The best place to raise a family in Las Vegas is indisputably the master-planned community of Summerlin®. With 26 schools, including the Las Vegas valley’s premier private schools, top-ranked public schools and up-and-coming charter schools, the community’s educational offerings have no equal in Southern Nevada. With 250-plus parks of all sizes that are home to youth programs for soccer, softball, T-ball, tennis, swimming, football and lacrosse, Summerlin is a virtual playground. And yet, with the valley’s largest array of diverse home products, this award-winning community is also the place of choice for empty-nesters and retirees, young professionals and singles, along with the city’s influencers seeking a premier spot to build the custom home of their dreams.
When it comes to meeting consumer demand for luxury apartments, active adult neighborhoods that offer vibrant lifestyles, and the most exclusive enclaves for custom homes, Summerlin also knows no equal in the Las Vegas valley. Located about 15 minutes west of the famed Las Vegas Strip, Summerlin boasts celebrity roots like its city.
Developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation® on 22,500 acres acquired nearly 70 years ago by the man himself – Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. – Summerlin is today one of the country’s most successful master-planned communities. Currently ranked #3 in the country for new home sales after a long run at the top, the community continues its stronghold on quality of life in Southern Nevada, unfolding true to its original vision.
While Summerlin is home to hundreds of single-family neighborhoods in a variety of styles, elevations, floorplans and prices, all built by top local, regional and national homebuilders, it is also a hot spot for young professionals seeking for-rent apartments with the ultimate in convenience, walkability, low maintenance and proximity to dining, shopping, nightlife and fun.
Trendy Living For Millennials, Young Professionals
The community’s hip, urban core is Downtown Summerlin, 400 acres in the heart of Summerlin that is today a popular destination not just for those who live in Summerlin but also for residents of the entire valley thanks to the 215 Beltway that easily brings them to the area’s front door. More than 125 retail stores, including popular brands like Lululemon Athletica, Apple, Banana Republic, Fabletics and Crate & Barrel, to name just a few, along with 20-plus restaurants that range from white linen fine dining to fast casual, make Downtown Summerlin THE place to grab coffee, meet friends for after-work drinks, celebrate birthdays and special occasions – not to mention shop, shop, shop.
And with the recent and much heralded arrival of professional sports in Las Vegas a few years ago, Downtown Summerlin has become a literal pro sports hub: another perk equally revered by twenty-somethings and retirees, alike, who love rubbing shoulders with the city’s new darlings, the National Hockey League’s Vegas Golden Knights. Making their home at City National Arena in Downtown Summerlin, the Vegas Golden Knights practice there to packed bleachers full of dedicated fans for whom hockey is now equivalent to religion – Vegas style.
Las Vegas Ballpark opened in 2019 to critical and public acclaim. Home of the Las Vegas Aviators, the city’s professional baseball team, the Ballpark set Minor League Baseball records for attendance this year.
Right next door is Las Vegas Ballpark®, a world-class professional baseball stadium that is home to the Las Vegas Aviators®, the city’s Triple-A team that is a member of the Pacific Coast League and an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Just coming off its winning inaugural season at the new Ballpark that was recently awarded Best New Ballpark by Baseballparks.com, the Aviators are drawing record crowds in a gorgeous stadium that offers one of the best fan experiences in the league. With robust food and beverage offerings that include elevated classics, options from popular neighborhood eateries and even Frosè from none other than Giada de Laurentiis, Las Vegas Ballpark makes baseball the city’s best summertime social and sports occasion for fans of all ages.
“What’s happening with professional sports in Las Vegas on a macro-scale is happening in Downtown Summerlin on a micro-scale, where running into a Vegas Golden Knight or Las Vegas Aviator is an every-day occurrence for Summerlin residents,” said Kevin T. Orrock, President, Summerlin, The Howard Hughes Corporation. “Sports are the great convener, and that’s exactly what’s happening in Downtown Summerlin. Everyone, regardless of age, wants to be here,” he said.
Roberto Orellana is typical of young professionals choosing to make Downtown Summerlin their home. The young gaming executive enjoys a carefree lifestyle at Tanager, Downtown Summerlin’s newest luxury apartment community.
Consider Roberto Orellana. This 26-year-old young gaming technology executive just moved into Tanager®, Downtown Summerlin’s newest luxury apartment community located near Las Vegas Ballpark. Orellana, along with his roommate, Zac Zaher, a 31-year-old commercial real estate broker, chose Downtown Summerlin for its proximity to dining, shopping, entertainment and sports. “We can walk across the street for coffee in the morning and meet friends after work for dinner and drinks. And the proximity to both City National Arena and Las Vegas Ballpark can’t be replicated anywhere else. The ability to catch a game right next door is not lost on us.”
While both Orellana and Zaher could easily afford to buy a home, they are reflective of a generation that prefers to rent, enjoying greater flexibility, a reduced footprint and the ability to travel on a whim. “To meet the growing demand for rental homes, our plans include a myriad of for-rent options, brownstones, lofts, condos, townhomes and apartments – as we continue to build out Downtown Summerlin as a true urban core,” said Orrock.
Featuring both one- and two-bedroom apartment homes ranging from 667 to 1,358 square feet, Tanager includes top-notch amenities, built-in technology and a sleek design and luxury aesthetic consistent with the community. The name, Tanager, is a tribute to the Curtiss Model 54 Tanager, an aircraft constructed in 1929 by Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. It’s a continuation of the Aviation Row theme for Downtown Summerlin that began in 2015 with the naming of the area’s first luxury apartment complex.
Down the street, also in Downtown Summerlin, Constellation® offers 124 one- and two-bedroom apartments from 950 to 1,900 square feet, surrounded by resort-style, resident-exclusive amenities. Constellation, now in its third year, was fully leased months after opening.
Active Adult Lifestyles On The Upswing
On the other end of the spectrum, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), projects that 66 million Americans will be over the age of 65 by 2025. That means smaller, more appropriately sized homes in communities and neighborhoods with amenities aimed at this group are on the upswing. Summerlin is responding to this trend via a growing number of active adult neighborhoods, including its two newest, that combined, offer two dozen unique floorplans designed with active adults in mind.
Set on elevated terrain at the base of a dramatic ridgeline in The Cliffs village, Regency by Toll Brothers offers all single-story luxury homes in nine unique floorplans ranging from 1,665 to 2,428 square feet and priced from the high $400,000s. Regency homes offer a luxe feel embodied in a desert contemporary architectural style to complement the rugged beauty of the area. They include gourmet kitchens, two bedrooms and up to two-and-one-half bathrooms. Several models include indoor-outdoor living opportunities with covered patios and courtyards, and ample flex spaces create opportunities for home personalization to suit individual lifestyles.
he Wakefield floorplan, part of the Pinnacle collection at Regency at Summerlin by Toll Brothers, is a stunner. Indoor/outdoor living options are ample in Summerlin.
Regency’s resort-style amenities create the lifestyle older buyers expect, including a community clubhouse spanning more than 16,000 square feet with an indoor lap pool and outdoor resort-style pools; tennis, pickle ball and bocce ball courts, game rooms and an onsite lifestyle director who schedules classes and plans social gatherings and outings.
Summerlin’s second new age qualified community is Trilogy® by Shea Homes, a popular national concept featuring all attached homes, which share common walls with neighboring homes. Trilogy offers 13 different floorplans featuring both single- and two-story living, priced from the high $400,000s. All homes are designed to encourage entertaining with reduced maintenance, while the community’s activities, events, concerts, classes, and clubs offer many opportunities to enjoy life and maintain an active, healthy lifestyle full of fun and socialization.
At both Regency and Trilogy, yards are often replaced with living patios for outdoor living, and decorative landscaping or optional flower beds accommodate gardening enthusiasts. Homes are designed to accommodate those who are transitioning from a 9-to-5 job or enjoying a part-time second career with the inclusion of tech and media centers, wireless home networks and remote-control lighting and security features.
Trilogy by Shea Homes, a gorgeous active adult concept in Summerlin, received 2019 Gold awards at both the Best of 55+ Housing Awards and The Nationals.
Detroit, Michigan natives, Ann and Jeff Feld, who have maintained a second home in Summerlin since 1998, made the community their primary residence in 2004 and became Trilogy’s very first residents in 2018, embracing every aspect of the Trilogy lifestyle. The couple, who has two children and four grandchildren still in Michigan, say they have never had so many friends or enjoyed such a full life as they do now at Trilogy.
“The simple act of taking out the garbage can turn into an hour-long chat with neighbors who have become dear friends,” said Ann. And according to Jeff, who attends and enjoys three or four fitness classes daily at Trilogy’s clubhouse, the opportunity to keep learning while having fun is endless.
“A few weeks ago, I got a call from my son in Michigan,” he said. “I told him I couldn’t talk because I was in a cooking class. I wish I could have seen the expression on his face, because a cooking class was the last thing my son would have ever imagined for me. While our lives have always been busy with my veterinarian practice and family in Michigan, we’ve never had or made the time to do the kinds of activities and adventures we are enjoying here. We are truly living our best lives in Summerlin at Trilogy.”
According to Orrock, keeping pace with baby boomers is the focus of many homebuilders who, today, are designing and building homes for this active generation. “Single-level living is the top preference for boomers but with enough space for visiting family members and entertaining friends,” said Orrock. “Older homeowners are selling their large homes in favor of energy-efficient, right-sized homes, often in walkable communities with a wealth of opportunities for activities and social engagement. Regardless of age, downsizing 55-plus buyers do their research. They know what they want, and they don’t want to settle for less.”
Ultra-Exclusive Enclaves For Vegas’ Ultra-Influencers
It’s no surprise that Summerlin is easily the valley’s top choice for many of the city’s captains of industry, business and community leaders and influencers. The community is full of ultra-exclusive enclaves and neighborhoods that allow it to claim an impressive list of residents that include owners of major NFL and NHL teams, professional athletes, legendary celebrities and musicians and even a famed photographer of international stature.
The Ridges®, a gorgeous, 793-acre exclusive custom home hillside enclave, draws its name from the stunning ridgeline on which it sits. Talon Ridge, the newest custom home neighborhood to open at The Ridges, features 17 custom homesites ranging from one-quarter to one-third acre. The village features Jack Nicklaus’ Bear’s Best golf course, a village centerpiece.
There are many reasons why The Ridges in Summerlin is among the most preferred areas to live in Las Vegas, according to Orrock. “The Ridges’ elevation at 4,000 feet above sea level is twice the height of The Strat, a popular Las Vegas landmark,” said Orrock. “As one of the city’s most scenic spots, The Ridges delivers consistently cooler temperatures, offers expansive and commanding views of the entire valley and provides sanctuary and privacy via its protected location and guard-gated security.”
Named by Forbes.com in 2003 as the third most exclusive gated community in America, The Ridges has continued to unfold in keeping with that distinction. Today, The Ridges is home to nearly 1,000 completed homes of which the majority are primary residences, ensuring a year-round vibrancy often missing from other luxury communities.
Just down the street from The Ridges is Summerlin’s newest luxury community – The Summit. A joint venture development of The Howard Hughes Corporation and Discovery Land Company, The Summit offer peerless, resort-style luxury living at a level not before offered in Las Vegas.
Talon Point is one of several custom home enclaves in The Ridges at Summerlin, surrounded by Jack Nicklaus’ Bear’s Best golf course.
Just a few years since it was announced, The Summit has sold more than 70 percent of its ultra-exclusive homesites with some lots as large as three acres. Already home to a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course, The Summit also offers elegantly appointed villas, bungalows, suites and cottages in its Club Village.
Summerlin’s distinctive natural topography is a big draw for all ages. The community sits along the base of Red Rock Canyon, Southern Nevada’s most stunning natural treasure that offers year-round world-class hiking, rock climbing and cycling. In fact, Summerlin was named in 2007 by National Geographic Adventure as the country’s best place to play and live, in large part due to the community’s proximity to Red Rock Canyon, along with its central location within just a few hours’ drive time from major national parks in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona.
When The Howard Hughes Corporation set out to develop an incomparable master-planned community in the 1980s on what was then considered somewhat barren land miles from the Strip, little did company executives know their vision would come to define quality of life in Southern Nevada, a region previously known as a great place to visit, not live.
“It was a bit like a field of dreams,” said Orrock, of Summerlin, who began his impressive 45-plus-year career with The Howard Hughes Corporation in 1974 at the famed Desert Inn Hotel then owned by Hughes. “What started out as a big idea, is still today a big idea that is constantly being refined, reimagined and redefined, particularly as we strive to meet changing consumer preferences. Building community is no longer just about traditional families. Today’s modern families come in all shapes and sizes, just like the homes they desire. And Summerlin has responded with a bullet point, making the community the very best place to live in Las Vegas – no matter your age or lifestyle.”
