Aussies briefed on Summerlin

The Summerlin master-planned community concept was brought to Australia recently, courtesy of Dan Van Epp, president of The Howard Hughes Corp., which is developing the community. Van Epp was invited by the Urban Development Institute of Australia to be the keynote speaker at its conference in Perth.

"It was an eye-opener to learn just how much Australians use American development as a model for their own projects," Van Epp said. "In Australia, where life moves at a little slower pace, master-planned communities are not the normal course of residential development. But in America, where an ultra-fast-paced lifestyle has helped to create the `got-to-have-it-all-and-now' mentality, the master-planned community can effectively and efficiently deliver a package deal that includes not only a house, but a community and a lifestyle."

In his address, Van Epp told the Australian development community that several factors have fueled Summerlin's success. Among them are its lifestyle amenities; land uses that enhance the natural surroundings; a focus on education, culture and the environment; accessibility to shopping and medical care; and employment opportunities.

Innovative design, such as retail centers and gas stations that are "turned inward," was another factor.

"In Summerlin, we have invested much in creating attractive streetscapes," Van Epp said. "That's why we have taken great care to repackage the traditional strip mall through innovative planning, architectural detail and the use of landscaping. In Summerlin, our shopping centers look as good from the rear as they do from the front. It's a feature that not only looks attractive, it helps to protect home values in the community."

Innovation, Van Epp said, is also evident in the community's smart-growth planning approach. This includes using all acreage, balancing jobs and housing, architectural oversight that creates an ordered sense of place and harmony in the neighborhoods and villages, and preserving natural drainage areas and arroyos that serve dual uses for parks and trails.

Social infrastructure underscores the Summerlin lifestyle, Van Epp said, adding that the community association is comprised of nearly a dozen staff members who organize resident activities, events, clubs and sports leagues.

"From the beginning, (we) dedicated considerable resources to developing Summerlin's social infrastructure. We consider ourselves community builders, not just developers," he said.

"The result is a community that has come to be known as one of the most vibrant and dynamic in Southern Nevada -- a place where there is always something happening -- a place where life is rich and full of opportunity."

Van Epp concluded by discussing smart growth.

"Master-planned community development was once considered antithetical to smart growth," he said. "Today, however, even the critics are admitting that thoughtfully planned communities with typically higher densities than non-master-planned commu- nities, and that integrate employment centers, retail, recreation and essential services, actually underscore the very definition of smart growth.

"And Summerlin, which many consider the quintessential master-planned community in America today, is the very embodiment of thoughtful and smart development."

Summerlin, the nation's best-selling master plan, aligns the western edge of the valley, and currently has eight golf courses, nearly 100 parks, about 100 miles of trails, 16 schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities and business parks.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Nearly 100 model homes are open.

Custom lots from one-third acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the high $300,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Monthly rent for apartments starts from the high $700s.

The home finding center is located at Sahara Avenue and Town Center Drive. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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