Marv's Place Apartments in Pasadena has earned LEED Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, for energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. Platinum is the highest designation under the council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design program, underscoring both the quality of Onyx Architects' design and the commitment of the developer, National CORE.

To qualify for LEED certification, the project must pass a rigorous set of design and building guidelines. LEED Platinum buildings are the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly structures around - carefully crafted, air sealed and insulated so heating and cooling systems can operate efficiently. Energy systems are sized correctly, and installation is verified to make sure they are running correctly. Water is conserved and managed. Indoor air quality is protected during construction and through day-to-day operations.

Marv's Place provides one- and two-bedroom affordable apartments for 20 formerly homeless families in the Pasadena area, and has also been awarded 2016 "Supportive Housing Project Of The Year" by the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing (SCANPH).

Homes for Life Sequoia Apartments | Grand Opening Ceremony 2014

ONYX Architects is proud to announce the Grand Opening of the Homes for Life Sequoia Apartments in Van Nuys, California. Homes for Life Foundation and Little Tokyo Service Center teamed once again with ONYX to design 25 units of permanent supportive housing for very low-income residents with chronic mental disabilities. The opening ceremony included accolades by representatives from congress, the city council, HUD, and the California Treasurer for achieving its goals with a unique mix of HUD funds, tax credits. Most touching was the speech by a new resident named Darold, who spoke haltingly about his onset of mental illness, his long road to recovery, and his joy and excitement at having a home to live independently with hope and dignity. 

The apartment building is designed to complement the Mediterranean architecture of the surrounding neighborhood, and includes an elegant recreational roof deck, a community room, laundry and offices for supportive services. The development includes many sustainable features such as LED lighting, permeable paving, high efficiency heating/cooling, Energy Star appliances and solar hot water. Certification is currently underway to achieve LEED Gold sustainability. 

La Casita del Arroyo Rehabilitation | Ground Breaking Ceremony 2014

As project architect for the rehabilitation efforts at La Casita del Arroyo, Onyx Architects is proud to announce the ground breaking of construction beginning this week. A community ground breaking ceremony was held on Saturday, February 22nd. This project is an example of a public/private partnership collaboration effort between the La Casita Foundation and the City of Pasadena to preserve one of the city's most treasured landmarks. Renovation and rehabilitation efforts at the La Casita del Arroyo will ensure that this resource remain a viable community asset for generations to come.