LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (April 16, 2009) � The Athens Group, developer
of environmentally-sensitive luxury hotels and resorts has learned that
its latest project, the new Montage Beverly Hills, was awarded Gold LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S.
Green Building Council (USGBC).
�We are very proud to have partnered with Montage Hotels and Resorts
to create an outstanding example of excellence in design and sustainability,�
said Kim Richards, president of The Athens Group.
He added, �Respect for the environment is paramount in everything we
do. We have been recognized for our commitment to design and environmental
excellence by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and Environmental Protection
Agency. We deeply appreciate the U.S. Green Building Council for recognizing
Montage Beverly Hills with this highly valued certification.� Only 18 hotels
worldwide have achieved LEED certification.
Montage Beverly Hills is a perfect example of a successful public/private
partnership. The Athens Group worked side-by-side with the mayor, City
council and neighborhood groups throughout the design, development and
construction process. By combining resources and talents, The Athens Group
and the City created an inspired work of art reminiscent of the Golden
Age of California. The Montage Beverly Hills was developed by The Athens
Group for Beverly Hills Luxury Hotel, LLC - a partnership between The Athens
Group and private investors. |
The Athens Group is currently constructing Montage Deer Valley in Park
City, Utah with environmentally responsible "green" features that will
minimize the resort's environmental footprint, in accordance with established
LEED principles. The LEED Certification system recognizes innovation in
design, sustainable sites, energy efficiency, water efficiency, and indoor
environmental quality among other criteria.
�When we designed Montage Beverly Hills with HKS Hill Glazier Studio,
we looked to the past for inspiration and selected Spanish Colonial Revival
architecture to complement the storied history, culture and tradition of
Beverly Hills,� said Jay Newman, Chief Operating Officer, The Athens Group
and manager of the company�s Los Angeles office. �We also looked
to the future, and built the hotel to be sustainable and incorporate energy
efficient systems and state-of-the-art technologies to minimize the impact
on the environment. We are honored that Montage Beverly Hills has achieved
Gold LEED certification.�
The Athens Group collaborated with Montage Hotels and Resorts, the
City of Beverly Hills and neighborhood groups to design, develop and construct
Montage Beverly Hills. The mutual goal was to revitalize a previously abandoned,
2.5-acre retail area near Rodeo Drive and convert it into a sustainable
site. Construction began in 2005, and the eight-story, 201-room luxury
hotel opened in November 2008.
The Athens Group, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona is a full-service
real estate development company specializing in the development of upscale
resort communities, luxury resort hotels, golf courses and redevelopment
projects. A hallmark of The Athens Group is its dedication to environmental
and cultural sensitivity with each development project it pursues.
Since the company was founded in 1988, The Athens Group has developed
the following projects:
Montage Deer Valley, Park City, Utah
The Athens Group is developing and constructing Montage Deer
Valley, a 16-acre property is located at Deer Valley Resort in Park City,
Utah that is planned to open in late 2010. The project has been selected
as the nation�s first pilot project for the Environmental Protection Agency's
ER3 (Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse) initiative.
Designed with a theme reminiscent of the great mountain lodges of North
America, Montage Deer Valley will be constructed and operated in accordance
with environmentally responsible "green" features that will minimize the
resort's environmental footprint, in accordance with established LEED principles.
The mixed-use resort project includes a 174-room luxury hotel and 81 private
residences. The resort is just steps away from the Deer Valley Resort ski
lifts and is surrounded by ski terrain.
Montage Laguna Beach, California
In May 2006 the Urban Land Institute (ULI) selected the 261-room, oceanfront
Montage Resort and Spa in Laguna Beach (now Montage Laguna Beach) for its
prestigious Awards for Excellence: The Americas. The ULI competition is
widely recognized as the land use industry's most prestigious recognition
program. The Spa Montage was the first spa property to ever achieve the
coveted Mobil Five-Star Award in 2005 and was identified as the country's
number one spa according to the Mobil Travel Guide. It won the rating again
in 2006. Montage Resort & Spa has received numerous travel awards including
"Best of the Best" by the Robb Report and #2 U.S. Resort by Conde Nast
Traveler's annual Readers Choice Poll.
Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, Colorado
In 2002, The Athens Group completed development of a 237-room luxury
Ritz-Carlton resort hotel with 23 Penthouse Residences above the hotel
floors in the master-planned community of Bachelor Gulch near Beaver Creek,
Colorado. The design of the hotel is inspired by the historic lodges of
the U.S. national parks and the site's rustic environment. In addition
to the Ritz-Carlton hotel and Penthouse Residences, The Athens Group developed
the Ritz-Carlton Club, Bachelor Gulch. This 54-unit interval ownership
member's vacation club was developed on a site immediately adjacent to
the Ritz-Carlton resort hotel and shares most of the resort's services
and amenities.
Ritz-Carlton Resort in Half Moon Bay, California
The 261-room luxury oceanfront hotel was awarded "Best New Hotel 2001"
by the respected American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. In 2002 and
2003 the hotel also received the AAA 5 Diamond Award. The destination resort
is the only golf resort in the San Francisco Bay area.
Four Season Hualalai Resort, Big Island, Hawaii
In October 1999, Hualalai Resort received the ULI Award for Excellence.
The ULI Award for Excellence jury stated, "Hualalai has influenced resort
developers worldwide. Against a historic setting, it provides residents
and vacationers with a natural environment that maintains an ecological
balance. The resort is leading a cyclical change in Hawaii's resort economy,
and is elevating even higher the standards of the entire market."
In spring 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named Four Seasons
Hualalai Resort a recipient of its annual awards for environmental responsibility,
one of just 30 awards nationwide.
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Arizona
Inspired by the architectural principles of Frank Lloyd Wright and
the grand resorts of the 1930s, this 398-room destination resort is the
keystone element of the 1,042 acre Ventana Canyon master-planned resort
and residential community. In 1987, the resort received the ULI Award for
Excellence. The ULI award stated, the "Loews Ventana Canyon Resort represents
a first-class design solution in an environmentally sensitive area. The
project reflects the preservation and enhancement of the desert landscape.
Loews Ventana Canyon has been a major force in changing, upgrading and
establishing Tucson as a destination resort area.� |
