The company’s offices are currently located at 2550 N. Dragoon St. Suite 150.
Aker Solutions, formerly Aker Kværner, currently has 165 employees and will grow that number. The Tucson office first opened in January 2006 with a staff of 40.
 The Washington model home from Pepper Viner Homes exceeds the Department of Energy’s Builders Challenge standards.Joe Pangburn photo |
Aker is planning to make the move to its new offices in January.
Rick Kleiner, of Picor Commercial Real Estate Services, represented the landlord. Russell W. Hall, of Picor, and Mark O’Donnell, of Studley Inc., represented Aker Business Services.
Energy Dept. honors Pepper Viner Homes
Members of the U.S. Department of Energy visited the Pepper Viner Homes community at Civano North Ridge last week to recognize the development as the first in Tucson where every home will meet the department’s Builders Challenge.
The Builders Challenge was issued earlier in the year. It is a voluntary effort that seeks to galvanize the housing industry into moving 220,000 high performance homes into the marketplace by 2012. The challenge is to have homes achieve 70 or lower on the EnergySmart Home Scale.
“Everything is green-washed today and we wanted to develop something that can help consumers to separate the real deal from the green-washed,” said Ed Pollock, project lead for the DOE’s Builders Challenge program. “That was our thinking when we developed the Builders Challenge. The overall quality of the home improves through this program and we want to give the consumer the best possible home money can buy.”
The EnergySmart Home Scale runs from zero to 150. A zero indicates a home is a zero net energy home. The average new construction home is 100 on the scale. The Environmental Protection Agency’s EnergyStar rating falls in at 85, or it will use 85 percent of the amount of energy a typical home will use. The home certified by the DOE last week, came in at 36.
“We are the first production builder in Southern Arizona to reach this milestone and earn this accreditation,” said Bill Viner, CEO of Pepper Viner Homes. “We have changed the way we build homes. To meet the strict savings standards, our homes have to be built better. They are tighter, quieter and offer better indoor air quality.”
The home was Pepper Viner’s Washington model. It is a 2,600 square-foot, two-story home. It had only one air conditioning unit with multiple thermostats where priority can be given based on where you are in the home. It had solar water heater as well as a photovoltaic system.
All 78 Pepper Viner models in Civano will fall below the DOE’s number of 70.
New downtown living opens doors to sales office
Displaying a tangible example of downtown revitalization, the sales office for the Flats at Julian Drew Block is now open at 118 E. Broadway.
This reuse of the former Tiberon Apartments, built in the 1960s, features green engineering, a pool, spa, myriad design options, and possible future café and fitness facilities on site. The units and redesign was done by Rob Paulus Architect, 186 E. Broadway.
The 53 studio and one-bedroom units for sale are described as “hip, efficient, and full of light,” according to the project’s website, www.theflatsdowntown.com. The starting price for the units will be in the low to mid 100s.
Ironically, the block now known as Julian Drew Block (taking its name from the legendary Julian Drew Building, constructed in 1917) was the first city block in Tucson established through a federal initiative aimed at urban revitalization.
Sombra Homes to build at Sycamore Canyon Community
Sombra Homes will begin construction in Sycamore Canyon located in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains.
The gated neighborhood of executive style residences will consist of 47 homes on approximately .75 acre lots with base prices starting from $365,000.
The single-story homes will range in size from 2,300 to 3,720 square feet and will be constructed on restricted building envelopes to ensure adherence to the surrounding natural environment.
Sombra Homes is locally owned and operated and has been in business since 1989. Sycamore Canyon is planned for 1,100 acres of the 1,598 total acres - nearly 70 percent of the total land mass - dedicated as a nature preserve.
The community located south of Sahuarita Road at Harrison Road, one mile west of Houghton Road.
La Posada adds residential homes to community
La Posada, Green Valley’s largest continuing care retirement community, is growing to include more independent living residents.
La Posada’s new independent living community, Park Centre Homes at La Posada, is a combination of all the amenities of La Posada with independent living.
As the newest component to the 100-acre La Posada campus, construction on Park Centre is slated to begin in fall 2008. The community will include 35 individual homes, a first for the La Posada community.
Park Centre Homes at La Posada is reinventing retirement living. They will offer luxury features such as custom interior design selections, size, green build and flexible service packages.
This is the last independent living environment to be built at La Posada, and it will offer the most independent lifestyle.
On Nov. 7 La Posada will be holding a “Taste of La Posada” event to showcase what the community has to offer. A presentation on the new homes begins at 2 p.m. in the Fitness Pavilion Lounge. Information is online at www.laposadagv.com.
Worth noting
· Roy Stine purchased a four-plex at 13 W. District for $174,000 from Neil Powell. Both parties were represented by Chuck Corriere of Long Realty Commercial.
· Chow Bella restaurant at 944 E. University Blvd was purchased by MTG Advisers from Eun Min Lee, a physician for $165,000. The new owners assumed the lease for the premises. The new owner’s manager is Mark DiOrio an authentic Italian Chef. The restaurant will be named ‘GoodFellas’ Italian Bistro. Chuck Corriere of Long Realty Commercial represented all the parties.
· S & R Carpentry and Builders LLC leased 6,200 square feet at 1700 S. Fourth Ave, from Larry and Elizabeth Wieber. The industrial space will be occupied by a cabinet making and construction company owned by Francisco Zapien. The lease is for two years with options to extend for an additional three years. Chuck Corriere of Long Realty Commercial represented all the parties in the transaction.
· Cross Roads Church leased 5,280 square feet in East Point Business Plaza, 1603 S. Eastside Loop, from Buxton-Smith LTD. Ron Zimmerman of Bourn Partners LLC, represented the landlord. Rob Tomlinson of Picor represented the tenant.
Submit items for this column to Joe Pangburn at jpangburn@azbiz.com. Real Estate & Construction appears weekly.
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