pulte homes takes on santa fe
las soleras promises to be unique, multi-use development with homes made for growing families, empty nesters
Feature Story
SANTE FE – HOMES ARE LEAPING FROM
THE GROUND AT A FURIOUS PACE as a new Capitol City multi-use development begins to take form. Already underway in the area, Presbyterian Hospital prepares a gleaming 305,000 square foot, ultra-modern complex to the tune of $135 million that is expected to open for business by 2018. Other sites such as McDonald’s and Starbucks are already serving customers in the new Las Soleras Santa Fe complex.
And now Pulte Homes is setting the pace on the residential spectrum with two series of homes; Vistas de Las Soleras is aimed at move-up buyers with growing families and Sierra de Las Soleras is geared toward empty nesters looking to downsize after sending their kids into the world. “It’s big for Santa Fe, ”said Pulte New Mexico spokesperson Jolene Montoya.
one of a kind
It’s a new type of development for the City Different, said Shawna Owens, sales consultant for Pulte’s Las Soleras neighborhood. “It’s the only community in Santa Fe that will combine residence, medical, commercial, retail and a park into one area, ”she said. “Whereas most of the places in Santa Fe, you’re bouncing around on those things. That strip is the only strip that encompasses pretty much everything that you will need to have for a small city. That’s what makes it all unique.”
Las Soleras itself will be spread across some 550 acres, with Pulte utilizing 102 acres for 302 homes sites and a park. The first closings occurred this week and new
homeowners are starting to move in, she said.“We have been very successful and we will start closing homes by the end of the year, so we will have our first homeowners moving in by the end of December,” Montoya said. As a matter of fact, sales have been even better than anticipated thus far, she said.
high demand
“We’re doing better than expected and a lot of that has to do with the demand,” Montoya said. “There’s just not this type of construction here. There’s really not another production builder in Santa Fe and there hasn’t been since Centex was here and they closed out about two years ago. There are some builders, but not to this level. ”The original goal has been to build out the community in three years, but the way homes are moving after just opening sales in July and beginning home construction in August, the neighborhood just may be completed sooner.
“I just don’t think Santa Feans have seen this type of home in this price range,” Montoya said in explaining Las Soleras’ success. “Because we’ve been so successful and things are going faster than anticipated, our goal had been to be here for three years, but we’ll see. There’s nothing like this in Santa Fe. It’s not dated – the community feel, the homes, the design.”
pulte put in the work
It’s no wonder the homes are already a hit because Pulte did significant research before any construction began. “Because we are a high-end builder, Pulte has a 12step process, ”Montoya said. “Everything is consumer-inspired. We’ve done focus groups to determine what’s the best look, what’s best for livability. So when you walk into Pulte’s homes, you’ll see that the livability is so much different. Big, open gathering rooms and indoor-outdoor living, which is great for Santa Fe; plus nice-sized master bedrooms and suites. The floor plans are extremely flexible so you can add bedrooms, dens and do guest suites.”
The development specifically targets two areas of particular need in the city, she said. “We have a total of 10 floor plans in two different series, ”Montoya said. “One series is smaller lots, two-story and single story. And the other side, larger lots, one story and we’re really trying to target empty nesters because there’s a huge, growing demographic of empty nesters, 55-plus in Santa Fe.”
new kid on the playground
Pulte began the process two years ago, so things have moved fairly rapidly, particularly considering the sometimes-contentious nature new development can face in Santa Fe. “We have had huge support from the mayor, Javier Gonzales, and from the councilors in our district, ”Montoya said. “There were some challenges, some municipality things. But our people have been working well with the city and they have been very supportive of the project.”
A bumps along the road to development is not unusual, Owens said. “I think any time there’s a new kid on the playground, it takes a little bit, ”she said. “And at this point, we’re all starting to get along pretty well.” Indeed, even some little tweaks on the traditional style have been accepted. “They’ve embraced our homes, our spec levels that’s different,” Montoya said. “Our pitched roofs, which they don’t normally allow in the city and they’ve done a great job of working with us. We appreciate the city’s support. ”It all led to an easy decision to build, she said.
“It’s kind of no-brainer for us, ”Montoya said. “There was a lack of supply here. We believe in our homes and I don’t think there is anybody in New Mexico that can build a community and a master plan like we do. From the entry, the entry monument, the community feel. We just put so much thought and time in planning and engineering into that, we knew that Santa Fe would receive it well.”
Homes in Vistas start at $239,990 for 1,776 square feet and go up to 3,413 square feet for $364,990, while the Sierra line starts at $328,990 for 2,017 square feet up to 2,504 square feet for $357,990.
"It’s the only community in Santa Fe that will combine residence, medical, commercial, retail and a park into one area. Whereas most of the places in Santa Fe, you’re bouncing around on those things." jolene montoya, pulte nm spokesperson