“This development is based on a private drive design developed by our partners in California, and is a unique concept here in Arizona,” says Paul Timm, COO of Watt. “Having just one point of entry for the community adds a level of privacy and allows residents to own a small oasis within a bustling urban corridor. It is innovative housing in and active location, but also peaceful.”

The second community, 16 Ocotillo, sits on 2.8 acres at the southwest corner of 16^th Street and Ocotillo Road, between Maryland and Glendale avenues in North Central Phoenix.

Pritulsky tells GlobeSt.com,"Infill projects provide exciting opportunities. Our mindset is: we're not in it because it's trendy. We're in it because we think it's a big part of housing's future."

Pritulsky says it's very challenging to find infill opportunities. "There are not a lot of sites. The more built out an area is, the harder it gets. Future opportunities for us may include repurposing or tear-down locations, or even looking at repurposing retail for a mixed-use project. There is a lot of price pressure on infill land."

In late 2013, Scottsdale-based New Leaf Communities and Watt Communities of Santa Monica announced their joint venture (Watt Communities of Arizona) and entered the Phoenix market with two inaugural projects: Dorsey Lane, a 51-unit townhome project located in central Tempe (just south of the southwest corner of Broadway Road and Dorsey Lane), and Biltmore Living, a 40-unit townhome project located in the Camelback Corridor (less than a mile south of 24^th Street and Camelback Road).

Those communities will provide contemporary, three-story urban townhomes ranging in size from 1,400 to 1,800 square feet.

“These are urban locations within established employment cores,” says Pritulsky. “They match the quality and vibrancy of their neighborhoods, and will allow residents to move from renting to owning without giving up their urban lifestyle.”