Luminaira & Espaira – 2 Affordable Communities Debut in Irvine
Multi-Housing News
October 31, 2017
The first two affordable housing communities in Irvine’s master-planned community of Great Park Neighborhoods in California recently opened. A partnership between FivePoint Holdings LLC, Related California and Riverside Charitable Corp. developed Luminaira, while FivePoint, Related and El Toro Housing Initiative Collaboration built Espaira. FivePoint’s partnership, Heritage Fields LLC, is the master developer of Great Park Neighborhoods, a community adjacent to the Orange County Great Park in the heart of Orange County, Calif.
Designed by KTGY Architecture + Planning, both communities are 100 percent leased and provide access to schools in the Irvine Unified School District, as well as to shopping and entertainment options. Luminaira and Espaira are located near freeways 133, 241, 5 and 405.
The two communities include a total of 166 affordable apartment homes for low-income families. A 4,000-square-foot leasing and social services center, complete with kitchen, media lounge, computer center, mailroom and play area, are also part of the projects. Other amenities include a pool, barbecue, picnic pavilion and dog run. After-school programs and educational classes are also available on site. The two- and three-bedroom units range in size from some 809 to 1,129 square feet. Each apartment home features:
- a fully-equipped gourmet kitchen
- Energy Star refrigerator and dishwasher
- solid-surface countertops
- hardwood, plank-style flooring
- ceiling fans
- large closets
- some paid utilities
- outdoor private space
- garage
The design of Luminaira and Espaira was inspired by the work of Irving Gill, an architect considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. Both projects feature clean lines and a neutral color palette. The communities have been designed to achieve a Gold certification in the GreenPoint-rated system. Both projects include electrical vehicle parking.
“The design is modern and continues a California legacy of simple, clean lines and an efficient structure with elegant proportions. The well-appointed apartment homes have nine-foot ceilings, which is similar to market-rate homes, but not typically found in affordable apartments,” said KTGY Principal David Obitz, in prepared remarks.
Solaira at Pavilion Park is another affordable community in the same neighborhood, which opened in November 2015. The senior housing project was the first to open in Irvine in 20 years. Featuring 221 units, Solaira is LEED Gold certified and was a collaboration between FivePoint, Related and RCC Charitable. KTGY was the design architect for all three communities. The architecture firm also recently broke ground on an affordable housing community in the Emeryville, Calif., in partnership with non-profit EAH Housing and the city of Emeryville.
