Building Nevada - December 2002

And the Winners Are…

Nevada’s Homebuilders Honored for Achievements

by Kathleen Foley

Each spring, Oscars are handed out for achievements in the motion picture industry, and each fall, the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association (SNHBA) and the Builders Association of Northern Nevada (BANN) hold awards ceremonies for the state’s top residential builders. This year, the two homes chosen for top honors were built by last year’s winners: Altmann Construction and Christopher Homes. However, there were a few surprises and some new categories as well, reflecting the continued growth and vitality of Nevada’s residential construction industry.

Northern Nevada’s BANN-ER Awards

The Builders Association of Northern Nevada hosted a gala awards dinner on November 1 at John Ascuaga's Nugget to salute the region’s local builders and the homes they build. The sixth annual BANN-ER Awards Extravaganza recognized winners in 33 categories, with the aim of promoting uniqueness in a variety of products within a number of different price ranges. Distinguished judges from out of state – experts in construction, architecture, interior design and marketing – personally reviewed all entries and made their choices based on predetermined criteria. BANN, a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders, is committed to education, information, representation and benefits for its membership, community and the building industry.

The winner for "Judge’s Choice-Best of Show" was the Marren Residence, built by Altmann Construction in a wooded area in Lahontan. The Marren Residence was designed by architect Dean Abbot, and finishing touches were provided by the design firm of Tucker & Marks. The 6,000-square-foot home, built on a large hillside lot, accommodated the sloping terrain by ranging over seven different interior levels. Built in the old Tahoe style with Craftsman detailing, it contains six bedrooms plus a den and 7 and 1/2 baths. Altmann Construction’s team finished the daunting project in 18 months. Their biggest challenge, according to Ken Thormahlen, construction manager for the home, was coordinating all the special-order materials, which included $500,000 worth of wood for the Craftsman-style millwork, paneling and wainscoting. The wood came from 100-year-old Douglas fir vertical-grain beams that were reclaimed from old logging bridges in Canada and milled to exact specifications for use in the house.

Altmann Construction, which won the Judge’s Choice award last year for a different custom residence, has completed approximately 200 custom homes since its founding in 1986. Fred Altmann, founder and president, works closely with project managers and subcontractors on each project. He stated, "The building process takes a lot of time and effort, not the least of which is fitting it all into a budget."

Southern Nevada’s Homer Awards

More than 400 home building industry executives turned out for the 19th Annual Homer Awards banquet, held Oct. 12 at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. The 2002 "Home of the Year" award, presented for quality and excellence in Southern Nevada home building, went to Christopher Homes for its Nechita model at The Villas subdivision in the master-planned community of Southern Highlands Golf Club in southwest Las Vegas. The Tuscan-inspired, 2,454-square-foot luxury home is geared for empty nesters, affluent couples or singles and second-home buyers. 2002 was the second consecutive year in which Christopher Homes won the coveted SNHBA award for home design excellence. Last year, the builder won for its Da Vinci model at The Christopher Collection, also in Southern Highlands.

The Homer Awards’ judges, all home building industry experts from out of state, praised the home’s creative floor plan and its integration of interior and exterior space. The home, with an optional second-floor game room adding 698 square feet, is designed so all the main living areas open onto either the private enclosed courtyard or rear-yard terrace. The goal was to create a cohesive indoor-outdoor relationship and expand the livable area of the home. The Nechita model features: a master-bedroom suite with bathroom and walk-in closet; a second bedroom; a study; a second bathroom; great room, kitchen and dining room; and two, one-car garages. The optional second floor features a game room, deck and covered patio/deck.

Christopher Homes also won five other Homers at this year’s ceremony. Other companies receiving awards were: Astoria Homes, Celebrate Homes, Del Webb Corp., the Howard Hughes Corp., Pacific Properties, R/S Development, Signature Homes, Sunrise Colony, Toll Brothers and Westmark Homes.

SNHBA developed the Homer Awards program 19 years ago to honor builders for their commitment to quality and responsible planning. The not-for-profit building trade association has some 750 members who are involved in all facets of the industry. It is an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders, which has some 200,000 members who employ more than 6 million workers.

SNHBA 2002 HOMER AWARDS

BANNER AWARDS

Kathleen Foley
Kathleen Foley is a freelance writer based in Southern Nevada.