Table of Contents June 2008

FEATURES

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  Top Notch

  The 25,000-square-foot rooftop garden is more than just a perk for residents - it's also the main element of the building's water management system.

   
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  Faking It

  The faux lawn is just one of the ways that the 14-building, 204-unit affordable housing development saves water - and water conservation has become a contentious issue in California.

   
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  River of Life

  A project sensitive to its distinct surroundings, specifically its riverfront location and rolling meadows.

   

• Going With the Flow

  People throughout the world are recognizing the need to reduce carbon emissions and to use less energy. But, they may be ignoring another important natural resource: water.

   
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  Going, Going, Gone

  A step-by-step look at how to use auctions to clear out excess inventory.

   

Cover Story

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  Orange Crush

  The Irvine Co. Apartment Communities counters a new era of competition with juggernaut marketing, geographic expansion, and an enduring approach to customer service.

   

FROM THE EDITOR

• What's in a Name?

  In today's tough economic times, maintaining a strong brand identity is more vital than ever.

   

CORNER OFFICE

• Magnetic Marketing

  Apartment owners can snare the lion's share of renters by ramping up their online initiatives.

   

NEWS + NUMBERS

Stat of the Month

• Money Machines

  There has been little evidence that certifies the advantages of green buildings in terms of portfolio performance - until now.

   

Direct Reports

• Domino Effect

  On the surface, the connection between the foreclosure crisis and lack of affordable housing may seem weak.

   
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  Green Guidelines

  Los Angeles has launched The Private Sector Green Building Program to cut carbon emissions by more than 80,000 tons by the year 2012.

   

• Spring Gardening

  Tishman Speyer decides the mammoth complexes need a facelift.

   

• Direct Reports

  Direct Reports on Chapter 11 bankruptcy, steel- and petroleum- dependant building material price increase, Big Belly, assistance for intergeneration families, green building effeciency, and Apartments.com on MySpace.

   
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  Free Stuff

  Despite a soft national economy, multifamily fundamentals remain solid. From analyst to analyst, report to report, the industry's collective voice is telling a tale of rent gain, vacancy compression, and increased multifamily asset values.

   

Regional

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  Magic Kingdom

  As long as children around the world love Mickey Mouse, Disney World isn't going anywhere - and neither is the demand for multifamily housing in Orlando, Fla.

   

PEOPLE + PLACES

Apartment Life

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  Primo Promos

  To satisfy their amenity-hungry residents and develop retail synergies in their mixed-use projects, Related offers residents special programs, perks, and promos - such as the front-of-the-line reservation priority to Porter House and other Time Warner Center restaurants.

   

Facelift

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  A New Brew

  Construction will soon begin on the redevelopment of the Lemp Brewery site, bringing offices, restaurants, shops, and 400 apartments to the complex of red brick buildings.

   

SALES + SOLUTIONS

New Developments

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  A Corner for Affordable Housing

  The property at Eddy and Taylor Streets will become the 13-story Eddy and Taylor Family Housing development with at least 20 percent reserved for homeless families when it opens by 2012.

   

Done Deal

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  Higher Threshold

  Multifamily lenders are taking a harder look at a number of factors during the underwriting process, including past and future rents, available equity, and ancillary revenue.

   

Tech Specs

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  On the Map

  With the advances in location-based mapping technologies on the Internet in the recent years, more and more applications are emerging that can literally put multifamily properties on the map.

   

PRODUCT STUDIO

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  Product Picks From the Editors of Ebuild

  Water-efficient showerhead, stone-coated steel roofing, and Freedom collection refrigerator.

   
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  Sneaky Green

  Today's green materials and products blend in with traditional products. Growing demand for eco-friendly building elements has given rise to a whole world of green products.

   

LANDMARKS

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  Landmarks: Via Mizner

  Addison Mizner's designs were advanced and reflected forward thinking, especially in terms of the scale and feel of the projects he created.