Author: Amber Fritz

NAVA’S Lakehouse on Sloan’s Lake Achieves Sell-Out after Stellar Year

Colorado’s First WELL-Certified Residential Community Celebrates Sell Out

DENVER (May 10, 2022) – NAVA Real Estate Development (NAVA), a Denver-based development company focused on improving communities through quality design and healthy programming, is thrilled to announce that its Lakehouse community is now sold out. Since its debut in the spring of 2020, Lakehouse has consistently attracted buyers seeking seamless access to Denver’s Sloan’s Lake and an unrivaled connection to nature, culture and health-focused amenities. The community averaged nine sales per month during the past 12 months.

Lakehouse is the first project in Colorado, and one of the first residential projects in the world, to achieve WELL Gold Certification under the WELL Building Standard — a science-backed program that puts wellness at the forefront of design to enrich the living experience. Lakehouse achieved this prestigious designation for its commitment to measurably demonstrating its work towards promoting residents’ health across the WELL v1 program’s seven key performance areas: air, water, light, nourishment, fitness, comfort and mind. The community was awarded full WELL Certification at the Gold level in October 2021.

“With Lakehouse, we set out to raise the bar for what it means to live well, and thanks to an incredible team of partners who were willing to push themselves to craft healthier, more meaningful spaces for our residents, we’ve done just that,” said Brian Levitt, president and co-founder of NAVA Real Estate Development. “Our hope is that this project is just the beginning. We believe everyone deserves a healthy place to live, and we look forward to bringing the knowledge gained on this project to bear on a variety of new developments in the future.”

The lakefront community blends unique architecture, modern comfort and sustainable design features with extensive wellness-focused amenities. In addition to MERV-13 building air filtration, the use of natural and durable building materials and floor-to-ceiling windows that maximize natural daylight, Lakehouse residents have access to an array of services and experiences hand-selected to promote their overall well-being. From a full-time Wellness Concierge that elevates the resident experience through community events and programming to an organic urban farm on the expansive 26,000 square foot terrace overlooking the lake, Lakehouse brings a level of intentionality to supporting a healthy lifestyle.

Lakehouse was conceived by international architects Stantec and Muñoz + Albin. GH Phipps Construction Companies managed construction of the 540,000-square-foot mixed-use development and TRIO, a Denver-based design and visual merchandising firm, led design for the common amenity areas. Local art consulting and curating firm NINE dot ARTS curated memorable art experiences throughout the property, including several custom pieces from local and international artists. The residences were listed exclusively by Dee Chirafisi, Kevin Garrett and Matt McNeill of Kentwood City Properties and Karen Klein.

About Lakehouse

Lakehouse is a new 12-story mixed-use community in Denver’s Sloan’s Lake neighborhood that sits at the intersection of high-design and wellness. It is the first project in Colorado — and one of the first residential developments in the world — to be WELL Certified™ at the Gold Level under the WELL Building Standard. Conceived by international architects Stantec and Muñoz + Albin, the 196-residence community overlooking Sloan’s Lake Park blends modern comfort and sustainable design to offer a lifestyle never before experienced in Colorado. In 2021, Lakehouse was named “Innovative Development of the Year” at the NAIOP Colorado’s Annual Awards of Achievement and “Best Health & Wellness Design Solution” at the PCBC Gold Nugget Awards. For more about Lakehouse, please visit https://lakehouse17.com.

About NAVA Real Estate Development

NAVA Real Estate Development (“NAVA”) is a real estate investment and development company founded in 2013 by Trevor Hines and Denver resident Brian Levitt. NAVA strives to develop architecturally significant buildings in prime locations that blend quality, function, and design. The name NAVA comes from a Hebrew word meaning “beautiful”, and NAVA is committed to creating developments that shape communities and are sensitive to their environments. The firm is positioned as an agile and innovative group to identify strategic opportunities and execute with precision. NAVA is proud to work with the best technology, resources, and teams to ensure the greatest economic, social, and environmental success, for our investments and our partners.

NAVA is a Certified B-Corp and part of a global movement to redefine success in business by voluntarily meeting higher standards of transparency, accountability and performance. We are one of over 4,000 Certified B Corporations who compete not just to be the best in the world, but to be the best for the world. For more about NAVA, please visit www.navareal.com.

Welcome to the Great Indoors

Biophilic design can make us healthier and more resilient to climate change.

Erin Rovalo was playing in a forest of cedar and Douglas fir near Tacoma, Washington, when she came upon a tree that changed her life.

“I have this very vivid memory from my childhood,” she says, “of finding one particular cedar tree that had these long branches that went all the way to the ground.” She and her friends found an opening in the dense greenery and discovered they could squeeze their way through. It was like a hidden door to a mysterious world under the tree’s canopy. The space smelled of “rich-soil earth” and was illuminated by sunlight filtered through the leaves, making patterns on the ground. Being there sparked Rovalo’s sense of wonder and imagination.

Rovalo, who’s vice president of the community department at the International Living Future Institute, is an expert in biomimicry, which looks to nature’s forms and processes to solve design challenges like reducing energy and water consumption, preserving ecosystems, and managing waste. In addition to sustainability, Rovalo is passionate about the psychological element of design inspired by nature. She believes indoor spaces can emulate the cedar tree she treasured — a place of beauty, refuge, and serenity.

“I remember in that moment really feeling like nature can almost be like a room or like a building,” says Rovalo. “Here I am 30 years later trying to make buildings more like nature.”

Bringing nature indoors could go a long way toward improving the country’s physical and mental health. Socio-economic factors like increased urbanization, indoor work, and inequities in access to green space lead Americans to spend 87 percent of their time in buildings, despite the fact research demonstrates that time spent in natural settings can reduce stress and improve physical and mental well-being. The outdoors has also become increasingly inaccessible because of climate change events such as wildfires, extreme temperatures, and storms. While the barriers to being outside must be addressed, social and natural scientists say that making our homes and offices look and feel more like nature can provide some of the benefits of actually being there. And with the right design, the indoors can be a place of refuge and resilience, too.

Health Certifications Attract Tenants, Bolster Profitability

Renters stay longer in multifamily developments with wellness certifications. “How can you afford not to do this?” asked one developer.

The number of multifamily buildings pursuing health and wellness certifications such as the WELL Building Standard and Fitwel has skyrocketed during the pandemic, but owners and operators aren’t seeking them out just because it’s the right thing to do.

The ROI for multifamily developers that put in the effort and expense to get their properties certified has yet to be quantified, but some say they’re seeing payback in terms of faster lease-up and sales, higher retention rates and positive public relations.

“It’s not just that we’re demanding higher rent when residents first move in, but they’re also more likely to stay,” Anna Malhari, COO of Veris Residential, a Jersey City, N.J.-based REIT that achieved WELL certification for its entire portfolio last year, said she expects the certification to help retain current residents and attract future renters.

The WELL Building Standard is modeled after LEED certification, but focuses on the physical, emotional and mental health of people inside buildings. Fitwel is a healthy building standard created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and General Services Administration.

Malhari said pursuing WELL certification was a natural step for the company because Veris’ properties already met most of its requirements.

“Certification itself didn’t mean any significant capital outlay for us,” she said. “It wasn’t as much of a question of whether we wanted to spend the money to do it or whether we would ever get it back. We just wanted to showcase all these things we’d been doing already.”

NAVA’s Lakehouse Awarded Prestigious WELL Building Certification at the Gold Level

NAVA Real Estate Development (NAVA)’s Lakehouse project has received full WELL Building Certification at the Gold level from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). This prestigious designation acknowledges NAVA’s efforts to advance health and well-being through Lakehouse’s building design and resident programming. This distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL Building Standard™ (WELL), a globally recognized, science-backed program that puts wellness at the forefront of design in order to enrich the residential living experience.

Set along the waterfront in Denver’s vibrant Sloan’s Lake neighborhood, Lakehouse has envisioned a completely new way of living where wellness is integrated into every element of design to optimize the health and well-being of its residents. The 196-unit community features move-in-ready condominiums, rowhomes and penthouses, 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, as well as an innovative collection of health-focused amenities, including an organic urban farm, 70-foot lakefront lap pool, cutting-edge Fitness Lab, sports and creative workshops and more. Less than three miles from Downtown Denver, Lakehouse is the first residential project in Colorado to achieve Certification under the WELL Building Standard and was also recently named the state’s “Innovative Development of the Year” by NAIOP.

“It’s an honor to receive this recognition from the International WELL Building Institute and we are grateful to our partners for their support of this pioneering project,” said Brian Levitt, President and Co-Founder of NAVA Real Estate Development. “From the beginning, our intention was to create a groundbreaking residential building with a specific focus on how architecture, engineering, design and amenities can better support human health and wellness. The air we breathe, the materials we use in our homes, where we source our food from, how we move our bodies were all considerations we took into account as the design team worked to apply modern research and reinvent the concept of multi-family living. Lakehouse was already ahead of its time and with the pandemic, its design proved to be even more prescient.”

Created through seven years of rigorous research and development working with leading physicians, scientists, and industry professionals, the WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research. Lakehouse earned the distinction based on seven categories of building performance — Air, Water, Light, Nourishment, Fitness, Comfort and Mind —and achieved a Gold level rating.

Lakehouse’s design infused wellness into its engineering, architecture, programming and services at every level — earning the project its WELL Certified™ Gold designation. The lakefront community blends unique architecture, modern comfort and sustainable design features with extensive wellness-focused amenities. In addition to MERV-13 building air filtration, the use of natural and durable building materials and floor-to-ceiling windows that maximize natural daylight, Lakehouse residents have access to:

A full-time Wellness Concierge to elevate the resident experience through community events, connection to wellness experts and ongoing education programming that promote the WELL Building Standard’s seven elements of wellness
A state-of-the-art Wellness Center with Fitness Lab and Yoga & Meditation Studio;
A Resident Lounge with collaborative cooking and dining program, a fresh juicing station, private event space and an indoor/outdoor fireplace;
An expansive over 26,000 square foot outdoor terrace overlooking Sloan’s Lake Park with extensive landscaping, lounge seating and a firepit
A 70-foot lakefront lap pool and year-round hot tub
Onsite Urban Farm with organic produce and herbs professionally managed by Agriburbia;
A Sports Workshop with tools for repairs and seasonal tuning sessions for bikes, skis and snowboards created in partnership with the founders of Icelantic Skis;
A Creative Workshop with a multitude of art materials, supplies and musical instruments to support artistic pursuits;
Extensive landscaping and biophilic design elements to enhance the human connection to nature;
Pet-friendly atmosphere with convenient pet spa
Custom artwork throughout curated by NINE dot ARTS

The WELL Building Standard is grounded in a body of evidence-based research that explores the connection between the buildings where we spend approximately 90% of our time, and the health and well-being impacts on the people inside these buildings. To achieve WELL Certification by IWBI, NAVA’s Lakehouse underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which is the third-party certification body for WELL, to ensure it met all WELL Certified Gold standards.

This certification is a significant step forward for Lakehouse’s developer, NAVA Real Estate Development (NAVA), and furthers the company’s goal of innovative placemaking.

NAVA Names Sarah Stone Vice President of Marketing

Denver-based real estate development and investment firm NAVA Real Estate Development has announced the promotion of Sarah Stone to Vice President of Marketing.

Stone is involved with all aspects of marketing for NAVA’s communities and investments, including the sales success of Lakehouse—a new 12-story, mixed-use, waterfront community in Denver’s vibrant Sloan’s Lake neighborhood and the first residential development in Colorado to earn Precertification under the WELL Building Standard.

Stone has helped to generate global recognition for the company’s sustainable practices and its non-profit, Realwell, which offers comprehensive resources for owners and residents who wish to create their own healthy buildings.

“Sarah has been a key to our success and growth to date, and an integral part of the team,” said Brian Levitt, co-founder and president of NAVA Real Estate Development. “Now as an executive member of the team, she’ll play a vital role in navigating our long-term growth strategies and generating valuable marketing campaigns. We’re fortunate to have her and are looking forward to her future contributions.”

As Vice President of Marketing, Sarah will develop and execute tactical marketing campaigns to promote NAVA and its projects through best-in-class branding, digital strategy, signage, collateral, public relations, events and sponsorships. She will also lead overall sales and leasing efforts for NAVA’s residential projects, assist with new business and deal-sourcing efforts, and more.

Stone had previously been Senior Director of Marketing, a position she’s held since 2017.

Stone most recently led the successful opening of Lakehouse. Now nearly 70% sold, the project has averaged 10 sales per month since the beginning of the year while receiving numerous awards and national recognition.

Just Announced: Award-Winning ChoLon Restaurant Coming to Lakehouse in 2022

Exciting developments at Lakehouse continue with news that ChoLon, an award-winning Denver restaurant, will be the second retail tenant at Lakehouse. In addition to this new outpost, ChoLon Restaurant Concepts will introduce a second restaurant right next door (further details on this concept are forthcoming). Both restaurants plan to open Summer 2022 and will join existing ChoLon’s locations in downtown Denver and Central Park.

“We’re ecstatic to welcome one of Denver’s premier chefs and restaurateurs, and one of the city’s best restaurants to Lakehouse,” said James Levy, acquisitions manager at NAVA Real Estate Development, the developer behind Lakehouse. “Lakehouse and ChoLon have a wonderful synergy, sharing similar values around wellness, using fresh and seasonal ingredients and overall health, so it’s a natural partnership.”

Helmed by Executive Chef Lon Symensma who opened the first ChoLon in 2010, the third ChoLon location at Lakehouse will serve seasonally inspired Pan-Asian cuisine—including its signature dumplings. The restaurant will be designed by award-winning, Denver-based architect firm, Unum Collaborative.

“We admire Lakehouse’s approach to living holistically and celebrating wellness at every turn—from fitness to nutrition and beyond,” says Symensma. “We look forward to being part of that lifestyle and bringing a fresh perspective to Sloan’s Lake’s restaurant landscape.”

Following Lakehouse’s wellness-focused aesthetic, the new restaurant spaces will feature natural materials and greenery throughout and accompany Whole Sol Blend Bar, the first all-organic blend bar to open in the United States, which landed at Lakehouse in 2020.

Interested in learning more about life at Lakehouse? We’re nearly 70% sold out with residences in high demand. We’d love to show you our six model residences and extensive array of wellness-inspired amenities. Contact the Lakehouse team at info@lakehouse17.com to schedule a private tour. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Read the original post at lakehouse17.com >>

NAVA Named in B Lab’s Best for the World™ 2021 Distinction List

Each year, the most positively impactful B Corps around the world are selected for distinction by B Lab, a nonprofit network dedicated to building an inclusive, equitable and regenerative global economy. B Lab has recently announced their 2021 list for their annual Best for the World™ distinction, recognizing B Corps generating the greatest impact through their stakeholder-driven businesses. This year, NAVA has made it onto the Best for the World™ distinction list for the third time in a row in the “Best for Environment” category.

In B Lab’s most recent impact assessment, NAVA is among the top 5 percent of companies of its size leading the way towards a more sustainable future by prioritizing its footprint upon the air, climate, water, land and biodiversity in its business practices. These contemporary B Corps in this category uphold the planet as a vital stakeholder in their business practices, and tackle environmental issues through thoughtful implementation of facilities, materials, emissions, resource and energy use, distribution channels and the environmental impact of their supply chain.

NAVA Real Estate Development started out with the mission “to make something beautiful,” and has not left out the goal of a beautified environment along the way. Recognized for the team’s dedication to sustainable material sourcing and energy use, community outreach and top-tier certifications in particular, NAVA has demonstrated its capability to not only to be the best in the world, but the best for the world, as they lead in transforming the global economy to provide holistic benefits. See the whole breakdown here.

This year’s list also holds a special meaning following the COVID-19 pandemic, as the world has witnessed how entities like B Corps step up to both serve and lead their communities in a global crisis. It’s a testament to how stakeholder-driven ethos provides for workers, prioritizes the environment and serves communities around the globe through unprecedented conditions. Rather than sitting around and awaiting the new normal, B Corps have already begun constructing it with bold action and planet-friendly practices.

“Best for the World is a special program for the B Corp community, and we’re thrilled to resume it after pausing the program in 2020 due to COVID-19,” remarks Juan Pablo Larenas, Executive Director of B Lab Global. “This year’s Best for the World companies are operating at the very top of their class, excelling in creating positive impact for their stakeholders, including their workers, communities, customers, and the environment…Together we’re marching toward our collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet.”

It is an honor for NAVA to be distinguished as a leader in this larger movement that’s not just competing to be the best in the world, but for the world, and the team will continue to weave mindfulness into their initiatives and practices.

Is Urban Farming the Next Big Condo Trend?

udy Weingarten doesn’t live in a rural cottage, but in a newly opened condo at Lakehouse in Denver. Aside from the perks you might expect from a development like this—70-foot lap pool, yoga studio, elegant residents’ lounge—Lakehouse is home to a 3,000-square-foot urban farm, from which residents can pluck herbs and lettuce for dinner.

“I love looking out my window at the garden, contemplating what vegetable I am going to have with my dinner tonight,” Weingarten says. “I enjoy trying new recipes based on what is harvested at the time, as well as having fresh-cut flowers throughout the summer!”

The Condo with Its Own Urban Farm

Flourishing with green beans, poblano, oregano, carrots, and eggplant, Lakehouse’s raised vegetable and herb beds are overseen by Agriburbia. The company describes itself as “an innovative and growing design movement that integrates aspects of agrarianism with land development.” While Agriburbia oversees planting, irrigation, and harvesting, residents can weigh in on what gets planted—and are encouraged to chip in with the farming too.