spotlight homes - january 2015

SPL Home Jan 2015.qxp_SPL Homes FebMarch 2014 2/10/15 8:57 AM

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2

Contents January 2015

4 The Montecillo

10 Cool Bath Design

12 Decor Score

14 Colorful Art

16 Crown Moulding

19 Glam Dinner

Cover Photo by Ricky Jimenez Carrasco

Spotlight Homes is published bi-monthly and is also avail-

able digitally on www.spotlighthomes.net or

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The Montecillo Project:Investing In El Paso


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Photos and story by: Ricky Jimenez Carrasco

If you have been a long time resident of El Paso, it is

easy to find cookie-cutter construction since it hap-

pens all around the city. It happens because it’s easy

and safe. It’s happens because there’s little risk in it.

But it also happens because people do not believe

the area is worth risking and investing in.

The organizers and investors behind the Montecillo Smart

growth subdivision believe El Paso IS absolutely worth the risk.

They believe El Paso is worth investing in so much that their vi-

sion is to fill more than 300 acres of completely untouched land

with modern living areas, unique recreation areas, and attractions

that the area has not seen before, but that El Pasoans are cer-

tainly hungry for.

Matt Pepe, Director of Sales and Leasing for the Montecillo De-

velopment, can hardly contain his excitement when speaking of

all the work that has gone into, and that will go into, this project

that has about a 15 year time frame, something unprecedented

to in the Sun City. “We’ve sought out unique tenants that maybe

would not have looked at El Paso before. We are getting on peo-

ple’s radars from Houston to Chicago to Seattle. We have given

them tours of the city. We have shown them that there’s a vibrant,

active life in El Paso. We have shown them that people are

starved for special things from out of town and will support them

once they are here.” We spoke of various businesses that have

dipped their toe in the El Paso scene in the past few years and

have been rewarded with success.

Pepe outlined the management group of the Montecillo devel-

opment, “The company is called EPT Land Communities. Our

general manager is Richard Aguilar who oversees everything.

Our director of development is David Bogas who deals with the

day to day work with the contractors and engineers. I deal with

the commercial and real estate tenants to the development.”

One of those tenants is the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema which re

cently broke ground on the mountainside of Mesa. Alamo the-

aters show traditional blockbuster movies, but are more known

for their on-site microbreweries, their in-theater dining, and their

tradition of showing independent movies and modern classics.

They are also known for their policies like no children under 6

years old, no unaccompanied minors, nor any cell phone use.

The Austin based theaters also have interactive shows. When

they show modern classics like “The Princess Bride”, viewers are

expected to recite famous lines out loud along with the movie.

Viewers could be provided with small bubble solution to blow

bubbles whenever the word “love” is spoken, and balloon toy

swords so the viewers can swordfight whenever there is a sword-

fight on-screen. Each show and presentation is distinctive to that

movie. From this reporter’s previous experience, their interactive

screenings of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Pulp Fiction”

are fully viewer interactive, unique, and definitely something to

look forward to.

“Before we sat with them, they (Alamo management) had not

even explored the possibility of coming to El Paso at all. But

once we got them here and showed them the city, they saw that

people were out and spending money. They were looking for

something to do. They saw that they were very much a fit for our

city.”

Mr. Pepe emphasized that all the partners and investors are ded-

icated to creating something unique. “We are creating a new,

different niche that we feel really confident will work in El Paso

and we are making a concerted effort to bring in those new

ideas.”

One of those ideas that has already been introduced and been

supported by the community is the TIME Center at 5001 N.

Mesa. A portion of the center is constructed out of railroad cars

and cinderblocks. The layout is completely asymmetrical and

closed unto itself. The chief attractions are Hillside (a coffee-

house), Stonewood (an upscale steakhouse), and Malolam (a

nightclub/bar). Most evenings, all the venues are packed and

even the walkways between the main establishments are filled

The Montecillo Project:Investing In El Paso


Spotlight Homes

with people conversing and shopping at the various small and

trendy shops in the center.

“We have many students who are now living in our apartments

like The Venue. I’ll see them in the mornings at the Brio bus stop,

then studying in the afternoons at the coffee shop, then partying

on the weekends at TIME.”

That lifestyle is actually part of what the developers are going

for. In many large cities, there are communities where, other than

commuting to work or school, residents only need to walk in

order to get to their shopping and entertainment. “That’s the

thing about Smart Growth. We are trying to set up an entire com-

munity to have that ‘walkability’ and almost entirely eliminate the

need for a car. Like in Austin, all you need is to walk a little bit

and you can get your groceries, do some shopping, go out to

eat, maybe see a movie or have drink with friends. We also want

to be a destination point in the region. Somewhere not only El

Pasoans on the far east side want to come to, but also people

from Las Cruces and beyond that want to take part in the fun!”

The fun also extends to the residential areas that already exist

and are either under construction or still in the planning stages.

The Venue and The View apartments, located on Mesa Street

and will be across the street from the major shopping center that

will house the Alamo Cinema, offers reasonable prices with many

amenities like various social meeting areas, elevators, pools with

waterfalls, and landscaped gardens.

The Santi apartments just down the road are aimed at young,

successful tenants that want a more upscale and exclusive living

environment. In the first Santi complex that has just opened, only

53 units exist in one 4 story building. The building has non-tra-

ditional floor plans for one and two bedroom dwellings. The bal-

conies on the 2 bedroom apartments are large and run the

length of each apartment. There are sun terraces and waiting

rooms on each floor that are available to all tenants. At the time

of this report, all but 3 of the 53 units were unleased. One of the

managers informed me that contracts were already signed for

some of the units in the next building that would become avail-

able in the coming months.

Pacifico Heras is one of the tenants who fits the demographics

for this apartment complex. Heras is young and successful and

working as the marketing manager for the Taco Tote restaurants.

He spoke about what attracted him to these apartments and this

area. “It’s the first of its kind. There is the luxury to this place.

There are granite countertops everywhere. Stainless steel appli-

ances are standard. One of the awesome details are the terraces.

If I have a party or get-together, I don’t have to have everyone

in my apartment. Then, afterwards, we can all just walk to the

bar at Malolam. The place where I just moved from was nice. It

was practical, but they were built like 40 years ago and the colors

were all that muted beige.”

One of the important details of the Smart Growth planned com-

munity like this one is that all types of demographics are strate-

gically placed inside the project’s boundaries. Other areas with

their own specific demographics are in the planning stages now.

There will be another complex that will cater specifically to the

“active senior”, those 55 years and older that wish to be inde-

pendent. There are talks about an assisted living complex. More

residential homes and family townhome complexes are slated to

dot the land all the way down the interstate where there is cur-

rently only desert.

Mr. Pepe elaborated that with the varied demographics will also

come varied landscapes, structures, architectures depending on

the use and location of each individual complex. “We don’t want

it to look homogenous. Every little corner will look different and


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Spotlight Homes

have their own unique architectural elements.” The developers

also intend to work with the land they have, including the major

hill that sits in the middle of the currently undeveloped land. This

also includes leaving alone the major arroyo that winds from the

hillside down to the freeway, so that the natural rain spillway will

be used without building in the way.

The plan for the Smart Growth, Mr. Pepe explains, was first

brought to them as an idea by the city. They then simply ran with

the project after getting city approval and are seeing a 10-15

year mission to bring a completely developed project to their

section of land. TxDot has already approved an exit ramp off of

I-10 that will direct traffic directly into the project land’s west side

where more business facilities will face the freeway. “The way we

have it planned right now, we are looking to build around 4500

units of new housing in this area. In addition, we are looking at

about 750,000 square feet of commercial property.” This will in-

clude everything from single student studios to family town-

homes to upscale homes both at the top of the hill and down

into the valley. The El Paso Independent School District has

bought a tract of land within the project to house a school to fur-

ther build on the project’s “walkability” factor.

Of course, all of these plans are, like in any business venture, a

gamble. But Pepe and his partners and investors, and most im-

portantly, the community are all optimistic. “It is a gamble, but

it’s a calculated gamble. The team behind this has years of ex-

perience in real estate. We were first invited by the City of El

Paso to evaluate the concept of Smart Growth. At first, it was

slated to be a ‘normal’ development. But the more we re-

searched the concept and the possibilities, the more we were

excited by those possibilities. We have been met with nothing

but overwhelming support from everyone.”

In the recent past, many new projects and businesses have taken

advantage of the current El Paso renaissance. Most of those ven-

tures have been wildly successful as El Pasoans have supported

each to a degree that has not been seen before. The planners

and investors of the Montecillo project hope to expand off of

that success and continue in heretofore unprecedented levels.

They are optimistic and working hard to build a completely dis-

tinctive area to El Paso. As Mr. Pepe said, “We want to give El

Pasoans more options for work, for dining, to entertainment and

to have a sustainable and comfortable environment for all of our

tenants, clients, and visitors. We’re not eyeing just the present,

but generations down the line.”


10

Cool but far from tepid, a contempo-rary bath is furnished with sculpturedfixtures by designer Philippe Starck.

Photo Courtesy Duravit.

Hot for Cool Contemporary Bath DesignBY ROSE BENNETT GILBERT

Q:We are planning his and hers baths in our new house. I know

what I want -- old-fashioned tongue-and-groove walls, cream

cabinets ... everything warm and cozy. My husband surprised me

by asking for strictly contemporary: slate floors and walls to the

ceiling, a tub in the middle of the room and European-design

fixtures. Help! I don't know where to begin.

A: Begin with that famous French saying, "Vive la difference!"

Some like it hot, or warm and cozy; some like it cool, really cool,

as in the sleek, stark bath in the photo we show here.

Actually, that should read "sleek, Starck bath," as in Philippe, the

French architect and nonpareil product designer (remember the

iconic, long-legged juicer he created for Alessi in l990, now in

the Museum of Modern Art?).

High, wide and handsome, this bath embodies Starck's obses-

sion with reducing design to its very essence. No fuss, no feath-

ers, no nonsense. As he says, "It has been shown that less really

can be more -- however, only when the reductions are made in

the right places."

A philosopher as well as world-acclaimed designer -- who speaks

of his pared-down designs as "truthfulness" and "the intelli-

gence of ergonomics" -- Starck has been partnering with Duravit,

a leading supplier of bathroom furniture the world-over, for the

past 20 years. He not only designs spare-and-elegant fixtures like

those in this bath, he built the company's headquarters in the

Black Forest, which incorporates a giant toilet in its facade.

Why the giant toilet? "It was for the little boy riding with his fam-

ily through the Black Forest," the architect once explained.

"Nothing but trees, trees, trees ... then, suddenly, 'Daddy, look!

A giant toilet!'"

The same sense of purpose -- and fun -- keeps Starck's Duravit

designs far from the everyday "necessities" they actually are.

This is why you should have a look (duravit.us) on behalf of your

husband's new bath. In this iconoclast designer's hands, less can

be a whole lot more.

For more from Rose Bennett Gilbert visit

www.spotlighthomes.net

DECOR SCORE


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Spotlight Homes

12 Reasons Why Top Quality Paint

Is Worth The MoneyCourtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center

If youíre tempted to save a few dollars by trading down to a

lower quality interior paint, itís important to know what youíre

giving up in the process. Here are 12 reasons top quality 100%

acrylic latex interior paints are worth the money:

* Better adhesion. The superior ìbinderî in these paints helps

them grip any surface.

* Better hiding capability. Top quality paints can often conceal

the color below in fewer coats, saving the time and money

needed to apply additional coats of paint.

* Better spatter resistance. These paints are less likely to throw

off flecks of paint while youíre applying them.

* Better flow and leveling. Top quality paints go on evenly; brush

and roller marks tend to flow out and become unnoticeable.

* Better touch-up. If you have to touch up your paint job at a

later date, it wonít be noticeable when using a top quality paint.

* Better stain resistance. These paints tend to keep dirt and

grime from sinking in, making for easy cleaning.

* Better scrub resistance. Even if you have to scrub hard to re-

move a stubborn stain, top quality paint is tough enough to take

the scrubbing without damaging the surface of the paint.

* Better burnish resistance. Lower quality paints get shiny when

theyíre scrubbed; top quality paints have less of a tendency to

do so.

* Better print resistance. Windowsills and other face-up surfaces

can be imprinted when objects are placed on them. When paint-

ing horizontal surfaces, use of a top quality paint in an eggshell

(rather than a glossier) sheen will minimize this problem.

* Better mildew resistance. If you donít like mildew, donít com-

promise on paint quality.

* Better fade resistance. Youíll probably sweat bullets choosing

just the right paint color. Make sure your color lasts by using a

fade-resistant top quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint.


14

The Colorful Artof Showing OffArtBy: Rose Bennett Gilbert

Q: I am marrying for the second time. My wife-to-be is an avid

collector of modern art. We have decided to move into my

home, but there's a problem. I have always lived with a lot of

color, maybe unusual for a man, but I really like dark, deep-color

walls. My fiance is lobbying for me to repaint because, she says,

my navy walls will "fight" with her art collection. Is it true that

top museums are no longer painting all their walls light or bland

colors? How detrimental will navy be to art anyway?

A: You are right about museums venturing away from blah

beige backgrounds for their art. Among the major American in-

stitutions that have repainted their walls in "radical" colors are

the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. (brilliant blue

and vivid olive green), The Ringling Art Museum in Sarasota, Fla.

(deep crimson and eggplant),

and the San Diego Museum

of Art ("Pumpkin Blush" and

"Raisin Torte").

Their curators, who are

charged with showing some

of the world's best art to best

advantage, insist that deep,

rich colors can make art

"pop," instead of just hang-

ing there against a pre-

dictable white or gray

background. Los Angeles de-

signer Marjorie Skouras obvi-

ously agrees. She's chosen a

vibrant fuchsia for the walls in

the art-rich room we show

here.

In his swell book "Metropoli-

tan Home Glamour," author

Michael Lassel uses this photo to exemplify the kind of "rule-ig-

noring" that can lead to really memorable rooms. "Don't tell

Marjorie Skouras that white is the best background for art," he

writes. She's been fearless in her redo of a Mediterranean manse,

hanging a suite of nine colorful Allen Ruppersberg drawings over

the traditional mantel and echoing the singing color scheme in

the cushions and upholstery below.

You might show this to your wife-to-be. Or, better, urge her to

call and discuss her fears with one of the professional art curators

at the aforementioned museums. Bet you my Rembrandt you'll

get to keep your navy walls!

Q: What's the story behind the greatly shrinking American

home?

A: Are you ready for this? In important numbers, Americans are

coming off our infamous infatuation with over-consumption and

over-the-top, gargantuan houses.

With the National Homebuilders Association reporting floor

space shrinking in new homes from 2,438 sq. ft. in 2007 to 2,377

sq. ft. last year, it seems that we are finally getting the message

that small really can be beautiful.

Bright and red and glamorous all over, a sitting room painted vibrant fuchsia makes an art collection "pop"off the walls. Photo: Courtesy Filipacchi Publishing.


Spotlight Homes

Just don't call it "small," warns one of the architects, literally, of

the big move back to not-so-big living.

"When you talk about smaller, or use the word 'cozy,' people fear

they'll be shoe-horned into some tiny space," explains archi-

tect/author Sarah Susanka, NotSoBig.com. Acknowledged as a

driving force behind the move to not-so-big spaces, she's ready

with the perfect metaphor: "You want a house that's like a well-

tailored suit. There's less material, but it fits you perfectly."

That's the basis of Susanka's "build better, not bigger" message,

which has obviously struck a note with Americans in the l0-plus

years since the publication of her watershed book, "The Not So

Big House."

"True luxury comes through the materials we surround ourselves

with," Susanka believes. As a champion of sustainability, she nat-

urally means natural materials — she's especially devoted to

wood (natural finish, not painted) and stone, like granite.

"The more natural materials, the more contented you are," she

promises.

Upstaging the Too TepidHome 'Stager'

Q: We have just moved into our new house, but we're expect-

ing a baby in less than two months, so we also expect a lot of

visitors. The house was painted all white by the "stager" the sell-

ers hired, and it looks really cold. Any quick tips on how to add

color and warmth without repainting. I'm pregnant and can't

handle the smell!

A: Modern technology to your rescue: There are a number of

paints on the market that promise to be virtually odorless, thanks

to new formulas that eliminate almost all off-gassing. Worth look-

ing into are two from Benjamin Moore, Natural No-VOC and Pris-

tine EcoSpec, and interior latex from Harmony Paints.

Moreover, there are many other house-warmers that don't re-

quire a paintbrush at all, starting at floor level. You can brighten

any room with an area rug in extroverted colors. In the photo we

show here, a smaller Oriental has been laid on the diagonal, di-

rectly over the boringly neutral carpet. Both its brilliant colors

and the new — and unexpected — angle help energize this all-

white room.

So do interesting furnishings, like the conversation-piece cocktail

table (from Tommy Bahama Home/ Island Traditions Collection,

Lexington.com). For all its considerable charms — including lion

paw feet, gleaming hardware and rows of metal studs — the

trunk-like table will be highly practical when you're entertaining

a crowd: Full-extension drawers pull out on both its ends.

Easier ways to add instant color to your pallid interior are to hang

art, and lots of it, on every available wall; gather a harvest of witty

throw pillows on the sofa and chairs; make click-quick curtains

from an Indian-print bedspread hung on a tension rod; fill shelves

with brightly jacketed books and unexpected accessories ...

Then relax. Despite those depressingly white, white rooms, the

little housemate you're expecting will soon fill you home with all

the fun and color anyone could need!

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS SYNDICATE.


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Spotlight Homes

Home BuyersWant CrownMouldingCourtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center

In the 2012 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB ) What

Home Buyers Really Want

study, new and potential

home buyers arent shy

about their preference for

wanting crown moulding ---

its rated the third most es-

sential decorative feature in

the home.

With 62 percent of survey

respondents stating their

preference for crown

mouldings in the home (just

behind ceiling fans and

built-in shelving), the deco-

rative trim surpasses re-

spondents desires for

fireplaces, window seats, kitchen seating and exposed beams.

These findings support the ongoing strength of crown moulding

sales that weve seen over the years, says Anita Piety at Fypon.

Crown moulding has a ëdouble whammy of popularity. Its a dec-

orative feature that builders generally add to rooms to enhance

the appeal of a new home plus its a fairly easy do-it-yourself proj-

ect for homeowners to tackle.

The urethane crown mouldings we offer are especially easy to

install. In addition to traditional crown mouldings that require mi-

tering, we also manufacture miterless crown moulding systems

that require only simple straight cuts. The crown moulding can

be combined with decorative inside and outside corner pieces

and divider blocks to create a stunning accent in any room --- all

without mitering!

Results of the 2012 What Home Buyers Really Want study also

indicate that consumers desire for having crown moulding in the

home has grown steadily over the years. In the 2004 study, 51

percent of respondents rated crown moulding as essential or de-

sirable in the home. This number increased to 61 percent in the

2007 study and has now increased to 62 percent in the 2012

study.

Crown moulding is a timeless product, says Piety. There are such

a wide variety of moulding

designs and sizes that any-

one can match up a home

style with the appropriate

crown moulding. We offer

more than 80 different de-

signs, so whether youre

looking for a simple dentil

crown moulding or an ornate

Florentine crown moulding,

its easy for builders, remod-

elers and homeowners to

purchase and install these

low-maintenance urethane

products.

Fypon offers thousands of

decorative millwork elements in a variety of architectural styles

to enhance the interior and exterior of homes. Each piece is

crafted from tough, weather-resistant, high-performance mate-

rials that are resistant to decay, insect infestation and water dam-

age for long-lasting beauty and low maintenance. Part of

consumer products company Fortune Brands Home & Security

(NYSE: FBHS), Fypon, LLC is owned by Therma-Tru Corp. For ad-

ditional information, call 800-446-3040 or visit www.fypon.com.

What Home Buyers Really Want is a copyrighted work owned by

the National Association of Home Builders of the United States

(NAHB). National Association of Home Builders, NAHB, Builder-

Books, and the NAHB logo are registered trademarks of the Na-

tional Association of Home Builders of the United States.


18

Spotlight Homes

Set for sparkling dinner conversations: dining room goes glamwith high-gloss finishes and crystal lighting. Photo: Roger Davis.


19

Spotlight Homes

Adding a DashOf Glamour toDinnerBy: Rose Bennett Gilbert

Q: I'm moving into my (second) husband's apartment and he's

agreed to let me do some redecorating. The apartment is in an

historic old building built in the Art Deco style. We plan to en-

tertain a lot and I want to make it glamorous, even sexy, espe-

cially the dining room, but I can't find many glam dining rooms

to inspire me.

A: Then you haven't yet seen a new book by designer Amanda

Nisbet, aptly named "Dazzling Design (Stewart, Tabori & Chang,

publishers)."

Based in New York City, Amanda knows glamour ... Art Deco,

too. Just seeing the Chrysler Building gleaming on the skyline is

inspiration enough. The dining room we show here could inspire

yours, with its deep, rich color scheme and high-gloss sparkle.

Amanda custom-designed the black glass-and-brass dining ta-

bles — a second mirror-image dining arrangement sits just out

of the photo to the left, so there's ample room for eight swelle-

gant dinner guests.

There's also another pair of those vintage crystal light fixtures

hanging from the ivory-painted ceiling she had lacquered high-

gloss to bring "sparkle to an already-sexy room."

More ideas to investigate: the dramatically scaled abstract art on

the wall echoed in the rug; the banquet seating that wraps one

end of each table, balanced by pull-up chairs; her inspired use

of color "that effectively functions as an architectural element by

influencing the ways in which the room's tectonic properties are

perceived."

In other words, if you know how to harness the power of color,

you can visually raise or lower a ceiling ... push walls back or

bring them closer ... smooth out architectural eccentricities, such

as niches and load-bearing beams ... energize or pacify the over-

all attitude of a room.

Here's the key: dark colors "advance." That is, they make sur-

faces look closer to the eye. Light colors recede, so things look

further away, ergo, more space. Matte (flat) finishes work much

like dark colors, while glossy finishes act like mirrors, creating

more space than what actually exists.

Colors also have attitude: the warmer the hue (think sunshine-

hot yellows, oranges, reds), the livelier the space. The cooler the

colors (think ice blue and green, blue-white and frosted yellows

and pinks), the more serene the scene.

Back to the subject of glamorous decor: the last word may be

the Swarovski fireplace (introduced by Napoleon Fireplaces &

Grills, napoleonfireplaces.com). Available in one- or two-sided

versions, the limited edition comes with a bed of authentic pre-

cision-cut crystals that shoot "sparks" when you turn on the fire-

place lights.

Q: I'm looking for something new in cabinets for my kitchen,

which is contemporary. I am bored with stainless and don't want

painted cabinets — or do I?

A: High-gloss painted cabinets, say in dove or charcoal gray,black or bright white, would be smart in an haute-contemporary

kitchen.

New and even newer-looking: check out the textured high-pres-

sure laminates about to be introduced by one top cabinetry com-

pany (wood-mode.com). The surfaces are textured to look like

real, raised wood grain, giving cabinets the look and feel of

weathered wood that also promises to wear like iron.

Vanguard Plastic Texture Laminates will be available in four nat-

ural-wood-look colors in December.

Rose Bennett Gilbert is the co-author of "Manhattan Style" and

six other books on interior design.


spotlight homes - january 2015

Documents

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comel paso

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unique tenants

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