Wendell Pickett: When “Different” Means “Better” in Land Planning

Greey|Pickett Partners with Harvard Investments on East Valley Master-Planned Community Cadence at Gateway

(PHOENIX) – Even at first glance, Cadence at Gateway’s land, neighborhood and amenity plan feels different. That’s because today’s homebuyers are different. They demand convenience and connectivity. They expect sustainable landscapes with a distinctive look, and easy access to outdoor activities. They long for a gathering hub, available fitness areas and customized parks. And they want neighborhoods that make sense, laid out logically, yet allow neighbors to easily connect. To meet these needs, Arizona-based real estate investment and development company Harvard Investments turned to someone with years of experience in creating functional, aesthetically pleasing and award-winning designs – Wendell Pickett.

“I’ve done hundreds of land plans so I knew right away this project was a chance to provide something beyond what was being built in the market,” said Wendell Pickett, partner of Greey|Pickett.  “This community is designed to be the best of the best, yet also remain inclusive, intimate, attainable; so it really fit the needs of today’s homebuyer.”

Wendell Pickett, of the acclaimed Scottsdale-based land planning and landscape design firm Greey|Pickett, is one of the most active land designers in the industry. Well known for designing premium resorts and luxury-driven second home communities, he’s designed well over a million acres of land across the U.S. and abroad. Winning national awards and accolades, his firm specializes in full-service design consultation for multi-use, urban and master planned communities, including land planning, community theming and landscape architecture.

“Wendell has a reputation of providing developers with a strong return on investment and fresh ideas that actually reflect the desires of the market,” said Craig Krumwiede, president of Harvard Investments. “His vast experience with high-profile projects translated to delivering excellent, achievable ideas for our newest community, located in the East Valley. His multi-level thinking from land acquisition through construction administration, is a great asset to the Cadence at Gateway team. He really is the lynchpin bringing all the teams together.”

Wendell, along with the firm’s other principal Russell Greey, each have more than 30 years experience ranging from custom homes to multi-million dollar theme parks and everything in between. Familiar projects include Summerlin in Las Vegas, Vistancia, Windgate, Wickenburg Ranch, Encanterra and The Chicago Cubs Spring Training Facility.

“We’re building a community where the family home built at Cadence could be passed from generation to generation,” Pickett said. “and that’s a lot of responsibility. But beyond the neighborhoods, we’ve added innovative amenities and pushed the envelope to complete this vision, with the encouragement of Harvard Investments. Honestly, we’re building more amenities and special touches than we have to— but these guys support my philosophy of give more, do it better, and don’t build the stuff no one uses. It’s a combination of maturity and innovation in our thinking. Some of the things we felt were important hinged around connectivity— you can literally let your kid ride their bikes throughout the entire community, from neighborhood to neighborhood. We designed Cadence in accordance with the desire for lush landscaping, but also selected responsible plants that conserve precious water. We stayed mindful of the need for shade. We placed parks throughout the community, filled with stuff to do, and each park is no more than 300 feet from any home. We designed The Square, it’s at the heart of the community and provides everything from a ‘full-on’ fitness center to a casual Community Center, café, sport courts and fields…really too much to list! And maybe the coolest part is our resort pools, with dual slides, a lap pool, a spa, outdoor TV, fire pit — it goes on and on!”

For those searching for a well thought out, refreshing option in the Phoenix East Valley, Wendell’s award-winning approach is setting Cadence at Gateway apart.

Learn more about Wendell and his team at  http://www.greeypickett.com/. Find out more about Cadence at Gateway and what makes it the premier residential project in Arizona.

About Harvard Investments

Harvard Investments, Inc. is a real estate investment and development company with real estate holdings throughout the western United States. Harvard combines experience, integrity, and financial stability to create high quality, environmentally sensitive, profitable communities. Harvard’s Canadian parent, the Hill Companies, is a privately held diversified company involved in real estate development, oil and gas production and distribution, broadcasting, surety bonding, and life insurance. The Hill Companies celebrated its 100th year of continuous family ownership and operation in 2003. To learn more visit http://www.harvardinvestments.com/

About GTIS Partners

GTIS Partners is a global real estate investment firm headquartered in New York with offices in

Los Angeles, San Francisco, São Paulo, Brazil, and Paris, France. GTIS Partners has 70 employees and currently has approximately $3 billion of assets under management. To date, the firm has committed capital to residential, retail, industrial, office, hotel and mixed‐use projects in the U.S. and Brazil. In the U.S., GTIS has invested in over 70 projects across 20 states, including 55 projects in the residential sector. In Brazil, GTIS has invested in 38 projects comprised of

approximately 15,000 residential units developed or planned, and six million square‐feet of office, industrial and hotel projects. For further information, please visit www.gtispartners.com. 

Websites Referenced in this Document

1.     http://cadenceaz.com/

2.     http://www.harvardinvestments.com/

3.     http://www.greeypickett.com/