Pillars Awards Honor Excellence in Multifamily Housing
 The “best of the best” in the multifamily housing industry received Pillars of the Industry Awards in Miami last week, which were presented in conjunction with NAHB’s annual conference for apartment and condo developers, owners and managers.
Considered the most prestigious national awards in the industry, the Pillars Awards honor excellence in apartment and condo design, development, marketing and management, and provide a showcase of future trends and innovation in multifamily housing. “This year’s winners reflect the larger trend in development in general, and that’s the resurgence of urbanism and the rebirth of the American city,” said Ron Terwilliger, chief executive officer of Trammell Crow Residential and chairman of NAHB’s Multifamily Leadership Board. “These award-winning apartment and condo communities are terrific examples of how higher-density housing can revitalize neighborhoods, protect open space and offer rental and for-sale housing choices at a variety of price points for today’s families.” Terwilliger said he also was struck by how many of this year’s submissions to the Pillars Awards competition were either affordable or had an affordable component to them. “I am deeply impressed at how hard developers are working to provide quality apartment homes as well as amenities that focus on the real needs of residents — from after-school activities to computer rooms and business centers — and are affordable to low- and moderate-income families,” he said. NAHB recognized 32 winners. The top honorees were: AvalonBay Communities, a Real Estate Investment Trust headquartered in Alexandria, Va., was named the Freddie Mac Multifamily Development Firm of the Year. The company specializes in developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing high-quality apartment communities in high-barrier-to-entry-markets across the United States. At the end of last year, AvalonBay owned or held interest in 148 apartment communities comprising 42,810 apartment homes in 10 states and the District of Columbia. American Management Services/Pinnacle was named Property Management Company of the Year. As one of the nation's leading third-party managers of investment real estate, Pinnacle oversees a real estate portfolio valued at more than $4.3 billion that includes approximately 100,000 apartment units in 42 states. Alban Towers, a historic landmark in Washington, D.C., that recently incorporated the Alban Row luxury condominiums into its community mix, won top honors as the Freddie Mac Best Multifamily Community of the Year. Developed by Archstone-Smith and Encore Development and designed by Torti Gallas Architects, Alban Towers/Alban Row also won the Pillars Award for Best Repositioning or Rehabilitation of an Apartment Asset.
“We are pleased to be a partner with NAHB in celebrating the great work being done nationwide by apartment and condominium developers,” said Adrian Corbiere, senior vice president of multifamily sourcing at Freddie Mac, which sponsored the awards. "Freddie Mac's mission is to ensure a steady supply of funds for builders who want to expand the nation's supply of affordable housing, and multifamily is the most affordable housing option available to consumers today."
For a complete list of winners, click here. They will also be featured in the April/May 2005 issue of Multifamily Pro magazine. | 
