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SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 31, 2026 — The Orchard, a proposed 65-acre master-planned community bordered by Hollister Avenue and Highway 217, has won Best on the Boards, Mixed-Use Project at the 63rd annual Gold Nugget Awards. The Gold Nugget awards include more than 800 entries in the national and international competition held at the PCBC Conference in San Diego California.
The Best on the Boards category recognizes excellence in architectural design, planning, and development among projects that have not yet broken ground but are well advanced in the planning stage. The project was recognized for its aesthetics and solutions that address local challenges and set a standard for innovative development.
Currently under environmental review by Santa Barbara County, The Orchard includes townhomes, affordable family and senior rentals, workforce housing, a technology business campus, a regional daycare center, and a walkable commercial district with restaurants — all anchored by 10 acres of open space and parks less than a mile from the beach…