ICON in the Gulch Among Finalists in National Multifamily Housing Industry Award Competition

CLEVELAND, OH – March 25, 2009 - The National Association of Home Builders’ [NAHB] recognized ICON in the Gulch, designed by Cleveland-based, ka, among the top trend-setters in the multifamily housing industry, as part of its annual Pillars of the Industry Awards program promoting excellence in apartment and condo design, development, marketing and management. The Pillars of the Industry Awards are considered a showcase of future trends and innovation.

“This year’s finalists represent the creativity of industry leaders who’ve combined beauty and high quality with an emphasis on what is most valuable to residents,” said Steve Patterson, chairman of NAHB’s Multifamily Leadership Board and CEO of ZOM USA in Orlando, Fla. “In the current economic environment, it is also extremely encouraging to see so many multifamily builders focusing on affordability and long-term sustainability.”

Finalists were selected for superior achievement in 28 categories, including Best High-Rise Condominium Community. ICON in the Gulch was chosen on the basis of effectively serving as the anchor development for the Gulch Development District, meeting and exceeding the expectations of urban buyers in Nashville, and creating an extraordinary union of urban living and resort amenities. Hundreds of entries—representing apartment and condo communities from across the country—vied for this year’s awards, which are considered among the most prestigious in the housing industry.

“It is an honor that ICON in the Gulch was amongst the finalists at these prestigious awards,” said Robert Weeks, project manager at ka. “It was a true team effort with our client, Bristol Development Group, along with Marketstreet Equities, Co., various consultants and ourselves that resulted in such a notable project,” he adds. “ICON ‘s design needed to be timeless as it will set the tone for the Gulch’s residential district,” says Lee Schaefer, Vice President - Development at Bristol Development Group. “We enlisted ka to provide such a design and they delivered above and beyond,” he adds.

Founded in 1960, ka has evolved into a nationally recognized, 65-person firm based in Cleveland, Ohio with a second location in Tampa, Florida. The firm’s mix of services include site and land planning, architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture and environmental graphic design services.

ka’s architectural and design creativity and detail driven project delivery in the commercial and corporate marketplaces has culminated in the design of projects in 41 states and Puerto Rico. These include millions of square feet of large scale, mixed-use projects comprised of residential, retail, office, and entertainment components, condominiums/apartments, open-air lifestyle centers, 60 regional malls, over 300 department stores as well as developer and corporate headquarter office space.

Winners were announced at the annual NAHB Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Conference and Awards Gala on March 18 at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego.

About NAHB and tHE Pillars of the Industry Awards:

The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 200,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB’s Pillars of the Industry Awards honor excellence in apartment and condominium design and development, as well as leadership in marketing and property management. Since its inception in 1990, the Pillars of the Industry Awards program has earned the reputation as the most prestigious in the multifamily industry, and both the housing industry and the media look to the Pillars Awards as a showcase of future trends and innovation.

For More Information Contact:
Abigail Dachille – ka
216.830.1584
adachill@kainc.com