EHB Companies
Creating Custom Homes in the Sky
by Aliya Hassan
Although EHB Companies started off building modest commercial and residential developments in 1992, a niche was created as the company began to design more artful and customized locations. Soon gaining a preeminent spot in the Nevada housing market, EHB Companies' eye for luxury became its trademark. And today, its combination of modern luxuries with Old World sophistication has the attention of home buyers valleywide.
This blend of luxury and sophistication inspired EHB to create over 219 custom homes inside a creative development with an intelligent use of space. One Queensridge Place features a long list of amenities and highlights and an important distinction from other Las Vegas communities.
"We call it 'custom homes in the sky,'" says EHB President Frank Pankratz. "We're the only residential high-rise off the strip. It's really phenomenal." One Queensridge Place includes two 18-story towers that hold 219 homes and designs inspired by architecture legend Frank Lloyd Wright and the Art Noveau movement. "Our whole concept is architecture as art and the art of life," says Pankratz. "The architecture as art theme is a very distinctive design in both the homes and the public amenities."
Amazing Amenities
While the breathtaking design attracts home buyers to One Queensridge Place, the seemingly never-ending list of features and conveniences are sure to make them stay. Residents in the high-rise towers enjoy 43 floor plans and square footage ranging from 2,100 to 16,000. Each home includes an enclosed garage space and a private terrace, garden or courtyard.
Differing from most high-rise residential locations, One Queensridge Place allows many homeowners to take elevators directly to their homes, doing away with hotel-like hallways and corridors. To provide homeowners with a priceless view, many homes also extend the width of the building, offering residents an unparalleled scenic outlook.
The public features are as outstanding as the private ones, including a 25-meter indoor lap pool, Roman spas, locker rooms, a wine cellar and wine tasting room for entertaining guests, a private dining room with an outdoor terrace and full service kitchen, an outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, kitchen and BBQ area, a conference room for business needs and a 24-seat theater for movie night. Residents at One Queensridge Place also enjoy a sociable environment where neighbors interact with one another.
"In today's communities, you really have very little social interaction," says Pankratz. "In the single-family homes, the garage doors go up in the morning and down at night. One of the nice things about One Queensrige is that with the facilities, there are places people can go and gather."
With a great room that includes billiard tables, cozy fireplaces and several television screens, a nice gathering is certain. For homeowners looking for a nearby escape, the retreat room features multiple computers, comfy reading chairs and places for friends to gather for a relaxing game of cards.
Making an ideal location all the more attractive, EHB Companies constructed One Queensridge Place in close proximity to the popular, 27-hole Badlands golf course, the JW Marriot Las Vegas Resort and Spa and the Trivoli Village at Queensridge, set to open in 2009. Trivoli will include world-famous restaurants, retail and office spaces.
Tackling one of the more challenging aspects of creating an appealing community in bustling Las Vegas, EHB Companies is mindful of One Queensridge Place's location in regard to the legendary "strip." "You can live in this kind of luxurious environment and not have to endure the 40 million tourists," says Pankratz. "We're not on the strip; our suburban location allows our owners to visit and enjoy the strip, but they don't have to be encompassed in it."
Art Improves Life
Something that residents of One Queensridge Place are surrounded by, however, is the impressive art that adorns each fixture and finish. Elegant stretches of glass create spectacular views, dramatic iron-crafted doors embellish entryways and lavish uses of stone are reminiscent of Jerusalem, Rome, Paris and Madrid.
"I've tried many times to describe it in words, but the best I've been able to do is say that you have to see it to believe it," says Pankratz. "It's so special and dramatic. We put art in stone and inlay it in a scenic floral, semi-precious stone. It makes for a gallery-like feeling." Unique combinations of stone create outstanding patterns for the One Queensridge Place private dining room, conference room and wine cellar, as well as bringing a touch of extravagance to homeowners' floor and wall patterns.
While the list of convenient amenities and design features are impressive, Pankratz says it's the living experience that keeps homeowners satisfied. From the romantic wine cellar to the personal elevator, the security, convenience and privacy gives residents the elegant lifestyle they crave-and they're not keeping it a secret. "A lot of our buyers are previous owners of our custom homes, or have friends or family members that live in the building," says Pankratz. "That in itself is a big testimonial."
Ranging from $1.5 million to $25 million, this swanky, convenient lifestyle doesn't come cheap-even with the current state of the housing market. But Prankratz is confident that One Queensridge Place will maintain its high popularity despite the struggles of the economy.
"Typically, when the market gets tough, money goes to products that hold value the best and offer distinctive quality," says Pankratz. "When the market comes back, the people who appreciate quality and distinctiveness will continue to seek it out." With plans approved for two more towers and a grand total of 385 homes, One Queensridge Place's elaborate site will continue to grow with more availabilities for home buyers.
Aliya Hassan is Assistant Editor of HB Magazine.
