| VERTICAL
UPDATE
High-Rise News & Updates
for Las Vegas
| Terrace Envy: Outdoor
Space at Height |
by: Brenda Calvin,
The Calvin Group, LLC
|
At the western rim of the
Grand Canyon (the side closest to Las Vegas), the Native American
Hualapai Tribe hosts the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Opened in 2007,
this cantilevered glass bridge is suspended 4,000 feet above
the Colorado River and the magnificent Grand Canyon below.
It is truly breathtaking and inspires one to know how an eagle
must feel soaring freely in and around this incredible ancient
landmark. Ancient indeed—the National Park Service's
Web site notes that the rocks exposed by the canyon are up
to two billion years old, and then adds: "The Canyon
itself—an ‘erosional’ feature—has
formed only in the past five or six million years.”
This experience, both energetically
and visually, lifts one from the mundane thoughts of day-to-day
routines, to thoughts of grandeur and possibilities. Ironically,
this experience brought me back to one of the reasons residents
love living in high-rises; the outdoor experience of the vertical
lifestyle. For those truly lucky residents who have oversized
balconies or terraces, they enjoy an even more spectacular
al fresco experience.
 High-rise
terraces—as opposed to their smaller cousins, balconies—are
usually the domain of penthouses, but not always. Depending
on the configuration of a high-rise building, a terrace may
not necessarily be on the very top of a building. One such
case is the home of Lisa Evans and Shawn Love. Their home,
located on the 14th floor of the Metropolis building, is on
the roof of one section of the building. Their lovely 2,600-square-foot
abode boasts an additional 1,600-square-foot terrace with
an almost 360-degree view of the Las Vegas Strip, mountains
and city lights.
Lisa and Shawn, consummate
perfectionists for beautiful interiors (and I guess I should
say exteriors, as well), decided to create a literal outdoor
contemporary haven. “It is really such a large open
area that it took some thought to make it feel intimate,”
says Lisa. “We started by staining the concrete deck
a beautiful shade of blue, and built our furnishings around
that. It is a work in progress; we are still waiting for the
outdoor rugs to arrive! We entertain quite often and wanted
the space to be inviting and comfortable, so we added cushy
outdoor lounge chairs and tables. When we have guests over,
they tell us that they have never seen anything like this.
They remark about how unique and open the terrace feels. Looking
out from our terrace over the green golf course [at the Wynn
Hotel] and its lush trees is gorgeous; it reminds me of Central
Park.”
Shawn, being an audio/visual
enthusiast, created a magnificent outdoor sound system with
the flexibility to be linked to the indoor system, capturing
the perfect ambiance for any gathering. “As you know,
music sets the tone of a party,” says Shawn. “We
wanted to extend the sound throughout our residence, including
the terrace, which is one of my favorite aspects of our home.”
I can see why!
To enhance these lovely
outdoor areas, all sorts of unique things can be added for
one to luxuriate: complete outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, water
features, pools and hot tubs, audio/visual technology (which
can tuck away for protection when not in use), rugs designed
for outdoor use, sofas, gas fireplaces, bars—all of
this is then landscaped to exquisite perfection. However,
one consideration is the wind that we have in Las Vegas, especially
at height. The owner must carefully secure their furnishings
so that they don’t fly off of the building with the
all-too-frequent wind gusts we experience.
Many terraces are true
extensions or additions of living areas. In fact, in some
cases, the expansive windows looking out on a terrace fold
away like pocket doors. The outdoor space literally becomes
adjoined with the indoor space, which is drama at its best.
An example of such an accoutrement is a dramatic 17th floor
Upper Terrace home at One Queensridge Place. Slide open the
curved glass Panda doors and enter an expansive 2,100-square-foot
outdoor living room in the sky. The beautiful reclaimed stone
flooring—a combination of granite and limestone—sets
the mood of old-world sophistication and elegance. There are
a number of seating vignettes, an outdoor kitchen with granite
countertops, ornate ironwork railing, and a vista to survey
both nearby Red Rock Canyon on one side and the entire Las
Vegas Valley and Strip in the distance. Even a glance across
to the nearby second Queensridge tower is a treat, with all
of its exterior ornamentation on display.
Frank Pankratz, president
of Executive Home Builders, says, “Yohan (Yohan Lowie,
one of the principles of Executive Home Builders), sought
to offer maximum enjoyment in outdoor living with such things
as stackable ‘curvatured’ sliding glass doors,
covered trellises, large planter boxes, and trees and outdoor
barbeque entertainment areas. He envisioned the terraces to
be structurally functional as well as beautiful. They are
an integral part of the overall architectural design, wherein
the building starts to step inward, like a layer cake.”
In my own high-rise home,
I do not have a terrace, but I do have a balcony. I find that
my conversations are different when I am with someone on the
balcony, gazing out at the twinkling lights of the city. There
must be some correlation about being elevated and thinking
higher thoughts, intuitive thoughts, thoughts about travel,
thoughts about the future and possibilities—and of course,
contented thoughts about special friends and family.
Thank you to Lisa Evans
and Shawn Love for their genuine hospitality. Also, thanks
to One Queensridge Place sales office and Executive Home Builders
for accommodating us.
Until next time,
here’s wishing you “elevated” thoughts!
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Brenda
Calvin is the Broker of The Calvin Group, LLC, and has
a 20-year successful track record of selling high-rise
and mid-rise condominiums in multiple states. The Calvin
Group is a boutique brokerage specializing the innovative
sales, marketing and developer consulting of residential
high-rise properties. To contact Brenda, you may phone
(702) 939-5638 or e-mail Brenda@TheCalvinGroup.com.
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