Solterra
Location: 9685 Erma Road, Scripps Ranch
Description: 114 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, 741 to 1,127 square feet
Amenities: 3,200-square-foot club room with gaming center, cybercafe, restaurant-style bar and professional culinary kitchen, sports club, stand-up tanning salon; saltwater pool and spa, sun deck, free Wi-Fi, barbecue and fire pit lounge.
Energy saving features: Smart thermostats and in-home virtual net-metering displays, Energy Star General Electric appliances, prewiring for electric vehicle charging in garage
Projected rent: $1,495 to $2,255
Status: First move-ins, May; completion in June
Solterra, H.G. Fenton’s 114-unit apartment project nearing completion in Scripps Ranch, boasts a saltwater pool, games-filled clubhouse and stand-up tanning salon.
But what may prove to be the deal closer when the luxury project opens in May is free electricity to residents.
In San Diego County’s first such “net-zero” energy project, enough solar power cells are being installed to produce all the energy needed for average users as well as the common areas at the 4-acre site just east of Interstate 15 at Mira Mesa Boulevard. If residents don’t exceed the average use projected, they can expect a rebate check in the mail.
Company President Mike Neal said even at a time when vacancies are dropping, there is still stiff competition for landlords to attract tenants, especially in the luxury market.
“We want them to choose us,” he said.
And it’s the energy-saving features that he hopes will make the difference.
“With our apartment communities we’ve previously put photovoltaics on, we noticed our customers had a real interest in it,” Neal said. “Some of them would say, ‘How could that benefit my unit?’ We took it upon ourselves to take this project and try to answer that question by providing it and seeing how the customer likes it.”
Read more at: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/mar/30/tp-tenants-have-the-power/?page=1
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