Stuck in Neutral

Seal of Approval

The popular Energy Star label has long been associated with kitchen appliances and laundry machines. But now, high-rise residential buildings can earn the same gold star as part of a new national pilot program from the Environmental Protection Agency. The first building to get the label: 1212 MLK Apartments, a 54-unit affordable complex in the Bronx developed by Dunn Development Corp. and the nonprofit Beulah HDFC.

To qualify for the Energy Star label, a high-rise’s energy consumption must be reduced by at least 20 percent compared to a typical code-compliant building (as shown through computer modeling). 1212 MLK Apartments features a wide-range of energy savings products including motion sensors on lights in corridors, stairwells, and common areas; low-E argon-filled glass in all windows; low-flow faucets and showerheads; and, of course, Energy Star appliances.

Participants’ savings will be monitored via an ongoing three-year commissioned study. “Part of what attracted us to the Energy Star pilot program is its goal to figure out what works and what doesn’t work,” says Martin Dunn, president and founder of Dunn Development, a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based firm. (The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is implementing the program in its state.)

The pilot is expected to run through the end of 2007, at which time the EPA will decide whether to expand the pilot or roll out the program nationally, says David Lee, branch chief of the agency’s Energy Star residential branch. An Energy Star program for single-family home and low-rise multifamily buildings was launched in 1995.

Blog Time

Urban Pacific Builders tackles the popular online forum.

Want to find out what’s hot in the L.A. apartment market? Or why more big public builders are trying their hand at urban infill? Visit Urban Pacific Builders’ blog spot at www.urbanpacific.blogspot.com, where managing partner Scott Choppin candidly shares his opinions on everything from current industry trends and new technologies to updates on company projects.

Yep, it looks like the technology-shy multifamily industry is slowly joining the world of bloggers. “It gives me the ability to talk about things I wouldn’t be able to talk about anywhere else,” says Choppin, whose first blog entry appeared in July 2005. “I can respond to buyers, industry colleagues, the media, and myself.” And Choppin isn’t afraid to get a little saucy now and then. “I use some salty language in there,” he says. “If you talk to me, occasionally salty language finds its way into my lexicon. That’s who I am, and the blog is truly a reflection of who I am.”

The blog doesn’t generate a huge number of responses, possibly because people lost interest due to large gaps between early entries, admits Choppin. He’s the first to acknowledge that frequent updates are no easy task for a busy executive—but he’s determined to find a little time. “I like having the blog as a unique characteristic of what we do,” he says. “We don’t want to be perceived like every other residential builder out there.”

Mozaic

Los Angeles

Residents at the Mozaic, a high-end apartment community located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, have the benefits of living the condominium lifestyle at a renter’s price.

The Lincoln Property Co., a Dallas -based developer, built the 272-unit community to condominium specifications, so each apartment features its own washer and dryer, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows, and private balconies.

LUCKY BREAK: Residents at Mozaic enjoy condo-style finishes in Los Angelese for a renter’s price. Other amenities include dramatic courtyard fountains, a rooftop pool and barbeques, an Internet café with a coffee bar, a conference room, and a fitness center.

But the project’s main lure is its location. Mozaic is adjacent to Los Angeles’ main transportation hub, Union Station. It’s also within walking distance to City Hall, Chinatown, and Little Tokyo. The transit-oriented development is minutes away from entertainment and sports venues, such as the Staples Center and Disney Concert Hall.

Reg Delponte, senior vice president of the Lincoln Property, believes the project will entice commuters and those who use the trains for work or leisure.

The apartment even caught the eye of national homebuilder Standard Pacific Homes. The builder hoped to convert the apartment community into a for-sale condominium development, but the deal fell through and went back into the hands of Lincoln Property, who now currently manages the property.

Mozaic was built on a 2.8-acre infill site, which was formerly Union Station’s extended parking lot. The modern, contemporary-themed community features floor plans ranging in size from 644 square feet to 1,460 square feet, and monthly rents go from $1,400 to $2,500. The project opened in October 2006.