At HILLS Properties, we measure success by the difference we make in the communities we build, the residents we serve, and the teams we develop. This year has already delivered meaningful proof of all three. From a nationally recognized development award to resident satisfaction honors and hands-on training investments, we have a lot to be proud of. Here is a closer look at what we have been celebrating.

Vantage Earns 2026 CoStar Impact Award

We are proud to announce that Vantage at Anderson Towne Center has been named the 2026 Multifamily Development of the Year for the Cincinnati market by the CoStar Impact Awards. Now in its fifth year, the CoStar Impact Awards recognize commercial real estate projects that have significantly influenced neighborhoods across 129 major markets in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. Winners are selected by independent panels of more than 600 local industry professionals, making this a true peer-driven honor.

Vantage is a seven-story, 224-unit luxury community built on a former Metro park-and-ride site in Anderson Township—HILLS Properties’ tallest development to date. The project was designed to complete Anderson Township’s long-term vision for its downtown core. Anderson Towne Center is the community’s primary hub for shopping, dining, and entertainment, anchored by Kroger, Macy’s, Crunch Fitness, and an AMC movie theater. 

What set this project apart was what it preserved. Rather than displacing the site’s public function, HILLS integrated a multimodal transit center (including a Metro bus hub) directly into the building. The ground floor of the garage provides public parking controlled by Anderson Township, the result of an extensive public-private partnership. The outcome: meaningful infrastructure value delivered without burdening taxpayers, while generating new tax revenue and long-term economic activity. Total project investment was approximately $50 million.

The judges took notice. Joe Wiles, Managing Director at Colliers, praised the project for its “impact to the community, mixed-use involvement, site difficulties, and public transportation collaboration.” Josh Rothsten, VP of Leasing and Sales at OnSite Retail Group, highlighted the “creative vision behind adaptive reuse of multifamily.”

Inside, Vantage delivers what today’s luxury renter expects: 12-foot ceilings in select homes, quartz countertops, glass tile backsplashes, full-size washers and dryers, and pre-wired internet. Amenities include a heated saltwater infinity pool, a speakeasy-style lounge with a golf simulator and cold brew taps, a private cycle studio, and a courtyard with a fire pit, Big Green Egg smoker, and pizza oven. Residents range from empty nesters simplifying their lifestyle to young professionals taking their next step—a mix that strengthens Anderson Township’s housing ecosystem for the long term.

Recognition belongs to everyone who helped bring Vantage to life. HILLS acquired the land in 2018, broke ground in late 2021, and opened the leasing office in April 2025. The community reached 50% lease-up by December 2025, with full stabilization expected by June 2026. Special recognition goes to:

• Brandon Guttman (COO, HILLS Developers Inc.)
• Aaron Guttman (CFO)
• Sara Hendricks (VP of Property Management)
• Justin Seger (COO of Residential Property Management)
• Sara Perry (Director of Brand, Marketing & Customer Experience)
• Seth Guttman (VP of Construction)
• Michael Copfer (VP of Land Acquisition)
• Jordan Hemmerick (Project Manager, Construction)
• Gillian Molnar, Lease Up Operations Manager
• KZF Design
• McGill Smith Punshon

Come see for yourself! Give us a call or schedule a tour of Vantage to discover what life here really is like.

21 HILLS Communities Earn Grace Hill Kingsley Excellence Awards

Exceptional resident experiences don’t happen by accident—they are built one interaction at a time. That is why we are thrilled to share that 21 HILLS Properties communities earned the 2026 Grace Hill Excellence Award by outperforming the Kingsley Index™ benchmark for overall resident satisfaction. In addition, Allure and Greyson on 27 earned a distinction that places them among the Top 5% of communities nationwide for overall resident satisfaction.

The full list of Excellence Award recipients includes: 

• 49Hundred 
• Allure 
• Altair 
• Brinley Place 
• Clocktower West Chester 
• Element Oakwood 
• Emerald Lakes 
• Graphite Oakley 
• Greyson on 27 
• Kendal on Taylorsville 
• Landings at Beckett Ridge 
• Mallard Landing 
• Meridian on Shelbyville 
• Palmera 
• Reserve at Miller Farm 
• Rialto Hurstbourne 
• Savoy at the Streets of West Chester 
• Shadow Ridge 
• Vantage at Anderson Towne Center 
• Waterford Place 
• Wellington Place 

The Grace Hill Kingsley Excellence Awards celebrate communities that consistently deliver a resident experience above the national standard—and that feedback comes directly from the people who live there. As Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you do; they’ll forget what you said. But they’ll never forget how you made them feel.” That truth is at the heart of everything we do. Every maintenance response, every leasing conversation, every small gesture that makes a resident feel at home—it all matters.

This recognition is a credit to every team member at these communities who shows up with intention each day. We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to raise the bar across our entire portfolio.

Investing in Our Teams: Maintenance Training and CPO Certification

Great communities are only possible because of great teams, and great teams require continuous investment. That is why we kicked off 2026 with two significant training initiatives for our maintenance professionals.

Our Certified Pool Operator (CPO) training brought maintenance teams together at the HILLS corporate office for a hands-on, classroom-driven program. From technical instruction to real-world application, these team members arrived ready to learn and left better equipped to lead. Keeping our communities safe, beautiful, and performing at the highest standard begins with giving our people the knowledge and credentials to do it right.

We also hosted our Maintenance Training Workshop, a full-day event with both AM and PM sessions that draws teams from Cincinnati and Dayton. Led by our Facilities team and Senior Maintenance Supervisors, the workshop covered gas and electric water heater repair, toilet repairs, 24-volt electrical systems, and reading schematics. The energy and teamwork throughout both sessions reflected exactly what HILLS is built on: a culture where investing in people is never optional.

At HILLS, we believe exceptional living starts with exceptional teams. When our maintenance professionals are trained, confident, and supported, the difference is felt by every resident across every community we serve.

A Commitment To Comfortable Living

From a landmark development that transformed a Cincinnati neighborhood to 21 communities setting the standard for resident satisfaction — and a team investing in the next generation of maintenance excellence — this is what it looks like to live our values every day. Thank you to every HILLS team member who made these achievements possible. We are just getting started.