News & Events
Arizona Developer Recognized for Best Practices
Montana Master Plan Awarded for Innovative Design
PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 30, 2007)—Arizona real estate investment and development company, The Aspen Group, recently received high honors for its innovative community design of Valley West, a 310-acre plan located in Bozeman, Mont. On Friday, April 20, at a formal awards reception and dinner, Valley West was presented with a special award— Building from the Best of the Northern Rockies. Valley West was one of eight projects selected among 125 developments considered in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming by a 30-member advisory group consisting of developers, architects, government planners, elected officials, non-profit affordable-housing advocates, Realtors and other representatives.
“As our advisory group examined and critiqued the many projects nominated, it became clear that Valley West stood out,” explains Dennis Glick, director, Northern Rockies office for the Sonoran Institute. “The community’s lot and street patterns are reminiscent of historic Bozeman neighborhoods with front porches, tree lined streets with 10-foot set backs, alley entrances and traditional grid plan to preserve 93 acres of open space.”
Valley West includes a wide mix of housing options and architectural styles. The project broke ground in 2002 and is now in phase III, with 300 plus homes already built and many of which are occupied. At completion the project will include up to 1,630 living units made up of condominiums, duplexes, row housing and both small and large single-family homes. Valley West’s innovative land plan includes 93 acres of open space, two lakes and streams interconnected by a four-mile trail system. Residents also enjoy large neighborhood parks with play structures, sport courts and soccer fields, circular intersections for pedestrian safety, and covered bridges and a soon-to-be-complete community pavilion.
In addition to the award, Valley West is featured in the Institute’s recently published book Building from the Best of the Northern Rockies. The soft back book will be distributed to developers, architects and city and state officials involved in decisions involving growth and development. The book is also available to the public through bookstores, or directly through the Sonoran Institute.
“In planning Valley West our development strategy was not typical for the area we took great care in working with the city and the community through each phase to better accommodate the objectives for this growing community, the builders we work with and most importantly the residents,” explains Don Meyers, president and CEO of The Aspen Group. “This award is a real credit to our team and their dedication.”
The Aspen Group’s design team for Valley West included experts from Prugh & Lennon Architects, Intrinsik Architecture, Morrison-Maierle Engineering, Peaks to Plains Design, and Vaughn Environmental Services.
The Aspen Group is currently involved in more than 20 active real estate investment and development projects in both Arizona and Montana. This summer they will be breaking ground on two significantly innovative plans—Aspen Place at The Sawmill, a mixed-use development in downtown Flagstaff, Ariz. and Starling, a master planned community in Kalispell, Mont. Aspen will also open sales on Tamarack Heights at Meadow Lake, custom home sites within the golf course community in Columbia Falls, Mont.
About The Aspen Group
Headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., The Aspen Group is a leading investment and real estate development company with projects and investments in Arizona, Montana, and California. For more information visit www.TheAspenGroup.com.
About The Sonoran Institute
The Sonoran Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community decisions that respect the land and people of western North America The Sonoran Institute offers tools, training and information for managing growth and change. The Institute promotes healthy lands, sound economies and vibrant communities that embrace conservation as an integral part of their prosperity and quality of life. Founded in 1990, the Sonoran Institute has offices in Tucson and Phoenix, Ariz.; Bozeman and Helena, Mont.; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. For more information visit www.sonoran.org.
