The Colony represents the highest end of market-rate luxury apartment communities in Orange County, California. It is marketed to a clientele that expects an amenity-rich environment, comparable to one experienced at a resort hotel. This clientele of “luxury renters,” ù the existence of which was brought about by a prosperous economy and changing lifestyles, consists primarily of professionals and empty nesters, many of whom are tapping into built-up real estate equity and now want an enhanced location and lifestyle. Others desire a second home without the long-term commitment or capital investment that buying involves. Located in the 622-acre (252-hectare) Newport Center, which was built in 1965, the Colony adds a residential layer to Newport Center’s commercial, retail, and entertainment uses. It decreases society’s impact on the environment by providing a way for people to work, live, shop, and participate in the southern California lifestyle without the need for vehicular transportation. The development owes some of its success to the soundness of its founding concept and contributes to the antisprawl equilibrium resulting from balanced land use.

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Case Study/Profile Type: DCS
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World Region: North America
Developer(s): Irvine Apartment Communities
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Designer(s): McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners Inc., Burton Landscape Architecture Studio
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