Inside Arizona’s New $1 Billion Sustainable Luxury Community

As Optima McDowell Mountain takes shape in North Scottsdale, award-winning real estate firm Optima is setting a new benchmark for sustainable luxury with its $1 billion mixed-use community.

The development spans 22 acres on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway and features residences, cutting-edge green building techniques, expansive open space, and community-driven amenities.

Some of its most notable environmentally friendly initiatives include:

• The largest private rainwater harvesting system in the U.S.: A state-of-the-art system designed to capture and store approximately 210,000 gallons of rainwater in an underground concrete vault, repurposing it for irrigation and minimizing overall water use.
• 75% open space: There will be 14 acres of open space, with over 70% available to the public and 30% reserved for residents. The landscape will include a combination of native xeriscaping, shaded seating areas, putting greens, and a network of pedestrian and bicycle pathways.
• Optima’s signature vertical landscaping system: This self-sustaining system allows lush, drought-resistant plants to cascade down the facades of the buildings, providing natural insulation, filtering air pollutants, and reducing the urban heat island effect.
• Advanced energy-efficient building systems: The buildings will incorporate solar panels on the roof, high-performance VRF heating and cooling systems, induction cooktops in the residences, and EV charging in the parking garage.
• 100% underground parking: By moving all parking below ground, the development mitigates heat retention at the surface level.
• Green codes: The community will be the first project in Scottsdale to be built under both the recently adopted International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC).

Designed by internationally acclaimed, award-winning architects David Hovey Sr., FAIA, and David Hovey Jr., AIA, Optima McDowell Mountain positions itself as a national model for water conservation and green building.

Optima McDowell Mountain will include a central park area. Courtesy Optima McDowell Mountain

What to Expect

The development will be comprised of six concrete-framed, eight-story buildings, with a mix of up to 1,330 luxury condominiums and apartments and 36,000 square feet of commercial, retail, and restaurant space.

Construction is currently underway on the first residential tower.

The building will include amenities such as fitness centers, basketball courts, pickleball courts, and residents’ clubs. Six separate rooftop decks feature 50-meter Olympic-length swimming pools, running tracks, and outdoor fireplaces.

At the heart of the community will be an expansive 10-acre central park.

The first condominium tower is expected to begin selling this spring, with the first rental tower welcoming new move-ins in September.

Courtesy Optima McDowell Mountain