East West in the News

by Chérie L. Turner

East West Partners has become the dominant player in North Tahoe during the last few years, the largest landowner in Truckee and developer of Old Greenwood, Gray's Crossing and numerous projects at Northstar-at-Tahoe, including the building of the new village. But East West is also proving to be a leader in green building and business practices. Recently, the company received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications for two of its Tahoe-area properties: Wild Goose restaurant and the Natural Resource Management Center at Old Greenwood's golf course. The later is an 11,500 square foot structure that includes water and material recycling facilities as well as golf course maintenance, storage and offices. Old Greenwood is the first golf facility in the nation to achieve such certification.

LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to create a national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Through its certification process, LEED recognizes buildings that have met their rigorous sustainability standards.

Among other pro-eco efforts made at Wild Goose, insulation is made of recycled denim, tiles in the bathroom and kitchen are made of recycled glass and ceramic, and zero to low-volatile organic compounds (VOC) paints and stains were used.

On a not-so-green, but certainly very Tahoe note, East West is also launching a new wooden boat–Wild Goose II–that will join The Lake's fine fleet of "woodies." This 40-foot, finely-crafted commuter is intended to conjure up the glorious days of its namesake, which was a luxury party boat for guests of the famed Tahoe Tavern in the early part of last century. The Wild Goose II and the Wild Goose restaurant are both open only to members of the Tahoe Mountain Club–the over-arching recreation club that includes all of East West's local properties.