A resort to call home
by RaeAnne Marsh

Resort life can be more than a vacation interlude, the Statesman Group believes. Toscana, neighbor to J.W. Marriott Resort in Desert Ridge, is Statesman’s latest luxury condo project, and the developer designed it to offer homeowners a resort atmosphere.

Pathways meander through Toscana’s 50 acres, punctuated at intervals with trellis‑shaded resting spots for reflection, reading or friendly rendezvous. Music adds to the resort atmosphere, emanating from unobtrusive speakers incorporated into the landscaping along the walkways. Sonoran Desert influences blend with Toscana’s Mediterranean look, as natural washes contribute open space to palm tree‑lined recreational areas that include swimming pools and a mini 9‑hole putting course. (Golf enthusiasts may also take advantage of Marriott’s Wildfire Golf Course adjacent to the community.)

Ground broke on the Toscana master‑planned community two years ago, with completion anticipated in five years. Construction implements a mega‑building system of steel and concrete that is resistant to mold, termites, fire¼ and sound. Two feet of material between floors isolates units vertically, while space between side‑by‑side units is not only insulated but features resilient‑channel bars to further dampen vibration and sound.

Of the 1,568 residential units being built at Toscana, most will be what Statesman calls “property condominiums” –intended to be a primary residence or true second home. The community’s CC&Rs allow homeowners to lease their property, but for a minimum of six months, to preserve the integrity of the community. There will also be some units designated as “resort condominiums” that will be open to investors.

The three‑ and four‑story condo buildings are designed like a hotel, with interior hallways, air conditioned and carpeted. Access for guests starts at a lobby entrance fronted by stately door of wood and glass with iron accents, which slides open once the guest has “called” an occupant via a security keypad and been “buzzed” up. Residents have elevator (and stair) access to their floor from the secure underground parking.

Condos are available in three one‑bedroom, 1‑bath models (782‑877 square feet), ten two‑bedroom, two‑bath models (1230‑1543 square feet) and one three‑bedroom, three‑bath model (1790 square feet). Single‑level and with wide doorways, all are ADA adaptable.

The smallest condo, the Vallencia, presents an illusion of spaciousness thanks to an open, flowing floor plan, and graciousness thanks to inclusion of a foyer. A galley kitchen is open to the dining area over a long breakfast bar whose work counter on one side is shielded from the dining room by the bar‑height counter on the other.

Two features are common to all condos: A closet‑style space houses the washer and dryer, but it is located out of the traffic area–in this case, within the condo’s flex space, which is usable, for instance, as a den or office but affords ample “laundry room” when needed. And no usable space is given up to a water heater; all units are served by centralized hot water (and by a soft water system).

Like all condos, the Vallencia features a private patio. Nearly as large as the Vallencia’s living room, the patio is partially fenced and includes an electrical outlet to accommodate a grill. Stone columns contribute visual appeal, as does the ceiling–corrugated steel painted to match the stucco walls.

The Vallencia is one of three furnished display models. Representing the small end of two‑bedrooms is the Venitia. Ample counter space and elbow room characterize the kitchen, and the master suite boasts an unexpectedly large bathroom with a roomy shower stall and a corner soaking tub.

Also a display model is the largest of the two‑bedrooms, the Santana II. L‑shaped, the unit opens to a long hallway with two shallow display niches and plenty of wall space that enable it to serve as a gallery. Around a sharp corner, it leaves behind the den, laundry/ storage space, second bathroom and second bedroom, passes the kitchen and opens to the large entertaining area. As these units are built at the building corners, they boast windows on two sides of the living room.

Master suite entrance is recessed to one side. A coffered ceiling in the bedroom adds visual appeal, as do the arched soffits at either end of the connecting hall to the bathroom (where the walk‑in closet is located). The bathroom’s design accommodates two options Statesman offers Toscana homeowners: a soaking tub or, in the same space, a second closet; and, instead of a corner shower with room to stand outside its door, a shower that extends full width across the back wall of the bathroom.

Residents will be issued a VIP card, good for discounts on spa services and golf at the Marriott Resort next door and at many of the retail and restaurants at Desert Ridge Marketplace across the street. Varied on‑site activities will be available, and, through the development’s Web site, residents may give input on activities in which they would like to take part or which they would like to see added.

Organizing events and helping residents will be responsibilities of the concierge, whose desk is located in the smaller of the two Toscana community centers. The concierge services desk looks out onto a cozy lounge where a slate‑tiled rain wall dominates one wall and a kiva‑influenced fireplace fills one corner. The building also houses a business center with six high‑speed‑Internet computers and a women’s locker room.

At one end of the club building, an arched doorway opens to a circular room ringed by two rows of windows, the lower ones with plantation shutters and the upper ones open to an unobstructed view of sky. Below a coffered ceiling, thickly cushioned leather chairs and couches stand on tiles of natural tumbled stone inset with a mosaic pattern. Adjacent is a serving kitchen (a full caterer’s kitchen will be located in the second of the two community centers, which will also house a fitness center, steam rooms, pool tables and a lounge with plasma TVs).

Outside is a freeform play pool, three feet deep at either end of its 84‑foot length and five feet at its deepest; a 24‑person spa; and a bank of gas grills for barbecuing. Fire rings are hidden among the boulders in the planter areas around the swimming pool.

Another residential product at Toscana will be two‑story townhomes, which will be located around the perimeter of the development, and the Manor Village, a retirement community for independent seniors Toscana of Desert Ridge is located on Deer Valley Road at 56th Street. The sales office is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays (noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday) and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekend, and may be reached at (480) 767‑5665.