Award-winning real estate firm Optima is setting a new benchmark for sustainable luxury with its $1 billion mixed-use community Optima McDowell Mountain. Featuring meticulously designed residences, cutting-edge green building techniques and open space, the new community is all about modern desert living.
Designed by internationally acclaimed architects David Hovey Sr., FAIA, and David Hovey Jr., AIA, Optima McDowell Mountain is home to the most extensive private rainwater harvesting system in the U.S. This revolutionary system collects rainwater for on-site irrigation and reduces residential water consumption.
Through a partnership with the City of Scottsdale, Optima has secured 2,750 acre-feet of available water – equivalent to 30 years of residential and commercial occupancy – ensuring a reliable supply for the city.
“Optima McDowell Mountain is the culmination of everything we’ve worked toward over the past four decades regarding sustainability, architecture and community integration,” Hovey Jr. said.
The community will also be Scottsdale’s first development built under the newly adopted International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC). The project reflects decades of collaboration between Optima President David Hovey Jr., AIA, and Anthony Floyd, AIA, who founded Scottsdale’s Green Building Program in 1998.
“From the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the country to 75 percent open space at grade level, paired with architecture that embraces and celebrates the beauty of the Sonoran landscape, we believe this project will set a precedent for sustainable design and architecture in the Valley,” Hovey Jr. said.
Construction is underway on the first residential tower, and the finished project will span 22 acres on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway. Optima McDowell Mountain will offer 1,330 condos and apartments and 36,000 square feet of commercial, retail, and restaurant space.
Each of Optima’s six concrete-framed, eight-story buildings has been uniquely refined and has its own amenities, including fitness centers, basketball and pickleball courts, and clubhouses. Residents will also enjoy access to six rooftop decks that will feature 50-meter Olympic-length swimming pools, running tracks, and outdoor fireplaces.
The first tower is expected to begin selling this spring and will welcome move-ins in September. For more information, visit optimamcdowellmountain.com.
