SummerHill Completes Work on NorCal Apartments
SummerHill Apartment Communities, a division of SummerHill Housing Group, has completed Brio, a 300-unit apartment development in Contra Costa County, Calif.
By Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor
Walnut Creek, Calif.—SummerHill Apartment Communities, a division of SummerHill Housing Group, has completed Brio, a 300-unit apartment development in Contra Costa County, Calif. The property is four blocks from a BART light rail station in the city of Walnut Creek.
Brio, which is at 161 North Civic Dr. near downtown Walnut Creek, replaces a vacant, functionally obsolete office building and parking lot. It features one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 667 square feet to 1,051 square feet, each with soaking tubs, walk-in closets, in-unit full-size washers and dryers, linen closets and balconies or patios.
Common amenities include a central courtyard with a resort-style pool and spa, five outdoor kitchens with dining areas, outdoor lounge with a fireplace, outdoor table tennis, and a natural lawn. The property’s clubhouse features a 24-hour fitness studio, sports lounge with gaming center, iCafe with coffee bar, resident lounge with pool table and flat-screen TVs, Brio Wine Lounge with private wine lockers and a full-service kitchen. The rooftop outdoor terrace commands views of Mt. Diablo.
Brio’s garage is CALGreen certified and includes 46.5KW of solar panels on its roof; motion sensor lighting controls; and two dual electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to accommodate four cars and up to 21 EV charging stations in the future. The property exceeds California’s Title 24 requirements by 15 percent and includes low VOC finish products and recycled content.
KTGY Group designed the property. One of its more unusual features is “Gradient Column,” a 32-foot tall static sculpture by artist Phillip K. Smith III, which is in front of Brio’s entrance. As either cars drive by or people approach the tall totemic sculpture, colors appear to shift when approaching from either the north or the south. Also, the movement of the sun will create a varied experience on the structure from dawn until dusk. At night, five in-grade well-lights provide a dance of color and shadow.
