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Six Valley Home Builders Selected for New Vistancia Community Scheduled to Open in February 2004
Date Published: Nov 29, 2003

Six Valley home builders have been selected to build 11 new home neighborhoods at Vistancia, a 7,100-acre amenity-rich community scheduled to open in February 2004 in North Peoria. =""

Scottsdale-based Ashton Woods Homes, Cachet Homes, Maracay Homes Corporation and Shea Homes, Phoenix-based Engle Homes and Tempe-based T.W. Lewis Company will offer 33 models, ranging from 1,400 to 4,500 square feet, at the community situated west of the Agua Fria River and north of Jomax Road.

In addition, Trilogy at Vistancia, a resort community by Shea Homes, will feature 12 models ranging from 1,300 to 3,100 square feet.

Characterized by heavily vegetated washes, Saguaro forests, gently sloping flatlands and an abundance of desert wildlife, Vistancia will offer a collection of intimate villages each with its own amenities.

The community was conceived and created by Shea Homes and Sunbelt Holdings, two companies with a long history of creating the finest neighborhoods and communities in Arizona.

"Vistancia combines an unprecedented respect for the land with amenities that are integrated into the natural setting," said Curt Smith, chief operating officer for Sunbelt Holdings.

The centerpiece of the community is the Discovery Trail providing residents with a closer look at Vistancia's natural wonders. Spanning more than three miles, the trail will link key community components, such as schools, along an educational journey through desert surroundings. A wildlife refuge, cultural walk, solar garden and an interpretive desert garden are among the trails interactive themes.

In addition, Vistancia will have nearly 1,700 acres of open space including a 900-acre mountain preserve, two city regional parks and five city neighborhood parks.

Other amenities at the community include an 18-hole daily fee championship course designed by Gary Panks, the Mountain View Club a home owners association facility with three pools, an indoor gymnasium, meeting rooms, a tennis complex with stadium tennis seating, a game lawn and open play areas.

Renowned architect Bing Hu of H & S International of Scottsdale, has designed Vistancia's public buildings including the Discovery Center and Mountain Vista Club as well as the tour center and 35,000-square-foot homeowners association center, named the Kiva Club, within Trilogy at Vistancia. The organic, contemporary architecture complements the area's beauty and topography and creates a sense of history and timelessness.

Vistancia's residential architecture will create a visual harmony with the environment, said Mark Hammons, vice-president for Sunbelt Holdings. "Home exteriors will utilize a color palette in light, medium and dark shades according to the surrounding terrain as well as incorporate subtle design details that will create a rich feel and a sense of architectural authenticity."

Also planned are four elementary schools, one high school and more than 6 million square feet of commercial space.

"Vistancia will convey to its residents a sense of Arizona's history -- what it was like to live here in the past, surrounded by tall cottonwoods and lush desert vegetation, while being a part of the new and vibrant Northwest Valley," Smith added.

For more information about the community, call 623-933-6233.

Shea Homes Arizona operations are part of Shea Homes L.L.C., the largest privately-owned homebuilder in the nation, building homes and communities primarily in the West. Shea Homes currently has more than 20 communities throughout the Valley including Seville Golf and Country Club in the East Valley and Trilogy, a new resort-style concept targeted to baby boomers.

Other well-known communities by Shea Homes include Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and Silver Creek Country Club in California and Highlands Ranch in Colorado. Over the past century, members of the Shea family and their companies have accomplished many extraordinary milestones, including completing work on the foundation of the landmark Golden Gate Bridge, working on San Francisco Bay Area's Rapid Transit System and serving as a managing partner for the construction of the Hoover Dam.

Sunbelt Holdings' list of successfully developed communities includes McDowell Mountain Ranch, Johnson Ranch, The Legacy Golf Resort, Power Ranch, Superstition Foothills and Arizona Traditions. Two other new projects are Surprise Farms and Sonoran Foothills.