Paradise Valley living now featuring walkability
by Elaina Verhoff
For years, living in Paradise Valley meant sprawling homes, one-acre-minimum lot sizes, and getting behind the wheel to drive anywhere and everywhere. Things are changing today. The first luxury community to be built under Shea Homes’ new Shea SignatureTM brand, Azure was designed to meet the high expectations of the most discerning buyer, while providing an easier, more connected, and greener lifestyle.
Azure Paradise Valley officially opened in October 2018 and offers eight floor plans with two- to five-bedroom configurations, each ranging from 2,986 to 6,800 square feet, with lot sizes ranging from 10,000 to 20,300 square feet. This private gated enclave of only 66 homes is located at Indian Bend Road and Mockingbird Lane, part of the Ritz Carlton Paradise Valley master planned community.
WALKABILITY
Convenience and walkability are key at Azure. With pedestrian paths leading to nearby restaurants and shops, homeowners will be able to leave their cars in their garages.
“Our buyers are ready to say goodbye to the upkeep required with a large lots, massive lawns, and square footage that they simply don’t use or need,” said Ken Peterson, VP of Sales and Marketing for Shea Homes Arizona. “They also want the convenience that comes from living in a truly pedestrian-friendly community, where they can walk or bike to upscale shops, restaurants, and hiking trails.”
The community was designed with paths linking Azure to the nearby Ritz Carlton Paradise Valley resort, as well as The Palmeraie ShopsTM, a planned destination featuring premier designer boutiques, specialty retailers, and gourmet restaurants.
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
The Shea team partnered with the award-winning PHX Architecture team of Erik Peterson, Stuart Jon Traynor, Scott Carson, Tom Bell, and Adam Kostis to design the residences.
“Working alongside the Shea Signature team has been an incredible experience and has allowed both teams to creatively collaborate and produce truly exceptional homes,” said Erik Peterson, president of PHX Architecture.
Scott Carson, Residential Principal of PHX Architecture, says his team worked in collaboration with Shea Signature to create uniquely designed, energy efficient homes that will set the standard for home designs now and in the future. “It is not often that you find a well-designed home that also reduces its impact on the environment,” Carson explained.
Each residence includes a highly-efficient sealed attic system designed with blown cellulose – a product that is about 85% recycled content – applied to the underside of the roof deck. This application lessens the summertime heat gain on air ducts, reducing energy costs and increasing homeowner comfort.
Blown cellulose insulation in exterior walls provides a quality (Grade 1) installation, meaning there are no voids, gaps or compression that is common with conventional fiberglass batt insulation. A one-inch EPS foam board applied to the exterior acts as continuous insulation while reducing thermal bridging, a common problem with framed houses.
With windows that span two levels, it is important to keep things cool indoors. Carson says this is achieved with Low-E windows that let in the light without the unwanted heat. The window and door systems are designed to reduce radiant heat entering the home by up to 75%. The result? A more comfortable home and less energy used to run the air conditioning. High-efficiency air conditioning systems with a 15.5 SEER rating provide cooling with lower annual energy consumption, directly saving homeowners money on their utility bills and reducing carbon emissions.
ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES
Premium Gaggenau appliances are included in all Azure residences. A company rep explains that energy efficiency is a priority for parent company BSH, which in addition to Gaggenau, also includes Bosch and Thermador product lines. New developments at BSH are consistently aimed at achieving high-performance products with low energy consumption, such as the Gaggenau 200 series dishwashers used in the Azure residences, which are rated in the highest energy efficiency class A+++, a strict European energy guideline. All Gaggenau refrigerators, freezers, and dishwashers meet Energy Star Guidelines in the U.S.
INDOOR/OUTDOOR LIVING
Azure residences feature transitional architecture and open floor plans designed to maximize enjoyment of the beautiful desert environment. Open riser staircases, interior courtyards, and nine-foot-tall rolling walls of glass offer a seamless flow between outdoor and indoor living spaces.
Dan Waters of Creative Environments, says landscaping throughout Azure is thoughtfully designed with the environment in mind. Drought tolerant plants are selected to minimize water usage. Outdoor lighting is all LED, including pool lighting. Variable speed pool pumps reduce energy by 25% compared with standard pool pumps. Pool filtration uses cartridge filtering which greatly reduces water waste and eliminates the need to backwash.
“Larger trees were planted to create a shadier microclimate around homes, lowering temperatures around the home and reducing home energy usage,” Waters explained. “All irritation is on low water drip system to maximize water to each plant, and artificial turf reduces environmental impact.”
EXPERIENCE AZURE
Additional information about Azure Paradise Valley is available at AzurePV.com. Private appointments and tours can be scheduled by contacting 480.385.1620 or 888.244.8022.
Elaina Verhoff is a freelance writer and PR Pro based in Phoenix, AZ. Follow her on Twitter @elainaverhoff and Instagram @elainaverhoff.
