ULI South Florida/Caribbean Council 2013 Vision Awards Announced

MIAMI, Sept. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The South Florida/Caribbean Council of the Urban Land Institute, a global nonprofit committed to providing leadership in responsible, sustainable and inspired real estate development, announced its 7^th Annual Vision Awards last week at a sold-out award ceremony held at Miami's JW Marriott Marquis. Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, designed by Miami and San Francisco-based SB Architects, was named Project of the Year, one of only two projects given this honor in 2013.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130906/PH75495-a )  
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130906/PH75495-b )

"We are thrilled that our project has been honored as a Project of the Year. It represents the culmination of five years of passion and commitment, assembled by a huge – and hugely talented – design and development team," stated Scott Lee, president and principal of SB Architects. "This project celebrates everything that resort design should be, and reflects what we do best."

Set amid 1,400 acres on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, opened in December 2012 to rave reviews. Located on one of the most desirable and naturally beautiful sites in the Caribbean, the property is the second Ritz Carlton Reserve property in the world and the first in the Western Hemisphere. The resort has been designed to provide a luxury experience with an emphasis on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Dorado Beach has long been one of the Caribbean's most celebrated destinations - more than 50 years ago, Laurence Rockefeller opened the Dorado Beach Resort & Club on the property, and introduced the world to the concept of the environmentally friendly "luxury island resort." In keeping with the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand commitment to stewardship and Mr. Rockefeller's legacy of conservation, the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve has been designed to LEED Certification standards. The unique architectural style developed for Dorado Beach takes its cue from two important influences: the site itself and the rich, multi-layered history of both Puerto Rico and Dorado Beach.

Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve was developed by a public private partnership that includes Prisa Group, one of Puerto Rico's largest and most respected developers, Caribbean Property Group, leading developers, investors and asset managers in the Caribbean, the Hotel Development Corporation (a subsidiary of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company), and the Puerto Rico Tourism Development Fund, (a subsidiary of the Government Bank for Puerto Rico).

In over 50 years of design practice, SB Architects has maintained a long-standing reputation for excellence in the planning and design of large-scale, multi-phased projects around the world. SB Architects has been a leading figure in Puerto Rico's re-emergence as one of the Caribbean's most desirable destinations. Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is the design firm's third luxury property to open on this Caribbean Island in the past several years. The firm also has designed the hugely successful Bahia Beach Golf Resort, anchored by the St. Regis Bahia Beach, and the renovation of the Ritz-Carlton San Juan. http://www.sb-architects.com

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Media contact: Heather Hebert, Director of Marketing, SB Architects, 415-673-8990.

SOURCE SB Architects