Set against the breath-taking backdrop of North Lake Tahoe, The Village at Northstar is the newest resort community in the area. The resort features a magnificent outdoor skating rink, ski-in/ski-out plazas, mountain bike in/out amenities, fire pits, plaza shops, fine dining and luxurious one, two, three and four bedroom condominium residences. A quaint community unlike any other in Lake Tahoe, The Village at Northstar is certain to become one of the world’s leading vacation destinations.

According to Joe Malone, Project Manager with the project’s developer, East West Partners, “The Village at Northstar brings an energy center to the Northstar-at-Tahoe resorts” by giving skiers and resort guests a reason to stay on the resort and offering incredible amenities to the existing 1,400 owners in Northstar. The new resort also offers owners and renters a wide variety of lodging properties within walking distance of the gondola at Northstar.

This is just the first phase of a long-range development project at The Village at Northstar. Including the construction of 100 residential condominiums, 100,000 square feet of commercial space and an outdoor ice skating rink, the first phase began in April 2004 and was completed in winter 2005/2006. The second phase of the Village core project is now under construction and consists of 113 residential condominiums and 40,000 square feet of commercial space. The resort will ultimately boast 1800 residential units as well as ski-in/ski-out residences on the ski mountain.

The Village at Northstar’s design was heavily influenced by local Lake Tahoe architecture and landmarks. “The buildings feature ‘rustic’ designs hewn in stone and timber and inspired by the grand lodges of National Parks,” said Andy White, Principal for OZ Architecture, the project’s architect. “Rustic architecture has graced the landscape of Lake Tahoe for more than 100 years. It employs materials and forms that make buildings seem to be part of this majestic landscape.”

The Village at Northstar’s architecture is also both environmentally and community-friendly. “Our client, East West Partners, went through a nearly four-year process to address community concerns,” said White. “As a result, the project was able to satisfy more than 130 conditions to protect water quality and other natural resources, while complementing and improving the Lake Tahoe region.”

Consequently, OZ Architecture and East West Partners are applying to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit alliance of 3,000 businesses that promotes and monitors green building. If they receive LEED certification, the Village at Northstar would become the first resort village to receive this prestigious recognition.

Malone said that completing the first phase of The Village at Northstar was definitely challenging at times. “Construction in the mountains with an operating ski resort requires great flexibility and coordination amongst all parties,” Malone said. However, Malone said that the project was successful because both East West Partners and GE Johnson, the project’s general contractor, have extensive experience building in ski resort areas in Colorado and Utah. “This background was critical to the success of the project,” Malone said.

Facts & Figures:
Owner: East West Partners, Truckee, CA
Type of Project: Resort community
Architect: OZ Architecture, Boulder, CO
General Contractor: GE Johnson, Truckee, CA
Size: Phase 1 includes 100 residential condominiums, 100,000 square feet of commercial space and outdoor skating rink
Construction Cost: Approximately $110 million
Construction Time: Phase 1 completed Winter 2005/2006 with final site scheduled for completion in Summer 2006
The Need: New base area for the Northstar-at-Tahoe Ski Resort
The Challenge: Construction in mountains with an operating ski resort and approval processes

Table of Contents tagline: The first phase of an incredible new North Lake Tahoe resort community, which is destined to become an international vacation destination, is successfully completed

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