Ridges emerges as builders' choice

Three of the valley's leading home builders chose to build their own homes at The Ridges, Summerlin's luxury-home enclave at the far western end of Desert Inn Road. Robert Lewis, formerly of Lewis Homes, Tom McCormick, president of Astoria Homes, and Mark Doppe, president of Carina Homes, will move their families to the village in the foothills of the Spring Mountain range once their homes are complete.

Tom and Cristen McCormick said designing and building their dream home has been a four-year process. They had originally designed their home for a different Summerlin location, before realizing their home was better suited to The Ridges.

"It was meant to be," Tom McCormick said. "We didn't have to make one single architectural or design modification once we moved to The Ridges. Our clean, modern and contemporary desert-style home was a perfect fit not only for The Ridges, but also for the lot. Our home now overlooks the entire Las Vegas Valley, which is an added bonus we hadn't originally planned on. We feel like we're sitting on top of the world here."

He added that it is their third home in the community.

"We're sold on Summerlin," McCormick said. "We enjoy being part of the community and taking advantage of all that Summerlin offers -- from the parks, trails and pools to restaurants, schools and special events. It's a great place to raise a family."

Lewis, who first began building homes in the Las Vegas Valley in 1961, said The Ridges was the only choice for him.

"I've always been sold on Summerlin as a location," Lewis said. "Since the community's inception in 1991, Lewis Homes has been building here, so the decision was easy for me. As a developer and a home builder, I especially appreciate The Howard Hughes Corporation's attention to detail and its commitment to quality. I have every reason to believe Summerlin will continue to meet or exceed the high standards for which it has become known today."

His home, which sits adjacent to holes 13 and 14 of the Bear's Best Las Vegas golf course as well as federally protected land, has been designed to maximize views. Designed by Bing Hu, it features a media room, music room, personal gym, catering kitchen, an expansive laundry room and refrigerated pantry.

"The Ridges is more beautiful today than it was a few years ago," Lewis said. "As the landscaping matures and amazing homes begin to rise out of the ground, The Ridges is coming into its own. We're proud to be part of it."

Lewis said he appreciates what he calls the "softer" side of the community, as well as its child-friendly nature, including infrastructure such as parks, schools and trails.

"I admire any developer who makes infrastructure a top priority. Although my own kids are grown, I like knowing that my community is designed to attract homeowners -- young and old -- who share similar values and who care about the next and future generation."

Doppe, who has lived in the community for 12 years, loved The Ridges since it first began to develop. "As a long-term Summerlin resident, I'm very pleased with how the community has grown and matured. And I'm confident Summerlin will continue to hold its value for decades to come," he said.

Doppe is not only building his home in the community, he's moving his entire company within its borders. In August, the 100-plus-employee Carina Homes will move into the company's new 20,600-square-foot headquarters at Howard Hughes Plaza on West Charleston Boulevard.

"I guess you could call me the poster boy for the master-planned community's `live, work, play' lifestyle," Doppe said. "I've already timed my commute at seven minutes from home to office. I look forward to having it all here in Summerlin."

McCormick's company, Astoria Homes, plans to move to new offices in Summerlin's Corporate Pointe this fall. The company's 50,000-square-foot facility will house management offices, a design center and a mortgage operation.

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., an affiliate of The Rouse Co. of Columbia, Md., Summerlin offers a variety of housing options. The home sites in The Ridges measure one-third acre and larger. To visit the custom-home site sales center, go west on Desert Inn Road until it ends at Flamingo Road, then turn left. The building will be on the right. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

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