A half-hour drive from Phoenix, Arizona, takes you to a luxurious retirement community with nearly 10,000 homes. It also features four golf courses and abundant parklike areas. Gothic Landscape, based in Valencia, California, has maintained these landscapes for over 25 years, allowing them to uphold high standards. Their efforts led to them earning a 2025 Gold Award of Excellence.
“This award is a great honor for both Gothic and The Grand,” says Nick DePasquale, executive vice president at Gothic. “It reflects the dedication of the field teams, irrigation technicians, supervisors, managers, and community leadership who work together every day to maintain one of the premier adult communities in the country. Most importantly, it recognizes a partnership that has lasted more than two decades and a shared commitment to creating an exceptional environment for residents. We are proud to see that effort recognized at the national level.”
From heat to wind, the Arizona weather is a daily challenge. This was evident in 2018, when a microburst destroyed nearly 1,000 trees in the community. The damage blocked numerous roads and paths, while limiting access for everyone.
“To give you an idea of how intense the wind was, we had a chain link fence that was ripped out of the ground and destroyed!” DePasquale says. “Our team immediately mobilized emergency response crews to restore access and eliminate safety hazards. Working through the night, with community leadership, we prioritized critical routes, removed damaged trees, and coordinated debris removal across the property, including the four championship golf courses.”
The property features over 11,000 trees, and many of them are prone to monsoon events. To reduce the risk of damage, Gothic uses precise pruning techniques to encourage a strong structure for each tree. In total, the team has 12 pruning styles to reduce water consumption and promote more blooms.
When it comes to heat, Gothic has endured consecutive years of record-breaking temperatures, including a summer with 70 days above 110°F. A range of measures are used to keep employees safe in that type of heat, including multiple shifts, workflow changes, and additional break times. They’re also given cooling towels and heat-reducing PPE.
The irrigation programs require constant monitoring, as they contain over 100 smart controllers, 200 water meters, and 1,500 valves. Soil probing and weather-based programming are key parts of this process, along with physical inspections. With the close proximity to Phoenix, the team also deals with the effects of an urban heat island. Since taking over the property, Gothic has prioritized improving the irrigation system.
“Over the years, we have upgraded irrigation infrastructure, implemented smart controller technology, refined water management practices, and developed proactive monitoring programs that improve efficiency while maintaining a high-quality landscape,” DePasquale says.
When designing new plantings, Gothic emphasizes drought-tolerant species to reduce water consumption.
With 17,000 residents, the volume of work orders can be extreme. Gothic has a system in place to prioritize each request and set expectations. Safety is the top priority, so residents with fallen trees or other hazards are addressed first.
“All work orders are funneled through a dedicated manager who uses a triage system to prioritize and distribute them to the appropriate team members,” DePasquale says. “Work order completion is reviewed daily, and photos are uploaded into our management system to document closure and ensure accountability.”
These requests also influence future landscape projects.
“Our management team meets regularly with community leadership to review trends, address resident concerns, and balance immediate needs with preventative maintenance and long-term improvement initiatives,” DePasquale adds.
Gothic also shares plant information with residents through community resources, including a monthly newsletter, internal TV station, and town halls.
The complexity of this community requires careful training for employees.
“New team members work alongside experienced supervisors and crew leaders to learn the property, understand our standards, and gain an appreciation for the level of care residents expect,” DePasquale says. “Based on the first two weeks, we assess their strengths and assign them to a specialized crew that matches their skill level.”
Over 50 staff support this property across the various crews.
The partnership between Gothic and the community is key to future projects. Parts of the property have aging plantings and infrastructure, so those areas are being evaluated and updated.
“Our most notable project was an entry enhancement program that aligned with The Grand’s rebranding initiative,” DePasquale says. “This transformed the primary entrances through updated landscape architecture, enhanced plant palettes, and improved visual identity, creating a more welcoming and contemporary arrival experience.”
On a larger scale, the team develops annual and multi-year plans that align with the community’s goals.
“We look at infrastructure needs, plant replacement cycles, water conservation initiatives, and landscape enhancements,” adds DePasquale. “This proactive approach allows the community to invest strategically and maintain the property’s long-term beauty and functionality.”
Interested in participating in the Awards of Excellence? Enter your projects by Aug. 7, 2026.
