The DSC Standard® – A Year In Review

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Making the Most…

Team DSC® strives to make the most of every day. As we near year’s end, it’s hard not to reflect on how quickly those days—and all of that hard work—add up. Major new projects… new technology… new green building applications… new friends… new joys. It’s awe-inspiring!
Whether you are a vendor, a trade contractor or a client, you’re an integral part of our Team and you inspire us to make the most of every day. For that we say thank you, and hope we can continue to provide you with the best—for every day—now and in the New Year.

From our homes to yours, we wish you a very merry Christmas, happy holidays and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

With gratitude,
Jerry Meek and Team DSC®

Year in Review…

Desert Star is thankful for a tremendous 2010 and proud to share some of our milestones with you…

El Chorro Lodge: For five months, DSC immersed itself in this fast-track renovation that would simultaneously protect a local dining legacy and build green for the future. In short: we were in heaven! Thank you El Chorro and renovation team members for helping to make this achievement possible. You can be proud!

Silverleaf: This year, we embarked on a luxury custom home in the stunning Silverleaf community. Though we’ve just begun site work, there’s much to look forward to at this beautiful hillside location. Topping our list: a construction plan that maximizes the home’s sweeping views and the installation of our first geothermal air conditioning system. By circulating water through pipes buried more than 350 feet underground, this system uses energy from the earth to heat and cool a home in an extremely efficient manner. Stay tuned for more as the installation unfolds!

Material Distributions: DSC was green before green was cool. That said, we were honored to lead three home salvage operations as part of our 2010 project pipeline. As a value added service, Team DSC® has been obtaining significant tax deductions (donations of real property) for clients who are either wanting to sell their property as vacant land, remove for new construction or simply desiring to tear it down and lower their property tax basis. The two goals of a material re-distribution go hand in hand: divert construction and project material to recycling centers and away from landfills and to allow our clients to maximize their asset options. Through our re- distributions this year alone, Team DSC® has proudly diverted nearly 6 million pounds of material including concrete, asphalt, steel, wood and drywall. Our thanks to the clients who stood with us, side by side, to build green. You are true desert stars!

Renovation Nation: With real estate values in flux, residential renovations have become a popular option for homeowners to reinvent their homes without taking on a from-scratch design and construction project. This year, DSC was fortunate to lead a renovation that worked from the studs inward to transform a 10,000-square-foot Paradise Valley home—designed by famed architect Lash McDaniel—into a slice of Europe. With the goal of making this home feel like home for our international client, we matched lighting, plumbing and cabinetry to his European residence. We also added our own touches to bring this circa 1986 home in to present day, including open cell foam insulation that virtually eliminates drafts and a new Savant system, the industry’s only Apple-based lighting control and automation system that allows our homeowner to run his entire house off of his iPhone or iPad from anywhere in the world.

Boy oh Boy: We can’t forget two of the most important events of the year. DSC’s Kieran Davern completed his own expansion with the 2010 addition of a new baby boy—Bryce—and we’re not done yet! Before year’s end, we’re expecting yet another new arrival… a baby son for Marcos. Welcome, little ones, to the DSC family!

Honored…

On December 7, Desert Star Construction was pleased to accept a Southwest Contractor Best of 2010 award for the renovation of El Chorro Lodge.

“This year was very competitive,” said Southwest Contractor Senior Editor Scott Blair of the 13th annual awards, which honors the year’s best examples of construction and design excellence in the Southwest. “It was inspirational to see the quality of work being produced, even in a down economy.”

“Desert Star was a true partner in the rebirth of El Chorro Lodge,” added Jacquie Dorrance, who purchased El Chorro Lodge in 2009 and quickly initiated the renovation effort. “They understood our big vision and empowered us to go beyond by introducing sustainable building practices and proposing the LEED Certification early in the process.”

In addition to Desert Star, the El Chorro renovation team included locally based Candelaria Design(architect), Vallone Design(interior designer) and Berghoff Design Group (landscape architect and contractor designer).

Since its completion, El Chorro has earned numerous construction-related awards, which in addition to the Best of 2010 award includes a Valley Forward 2010 Environmental Excellence Award of Merit and a 2010 Building of America Gold Medal Award. For more information, visit our awards page.