Galleries at Turney, Phoenix, Arizona

The Galleries at Turney chosen for USGBC Greenbuild 2009

2009-06-28T10:22:00.003-07:00

"The Galleries at Turney," designed by nationally acclaimed architectural firm, [merz]project, was chosen by the Host Committee of Greenbuild 2009 to be showcased as one of the feature projects during their planned Greenbuild Tours Arizona, with an audience of over 25,00 expected conference participants.

Galleries at Turney will be participating in the 2009 Contemporary Desert Living Tour, as part of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council) annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. The conference will take place in Phoenix, Arizona on November 11-13, with a guided architectural tour to wrap up the weeks' events on Saturday, November 14, 2009.

One of the tours stops will be The Galleries at Turney, the first and only LEED-H (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified housing development in Arizona. Located in the Biltmore area of Phoenix, this unconventional, contemporary community consists of eight homes that boast considerable energy and water savings for its owners.

The Greenbuild Conference Host Committee chose The Galleries at Turney to showcase the tour as the project exemplifies the relevancy to the Greenbuild 2009 idea - design which is truly innovative and environmentally responsible contributes to the community and creates a dialogue.

Going Green to Save Green

2009-04-04T12:44:00.008-07:00

[Source: Arizona Republic - Home] People who are looking to buy home now want them to be green - not only eco-friendly green, but economically green.

"Saving money is the Number 1 thing when it comes to green," says Ed Gorman, founder of Modus Development, which built Galleries at Turney, an "urban green" development in central Phoenix.

More than low-VOC paints and how the wood is engineered - and way above saving water - it's money."

At The Galleries at Turney, the utility bill for a 2,000-square foot home is about $125 in the middle of summer. "That's what gets people's attention," he says. "I firmly believe that in five years everything built will have to be green, whether LEED or some other standard. What will drive it? Whether demand by consumer or required by the government, some source will have to make it."

This urban oasis of eight homes by Modus Development is the first community in Arizona to be LEED certified. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a national benchmark of standards for eco-friendly building.

One of the most striking aspects is the exterior. The houses are covered in corrugated zinc that's suspended off the walls by an inch, which lets hot air flow behind it and continuously shades the building, Gorman says, adding, "Architects come from around the world to see it."

The roof includes a reflective coating to keep it cool.

The homes were built on a plot of land that used to include two-single family houses. With desert landscaping, controlled irrigation and other water-saving features, Gorman estimates the eight homes use less water than the two houses that were there before.

Still the homes have to be appealing, so the builder included a wall of glass that treated to resist heat transfer. The homes include energy efficient Bosch appliances and are pre-wired for solar power. [Note: to read the full article, click here.]

GreenSource Magazine features Galleries at Turney on cover

2009-02-05T09:15:00.010-07:00

[Source: GreenSource Magazine] -- The Anti-Tract Houses: A developer blends the single-family home mentality of old Phoenix with the urban density of the row house to create a new southwestern sensibility. The Galleries at Turney enjoy the distinction of being the first LEED for Homes Certified project in Arizona. However, this eight-unit development would turn the heads of even the most eco-oblivious passers-by. In a central Phoenix neighborhood of low-slung, sun-parched mid-century ranches -- what historian Colin Rowe called “ranchburgers” -- and some brand-new spec-developer Styrofoam villas, the Galleries are unapologetically, refreshingly, non-contextual.

“The anti-tract home” is how the Galleries’ developer, Ed Gorman, of Phoenix-based Modus Development, describes his ambitious new project, with its compact site plan and street elevations that blend corrugated-zinc panels, exposed-block walls, weathered-steel doors, and glass curtain walls. As such, the Galleries, designed by the young Phoenix firm [merz] project, join the growing portfolio of recent Phoenix housing that challenges the local tendency to let the national production home builders loose on the landscape, with predictably generic results. [Note: to read the full article, click here.]

Galleries at Turney wins 2008 Evergreen Award

2008-11-26T15:17:00.006-07:00

[Source: Eco-Structure Magazine] -- At the 2008 GreenBuild show in Boston, MA this week, The Galleries at Turney was presented with the Evergreen Award in the "Greenhouse" category. According to Evergreen Awards judge Bert Gregory, FAIA, president and CEO of Seattle-based Mithun, "This resource-smart set of single-family homes is developed at a density that has the potential to promote walking and mass transit. With a strong architectural concept and an elegant design, it looks like a great place to live, too." [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Galleries at Turney offers solar energy option

2008-11-01T11:36:00.008-07:00

[Source: Salt River Project] -- The Galleries at Turney now offers a 4-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system: a feature that virtually eliminates electricity bills. Modus Development has partnered with American Solar Electric to provide grid-connected PV systems to take advantage of SRP EarthWise Solar Energy incentives. In addition, the new homebuyers can apply for state and federal tax credits. SRP EarthWise Solar Energy, a solar-incentive program that encourages SRP customers to invest in solar energy, paid for 40% of each homeowner’s system in the development.

Each individual system can significantly reduce the homeowner’s electric bill by generating an estimated 28,800 kilowatt hours of electricity on an annual basis. That equates to offsetting almost 30,000 pounds of CO2 emissions in the first year of operation. For more information, click here.

"South Beach in Phoenix"

2008-06-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

Check out the blog of WNBA Superstar Diana Taurasi who recently moved into the Galleries at Turney. NCAA Championship, WNBA Championship, Olympic Gold Medal, and living in these flyyy diggs. Now that's living the dream. http://www.yardbarker.com/wnba/articles/South_Beach_in_Phoenix/278648

Galleries at Turney featured in new book, "Choosing Green"

2008-05-22T19:08:00.009-07:00

The Galleries at Turney is featured in "Choosing Green: The Home Buyer's Guide to Good Green Homes," a new book by Jerry Yudelson. To order your copy, click here.

Galleries at Turney on AIA 2008 Architecture Week Home Tour

2008-04-01T12:11:00.001-07:00

[Source: AIA Arizona] -- The AIA 2008 Architecture Week Home Tour features twelve homes that are open for a self-guided tour on Sunday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s tour will showcase a variety of designs and types of architecture that demonstrate how good design can be both affordable and state of the art. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $22 by calling the AIA Office at 602-252-4200 or e-mail. Tickets will also be available for $25 at any of the homes on the day of the tour.

Climate change, cost prompting energy-efficient home construction

2008-01-28T14:10:00.003-07:00

[Source: Elizabeth Exhine, LifeWire] -- Nestled among the new brownstones and midcentury bungalows in the heart of Phoenix are eight contemporary town homes dubbed The Galleries at Turney. These luxury homes aren't just architectural beauties. They're also good examples of "green" buildings (structures designed to accommodate rather than shut out the environment).

To absorb the brunt of the harsh desert sun, a rain screen fashioned from fiber cement and zinc panels wraps around each building, while specially glazed low-emittance (low-E) windows prevent outdoor heat from working its way inside. Low-VOC paints -- tints low in volatile organic compounds that emit harmful gases -- coat the structures inside and out, and high-efficiency appliances and heating and cooling systems have been installed in each unit. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Design magazine highlights Galleries at Turney features

2007-12-15T13:05:00.003-07:00

The Galleries at Turney are a pure expression of modern living consisting of eight detached residences in a quiet gated enclave located several blocks south of Phoenix’s bustling 24th Street and Camelback area. Each interior is nearly 2,000 square feet and two stories/26 feet in height and features leading-edge contemporary design with spacious interiors, state-of-the-art appointments and large floor-to-ceiling windows to bring light to each room. Exteriors include secured, individual two-car garages providing ample parking and storage below with decks above providing spectacular views of downtown Phoenix to the south and Camelback Mountain, Phoenix Mountain Preserve, and nearby Esplanade and Biltmore buildings to the north.

The Galleries is the first development in Arizona to receive Leadership in Energy and Efficient (LEED) certification for homes. LEED® promotes a whole-building approach to durability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Galleries is the first collaboration between three of the hottest and most critically acclaimed leaders of urban infill projects with the Phoenix area; Modus Development, [merz] project architects, and Urban Edge Builders. The Galleries development team is comprised of professionals who know and understand urban design and appreciate the value of sustainable building.

Galleries is located is unique property providing the owner with a quiet suburban neighborhood feel but only minutes away from major shopping, restaurants, parks and commuter access. If it's shopping you want, the Biltmore, Town & Country, and Colonnade shopping areas are only minutes away. If you seek parks and recreational areas, Galleries is two blocks from Los Olivos and just over a mile to Squaw Peak and if you need quick access to commuting, Galleries is located just over a mile from Squaw Peak freeway (Route 51) as well as the new light rail system. In essence, Galleries provides you quick access to where you want to live, work, and play!

Galleries at Turney features

2007-11-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

By many standards, the Galleries at Turney is almost a contradiction in terms because it has been designed to be environmentally friendly and opulent at the same time. With energy efficient construction and appliances, recycled materials and a stylish design, Galleries has quickly become the standard for the 21st century for new homes that dispel the myth that a "green home" is unattractive or that luxury comes at the detriment to the environment around it. Galleries is neither and offers:

Function. Galleries provides flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for its residents to experience the a suburban feel in a recycled urban environment. The first floor opens to a large private courtyard, while second floor provides a spacious living room, kitchen and dining area with open access to a patio to view northern and southern views of the mountains and city. As one rises to the top of the home, the top-floor brings you to the private realm of the master bedroom suite containing windows to allow you sublime views of Camelback Mountain, Squaw Peak, and Phoenix skyline.

Energy Efficiency. The design of Galleries incorporates environmentally friendly strategies and materials making the first town home project to achieve Phoenix’s “Advanced” Green Building Rating, the highest rating given by the City of Phoenix. The Green Building Program encourages a whole-systems approach through design and building techniques to minimize environmental impact and reduce the energy consumption of buildings while contributing to the health of its occupants. In addition, Galleries is LEED for Homes (LEED-H) certified. In order to achieve these designations, the buildings utilize passive heating/cooling techniques, numerous innovative and environmentally friendly materials, and efficient home designs that require significantly less energy than typical homes. The exterior finish materials are reusable and recyclable. Building materials included corrugated metal siding and fibrous concrete panels that act as a rain screen while creating a thermal barrier that eliminates heat transmission to the building while effectively shading the building from the heat of the desert sun.

Space

2 bedrooms
Living room/lounge
Multi-purpose flex room (den/office/bedroom)
2 1/2 baths

Design

Quartz zinc panels – front and sides
Cembonit cement panels - rear and sides
Exposed masonry walls – lower level
Limestone floors in main living area
Polished and sealed concrete floors on lower level
State-of-the-art kitchen
Italian cabinetry by Maistri la Cucina
CaesarStone® countertops
Kohler® fixtures
Large private balcony
Private backyard
12-foot high floor-to-ceiling windows and doors
Spectacular views

State-of-the-art green construction

LEED for Homes certified
Heat pump – 13 SEER rating
Bosch® Energy Star® appliances
Low-E windows
Low VOC panes
4-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system for "0" energy costs

Galleries at Turney receives two AIA Arizona design awards

2007-09-08T12:10:00.002-07:00

[Source: AIA Arizona] -- The Galleries at Turney are the first development in Arizona to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design on homes (LEED-H) certification and a 2007 winner of an AIA Merit Awards and AIA/Salt River Project Sustainable Award. The Galleries features eight detached residences in a quiet, gated enclave. It is a pure expression of modern living and cutting edge contemporary design.

2007 AIA Arizona Design Awards, Merit Award Winner
2007 AIA Arizona Design Awards, Sustainable Award Winner