The oldest and largest program of its kind, the Gold Nugget Awards were established in 1963 to recognize builder excellence and creative achievement in architectural design and land use planning for residential, commercial and industrial projects throughout the 14 Western States. In 1991, PCBC expanded the program to include projects in countries that bordered the Pacific Ocean. International eligibility was further expanded in 2006 to include all countries outside the United States.

It is certainly an honor to be included among the best in the world for what we do, said Chairman Michael Towbes. These awards are an affirmation of our core values to lead by example and to build projects that our team, our tenants and the community can be proud of.

The Sumida Garden Apartments in Goleta, which contains 200 one-, two- and three-bedroom affordable and workforce rental units, won a Gold Nugget Award of Merit in the Infill, Redevelopment or Rehab Site Plan (More than 5 Acres) category. Located on a former nursery site, the 10-acre Sumida Gardens community features 40 percent open space. To create a buffer from surrounding land uses, Towbes situated the parking on the perimeter of the site. The resulting interior green open space, which connects each of the nine apartment buildings and clubhouse/pool, allows for complete separation of pedestrian and vehicular circulation. Members of the development team were CSA Architects; Suding Design Landscape Architecture, and engineering firm Flowers & Associates.

Ralston Courtyards, a 108-unit luxury multi-family rental apartment community in Ventura received an Award of Merit in the category of Infill, Re-development or Rehab Site Plan (Five Acres or Less). Judges lauded The Towbes Group for its efficient use of land area to create a quiet retreat on a small infill lot in an urban setting. While limited to a relatively small three and a half acre site, Towbes was able to achieve 30 dwelling units per acre while incorporating nearly 10,000 square feet of interconnected courtyards and outdoor common areas to extend living space to the outside. Ralston Courtyards also includes a clubhouse with an outdoor pool and spa.

Completed in December 2010, Ralston Courtyards was developed on the last parcel of land of a former orchard. Completed in October 2010, the award-winning community hit 98 percent occupancy in less than seven months. Towbes previously built a 268-unit market rate rental community and a 104-unit low income senior’s community on the balance of the property. Members of the development team were CSA Architects, architect; Arcadia Studio, landscape architect; and Jensen Design & Survey, civil engineer.

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