are proud to honor these builders, developers and communities for their outstanding work.”
Top honors went to Sun City Yokohama Minami in Yokohama, Japan, a six-story independent living residence. A large central courtyard with a water feature serves as the focus for the layout of the major public spaces, as it is visible from dining areas, the tea lounge and the library. The building includes amenities such as a spa and wellness center. Residents also have access to all the public facilities of the main building, including multiple dining venues, indoor pool and spa, library and conservatory, among others. Its many sustainable building elements include green roofs, high-efficiency lighting and climate controls, operable windows, a dual water system, durable exterior materials and upgraded wall and roof installation systems.
Other honorees include easyHouse in Castle Rock, Colo., which received a Gold award in the Best 50+ Universal Design Home or Project. The easyHouse home design incorporates over 25 universal design elements into every home, including entries with few or no steps, 10-foot “fun” showers with no-threshold entries, wide separation between kitchen islands and counters, multiple flex spaces throughout each home, wide and short hallways, three-foot doors throughout and a dedicated full bath in every main-floor bedroom. Flexible main floor layouts accommodate formal or informal dining rooms or multi-use areas such as dens, media centers or reading nooks, depending on the homeowner’s needs.
Vivante on the Coast in Costa Mesa, Calif., won a Gold award for Best 50+ Assisted Living/Special Needs Community. Vivante is a new state-of-the-art retirement community that incorporates contemporary design, open spaces and high-end finishes, and incorporates many of the newest ideas in fitness, healthcare, technology and lifestyle that appeal to today’s seniors. The community includes 145 assisted living residences with a variety of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. Most options come complete with full kitchens, walk-in closets, spacious bathrooms, glass and metal enclosed outdoor patios and an in-unit washer and dryer. Vivante has many outdoor features, including a rooftop deck with ocean views, a serenity garden with reflexology footpath, raised bed vegetable/herb gardens used by the chefs and residents, a dog park and a bocce court, among others.
There were 42 Gold award winners, 48 Silver award winners and three entries honored with awards for innovation. View the complete list of this year’s winners at nahb.org/50PlusAwardWinners2015. Images of winners and finalists are available upon request.
