The New Escena Logo!

The new logo and font change for the Escena is here. What are you thoughts? I think it looks lovely!

Landscaping lights around Escena

The landscaping lights around Escena have been an ongoing issue the last few weeks. The lights have been on in some areas and off in others. The occasional blackouts along the main entrance off Gene Autry and along Clubhouse View have some neighbors in the black. If you see lights not working properly at night please leave a comment so it can be forwarded to the HOA.

Avant Grand Opening by Lennar

The grand opening was today, and it was a very busy turnout. Desserts, drinks and musicians serenade the potential new homeowners and onlookers. Pricing is below and is also inclusive of a backyard pool and spa combination. For homeowners not interested in the pool it would be less $20,000. One of the homes wasn't styled or furnished. From what I heard, residence 2 was favorite for design and styling. We will see in the weeks ahead if Lennar can produce sales. Stay tuned.

Standard Pacific Model Resale at Escena

$697,500
3831 Square Feet
The ad reads: Spectacular Standard Pacific model in the gated golf course community of Escena. This highly upgraded elegant home is an entertainer's oasis. Click Here for more information.

Avant from Lennar Release Party

The Avant at Escena Golf Club Grand Opening is November 10th.

Avant 2 by Lennar Grand Opening Soon!

The Avant 2 by Lennar located in the Escena Golf Club in Palm Springs, will be opening November 10th. Stay tuned for images of the models and pricing information.

Updates for Alta Verde at Escena

Concrete foundation is almost completely poured on all lots that will be sold first. Also the framing is going up on the models. See the pictures below. Construction crews are in full force on the Alta Verde homes!

HOA Meeting at Escena

Tonight the meeting was held in the clubhouse. It was a nice turnout with about 25 people.

1. The board elected to hire an outside patrol company to patrol the community twice a day. Also to patrol street parking and possibly write citations for cars parked on the street.

2. The board elected to petition a small group of volunteers to start a planing commitee for small changes to homes requiring approval for minimal work to help off set the large $275 current fee.

3. The board petitioned to bring the speed limits of the streets around Escena to 25 MPH from 15 MPH and will be decided on at possibly the next meeting. Much conversation was had over adding speed bumps and even potentially digital speed limits that flash when you are going to fast.

4. Homeowners expressed issues with construction crews speeding, leaving the gates open during the day and some homeowners expressed concerns about the potential fines of street parking. The also expressed eyesores of palm trees and broken lights throughout the streets of Escena. Home owners also talked about easier ways to get out of the gates when on a bicycle.

There was also approved changes for color schemes for gates for homes that are on the golf course.

Emails and letters will be out to homeowners for the next meeting.

Escena HOA Meeting on Thursday Oct 18, 2012

ESCENA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

AGENDA

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 - 5:00 p.m.

ESCENA GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE - PRIVATE DINING ROOM

1100 CLUBVIEW WAY, PALM SPRINGS, CA 92262

New art installations and landscaping!

Crews are in full force! The trees are being trimmed and the landscaping is getting a brand new feel here at Escena. Contemporary art pieces were delivered and are going to be set in place in the next coming weeks. Also the entry from Vista Chino to the Escena Golf Club and home owners entrance has been redesigned so nobody can cut through the opposite wrong way and avoid going around the traffic circle. I am excited to see all the upgrades coming! Also if you haven't notice the 24 hour security car has been replaced by a brand new security truck with Escena logo and all! Things are really looking up here and I am excited to see all the new projects.

Construction started for Alta Verde at Escena

The crews have started the work on the development of brand new modern homes at the Escena Golf Club.  The builder Alta Verde Group is starting the construction of "This century modern." The homes should be completed by early 2013.

Meanwhile crews for Lennar have the footings poured and are working on the framing of the 3 model homes they will present to buyers. Completion of these models should be done within the next month.

Things are looking up for Escena as crews are in full force all around the community. The previous landscaping around the entrances on Gene Autry and Vista Chino are being completely redone.

This is all great news for our wonderful neighborhood.

Car runs into Escena fence

A car was facing the opposite direction and took down the Escena fence on the south side of the main entrance on Gene Autry today.

Halloween Costumes Online

The time to start shopping for Halloween costumes is now. Online stores like www.brandsonsale.com  has 1000's of costume styles for everyone. Shopping online is easy and fun. There is also a few pop up Halloween stores in our area. Make sure to check out the store HalloweenGear at the River in Rancho Mirage for local costume shopping. Not only can you dress up but lets decorate our houses. Fall is a great time in the desert. The weather is quickly changing and we are all looking forward to Halloween.

Palm Springs Windy Nights

The wind is blowing very strong tonight in Palm Springs and around Escena. The sound of the wind is very loud. This is a reminder that we do live in one of the windiest passes in North America and to always bring any outdoor furniture inside so nothing blows through the beautiful windows in our homes.

Sewer smell around Escena Today?

Today I woke up and went out side and smelt the most obscene smell in Palm Springs. It smelt like rotten eggs. I have lived here for 6 Months and have never smelt the odor before. After some research I found out what it may be linked to. It has to do with the Salton Sea. California's largest man made ecological disaster that happed in the early 1900's when water flowed into the dry basin unchecked for two years. Raw sewage from the Mexico side and nitrogen rich Ag runoff now flow into the sea unchecked on both US sides. Now famous for its fish dies offs the produce a rotten egg sulfur smell that on some days can waft as far away as Palm Springs. Hundreds of birds also die of botulism during the summer also. Moronic politicians and environmental organizations keep pushing to save the Salton Sea at the cost of billions of dollars to the tax payer; while at the same time wasting Colorado River water to keep in full. 

Not so neighborly?

Let's be clear that the streets on and around Escena are not owned by one property owner. They are common ground in which every owner pays HOA and fees to upkeep and use.  Therefor coming to a fellow neighbors house on a Sunday morning and complaining about another neighbors guest who parked infront of their house on a Saturday night is absurd. I could understand if it was a daily occurrence, but a one time or once and a while thing? What would be the point of even planting a bad seed with a fellow neighbor? Some of the neighbors on Herzog Way think this is the neighborly thing to do. I just shake my head.

New Avant Home renderings for Lennar

New construction is getting ready to start for the Avant 2 Lennar homes in the Escena Golf Club. Below find the renderings of the new house to be built off Vantage Lane.

New Sales Signage Posted on Escena Streets

New sales signage has been posted on Clubhouse Drive and along other streets within the gated community of Escena for the sales and construction of the new Alta Verde homes. I have spoken to a few neighbors and they are very excited for the new homes.

Celebrity Designer Mike Valles hired for Alta Verde Model Homes

Imagine stepping inside the home of mega-celebrity like Beyonce. One might imagine it would be an aesthetic fantasy that combines modern, sexy and unmistakable decor. For most the vision will remain at that, a fantasy. Until now for some Palm Springs residents the desire to own a home with the cache of an icon is becoming a reality with the announcement of celebrity go-to designer Mike Valles as the lead interior design decorator for Alta Verde Group and their three new projects in the desert.

Valles, known for his cosmopolitan flair, has designed homes for Hollywood A-listers including Justin Bieber, Cameron Diaz, Tyler Perry, Sharon Osbourne and Megan Fox. In addition to his roster of celebrity and mogul clientele, Valles is the designer for premiere hotels Montage Beverly Hills, the W Hotel Residences in Hollywood and the Rumor Boutique in Las Vegas, NV.

One of the most recent projects for the sought after designer was creating the interior concept for Alta Verde Group's three desert developments: Escena Golf Resort in Palm Springs, Monte Sereno in the South Palm Canyon neighborhood of Palm Springs, and Coral Mountain in La Quinta. Valles is bringing his modern sophistication to each of the development's model homes, selecting the base pallets, the upgrades and all of the model furnishings.

"Our discerning homeowners demand a certain level of design that is unique," says Alta Verde Group's CEO Andrew Adler, who has built a reputation for award-winning architectural concepts. "Design truly matters to us, and we chose to work with Mike and Interior Illusions because we believe they exemplify the modern design ethic better than any other firm we've worked with in Southern California."

Capturing the allure of modern sophistication has landed Valles on the pages of Elle Decor, Luxe Magazine and many more. He is an on-air personality as lead designer for the Oxygen Network, and has made various guest appearances on several design shows including Bravo's Million Dollar Decorator and Jeff Lewis' Flipping Out.

Valles' furniture and home decor store, Interior Illusions, has locations in Palm Springs, Santa Monica, and a Pop-Up Boutique in Beverly Hills, with providing easy access to customers to purchase designer furnishings. His flagship store is located in West Hollywood.

"Our West Hollywood headquarters and flagship showroom has been given accolades for its design," says Valles. "I'm proud to say that our business has become a shopping destination for Hollywood celebrities and L.A.'s A-list crowd. We're excited about this terrific opportunity to partner with Alta Verde and provide their buyers with a turn-key service and a custom designed home with a high level of sophistication and elegance."

Alta Verde homes focus on the indoor/outdoor connection and are elegant pallets for emerging eclectic and modernist tastes. Alta Verde is also committed to environmental stewardship. Homes are pre-set for solar, with flat-roof designs, and include car-charging electrical wiring as well as other energy-efficient designs that will result in substantial savings for homeowners.

Escena at Avant Prices Released?

According to Zillow.com the Lennar Homes Avant at Escena prices have been released.

Residence 1 Plan Avant 1961 SF 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath $325,000 and up.
Residence 1 Plan Avant 2244 SF 3 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath $371,000 and up.
Residence 2 Plan Avant 2244 SF 3 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath $345,000 and up.
Residence 2 Plan Avant 2640 SF 2 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath $382,500 and up.
Residence 3 Plan Avant 2661 SF 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath $365,000 and up.
Residence 3 Plan Avant 2954 SF 4 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath $418,000 and up.

I am anticipating having the new Alta Verde home prices up soon.

Escena Golf Club Homes For Sale

There are currently 2 re-sale homes for sale in the Escena Community.

4316 Vivant Way
Listed for $689,000
4 Bedrooms
4 Baths
Fantastic Pool & Patio

591 Skylar Lane
Listed for $389,900
3 Bedrooms
4 Baths

Alta Verde at Escena Sales Website Live

Here are the pictures of the new website that Alta Verde has up. All I can say is WOW! They are simply amazing. For more information please visit website here.

L3 Reflection

B3 Panorama

I3 Forte

I2

Lennar to build Avant 2 at Escena

Lennar builder website has a new build coming to the Escena Golf Club, The Avant II. The information on prices have yet to be disclosed. The square footage is 1961-2661 and is slated to open in October 2012. I am so excited that building is to start up again. I cannot wait to walk through the model homes and see the prices.

Link Here

More Alta Verde Renderings for Escena in Palm Springs! The style is amazing, the size is perfect and the location is great! I can’t wait to meet new Escena neighbors!

Looks pretty Cool!

New homes in Escena to be standard with solar!

Andrew Adler, CEO of Beverly Hills based developer, Alta Verde Group, has a new take on solar options for homes. Simply put, he says, "They're not an option."

The company has positioned its brand over the last several years to augment their renowned architectural projects. Now Alta Verde, which literally means 'tall green', has taken the position that solar on homes needs to be thought of more as a standard appliance. Alta Verde is moving towards including solar arrays in the homes in all three of their upcoming desert projects: Escena Golf Resort and Monte Sereno in Palm Springs and Coral Mountain in La Quinta.

In commencing the first such development in Palm Springs, Alta Verde is partnering with Hot Purple Energy (HPE), the leading Solar Power provider in the Coachella Valley, to provide solar systems with every Alta Verda home in the Escena Golf Resort. The project is a 130 home modernist community on the golf course.

"We were committed to creating a real desert-specific solution towards net-zero living, not merely a 'green wash' of the development, as seen from many other area builders," said Adler. "We asked Hot Purple Energy to team with Poon Design to come up with the most effective and aesthetically pleasing solar energy system for our homeowners. The result is a base system fully integrated into the home that comes with web-based monitoring on your computer or iPad to monitor power generation."

Alta Verde homes in Escena, located off Gene Autry Trail and Vista Chino in Palm Springs, are slated to begin sales this summer. The development is a project of Alta Verde Group and Los Angeles architectural firm, Poon Design.

The collaboration of Adler, NAHB Homebuilder of The Year, and AIA International Design Winner Anthony Poon, yielded four spectacular home plans, ranging from 2,200 square feet to 2,800 square feet.

"The thesis of these homes was to bring a strong modern aesthetic that incorporates passive solar features and orientations," said Poon. "These features substantially exceed Title 24 energy conditions through the use of differently designed insulated ceilings and solar installations. All of which can bring energy costs down to virtually net zero, depending on individual usage by homeowners."

Hottest day of the year in Palm Springs today!

Temperatures in Palm Springs hit 114 degrees on Thursday, tying a record set in 2001, according to the National Weather Service.

The average temperature for this date is 98 degrees.

On this day last year, it was 95 degrees.

Friday, forecaster predicted the thermometer to hit 110 degrees, five degrees below the record, according to the NWS.

An excessive heat warning has been issued for the Palm Springs resort cities area until 8 p.m. on Friday.

Be sure to stay hydrated and keep cool!

Cleaning up the lots!

Tractors and cleaning crews were at full force this week cleaning up the vacant lots near Icon Way at the Escena. The lots which are owned by the Alta Verde Group. The model homes should be up by Fall of 2012.

1 Home Left!

There is only one home left here in the Escena built by Lennar. Hope it sells fast! I love new neighbors!

Gene Autry Trail closed due to High Winds

Gene Autry Trail, between Interstate 10 and Vista Chino in Palm Springs, has been blocked to traffic due to blowing sand in the area.


California Highway Patrol spokesman Officer Joe Zagorski says the closure happened just after 3:30 p.m. on the stretch that takes drivers through the wash area of the city -- a long stretch of sand that turns into a mountain-runoff waterway during rainstorms.
Zagorski urged drivers in high-profile vehicles to be cautious on the freeway. He said if you don't feel like you can handle the windy conditions behind-the-wheel, do not pull over the right shoulder. He said to take the next exit and wait until it's safer.

New Alta Verde homes for Escena Golf Club?

Found these renderings online that were submitted to to the planing commission. They are set to be built on Icon Way near the club house right behind the sold out and newly completed Lennar homes.

Thoughts?

Article talking about new homes that will be built in Escena

New homes to be built in Escena.

The development is a project of Beverly Hills based residential real estate development firm Alta Verde Group and Los Angeles based architectural firm, Poon Design.

"Mid century modernist architecture gave us something very important in aesthetic value and lifestyle, but those homes are substantially inefficient by today's standards as to insulating and energy systems," said Andrew Adler, Alta Verde CEO. "By contract, our homes combine the values of modern space planning and design with a new edge and building technologies of today - an approach we call 'This Century Modern'."

The collaboration of Adler (NAHB Homebuilder of The Year) and AIA International Design Winner, Poon, yielded four spectacular home plans available in the project in 2012, ranging from 2,200 square feet to 2,800 square feet.

The open floor plans, clean lines and the use of glass bringing the outdoors in, is in line with traditional mid-century modernism. Each home is replete with Solar arrays that reach 'Net-0', car charging station set ups, energy monitoring, as well as technologies and material sensibilities, delivered in the dramatic loft style floor plans and view exposures.

"Our vision distills the architecture to the essence of modern design: proportion, light, scale, space, authenticity, and flexibility," said Poon. "In our view of modernism, the public rooms comprise a home without walls. The boundaries of one's experience are the lines at the horizon, or the contours of a desert mountain, or the green of landscape. In our view of modernism, the private rooms promote the balance between intimacy and drama. We are the next chapter of California desert modernism."

Building in Phase 1 includes 39 homes, located next to the Escena Golf Clubhouse. Homeowners will have access to the Nicklaus designed golf club as well as the Escena Lounge & Grill, all within walking distance.

"These homes are the best premium lots in the community," said Adler, "The views are beyond compare and provide the perfect backdrop for these residences".

For more information on Alta Verde visit: www.AltaVerdeGroup.com or 310-826-9200.

About Alta Verde Group:

Beverly Hills-based Alta Verde Group is a residential real estate development firm creating elegant homes set in highly desirable neighborhoods. The principals' innovative architectural designs and forward-thinking business strategies have garnered the industry's highest awards, from Builder of the Year and Developer of the Year to Pillar of the Industry. The company, helmed by visionary CEO Andrew Adler, integrates exceptional architectural, interior and landscape design acumen with its depth of experience in all aspects of land acquisition, construction management and sales/marketing to create an ever-growing portfolio of highly successful real estate development ventures. Alta Verde is based in Beverly Hills, with an office in Rancho Mirage, CA. 315 South Beverly Drive, Suite 208, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. AltaVerdeGroup.com. 310-826-9200.

More Neighbors!!!

Today we had another "Welcome Home Ceremony" on Herzog Way. Looks like we have new neighbors here in the Escena. Only one home is available in the development.

Home Owners Meeting at Escena Lounge

I received a letter today that on Wednesday there will be happy hour and the opportunity to meet fellow neighbors. Starts at 3:00 Cheers!

Sand blows hard in Coachella Valley

Police spokesman Mike Kovaleff says the Palm Spring police and fire departments have responded to several fires and reports of downed power lines.

Some poles have also fallen on roadways, draping the power line in the path of traffic.

Power has been cut off in several areas due to downed power lines, he said.

There have been reports of gas lines broken from fallen trees.

The police department is calling in additional personnel to assist with the high levels of calls for service.

The police department urges everybody to remain off of the roadways at this time. If you observe any fallen power lines, call 911 and avoid the immediate area.

There have been reports of parked aircraft blown over at the Palm Springs Airport and delays to air travel. For information on any airport delays or wind issues affecting the airport, contact the Airport Staff directly at 760-318-3800.

I hope everyone is safe and okay at Escena!

Circa Renderings

Motif Renderings