IRVINE, CA - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture + Planning, is pleased to announce that KTGY Principal Manny Gonzalez, AIA, LEED AP, CAASH, has been invited to be a featured speaker in an upcoming webinar presented by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) on July 6, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT. The webinar, "Emerging Trends in 50+ Design & Amenities," is sponsored by Whirlpool. Gonzalez will discuss current and emerging design trends for 50+ lifestyle communities and the market research that illustrates what design features and community amenities that 50+ consumers prefer and will pay for. Gonzalez will also highlight recent projects that are meeting the needs of the changing 50+ consumer including new communities in Los Angeles and Costa Mesa, Calif.; Murray, Utah; and Portland, Oregon.
According to Gonzalez, "Senior apartments are taking on a whole new feel these days. They are not 'retirement' communities; they are anything but that. These communities are active and vibrant; they are more like resorts, and are modern in design and filled with amenities," Gonzalez said.
"If you just think about what the new renter leaves behind when they move out of their house, it becomes pretty obvious what needs to be designed into senior apartments. New communities are starting to feature outdoor living areas, gardens, bark parks with dog washing area, and even workshops to replace the workbench in the garage. Other amenities include a rooftop terrace, swimming pool, fitness center, yoga/Pilates room, crafts room, an outdoor track, and/or a community worship center," said Gonzalez.
"The location, such as a downtown urban location, is another valued amenity that is important to today's active seniors. Similar to Gen Y and X, seniors want access to the 24/7 active lifestyle, dining, shopping, cultural events and entertainment. The seniors also want access to education too. Additionally, they want to be able to walk their neighborhood and have convenient access to transit. We are seeing more senior communities being developed near transit hubs," Gonzalez noted.
"Seniors also like the ease of lifestyle, the ability to 'lock and leave,' that apartments and condos represent. They also want to live closer to family and friends, as well as education," Gonzalez said.
"These renters don't want to move into a retirement home like they moved their grandmother into 40 years ago. They want fresh and new," said Gonzalez.
According to U.S. Census reports, 40 percent of those 65 to 80 years old who do move will move from a house to a rental community. Also, 10,000 Baby Boomers a day will turn 65 for the next 19 years. That could mean as many as 4,000 new renters each day between the ages of 65 and 80, explained Gonzalez.
"Men and women are also living longer, which further impacts the number of housing units we will need to satisfy increasing demand," Gonzalez added.
Recently, Gonzalez spoke about the latest sustainable design trends in the Boral Sustainability Speaker Series at PCBC The Show, Homebuilding’s Premier Tradeshow and Conference held in San Francisco, Calif. Gonzalez is a frequent guest speaker and panelist at the various industry events including PCBC, NAHB, IBS, and ULI.
Gonzalez is the senior partner in KTGY’s Santa Monica office and president of KTGY Group, Colorado. He is responsible for the design, land planning, and production of developments throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado as well as active adult and affordable multi-family communities nationwide. In his more than 25 years of practice in residential development, Gonzalez has won numerous awards for his outstanding designs including Gold Nugget, Best in American Living, Pillars of Industry, MAME and Elan.
In 2010, Gonzalez won his fifth NAHB 50+ Housing Gold Award, which was for Parkview Living Senior Community in Echo Park, Calif., and was named “Person of the Year” in 2009 by the 50+ Housing Council of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, in recognition of Manny’s commitment, personal compassion, and professional contributions as a national leader in 50+ housing design and innovation. Gonzalez has served as Chair of the NAHB 50+ Symposium and Education Committee, and two terms as President of the Seniors Housing Council for Southern California.
He is currently on the Editorial Advisory Board of 50+ Builder and BUILDERNews magazines, and has written and contributed to scores of articles on residential design. An 8th generation native of Los Angeles, Manny is also dedicated to community service and youth sports.
Established in 1991, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture + Planning, provides comprehensive planning and award-winning architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, Calif., Denver, Colo., and Tysons Corner, Va. See: www.KTGY.com