$2.6M Tournament Hills’ home in Las Vegas has contemporary design — PHOTOS

The modern contemporary design of Dr. Lionel Handler’s home set in Tournament Hills’ predominantly Tuscan neighborhood gives it an edge in the ever-changing real estate market.

“What makes this home unique in an Old World community like Tournament Hills is the contemporary design,” said Robert Bero, owner of Chateau Development. “It reflects the direction the market is going, and it’s really out front. That makes it special.”

Located at 1408 Iron Hills Lane, Handler has lived in this prestigious Summerlin neighborhood for just more than a year, a neighborhood frequented by former presidents and Hall of Fame Sports stars.

“Tournament Hills is one of the most impressive neighborhoods to live in,” Handler said. “You don’t feel like you’re in Las Vegas. Of all the neighborhoods I’ve lived in, I’d say Tournament Hills is by far my favorite.”

Handler recently put his completely renovated six-bedroom, six-bath 6,143-square-foot home up for sale at $2.6 million. The property is listed through Ivan Sher, broker and partner of Shapiro &Sher Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Nevada Properties.

“This is what’s happening in these types of communities,” Sher said. “They are coming in and either refurbishing the home or completely taking it down to the studs and creating a whole different look.”

Handler is the third owner of the property. According to public records, Michael Mall and Margaret Ortiz were the previous owners.

“Tournament Hills is a strong name,” Sher said. “Some of the wealthiest people in the country live here. It’s got a great reputation.”

A full-time dermatologist, Handler’s passion for real estate led him to build and sell four custom homes and renovate six others in high-profile neighborhoods such as Red Rock, Canyon Fairways, Eagle Hills and The Ridges.

“I just love it,” Handler said about real estate. He likes to renovate or build a home every few years.

“In another life I would be in real estate. Even as a kid growing up in Manhattan, my parents used to walk around Park Avenue and look at buildings. I was obsessed with real estate even as a kid.”

For his latest project, Handler targeted the Tournament Hills neighborhood in 2012. Here he discovered a home that had been neglected and was on the verge of foreclosure.

“It was a total mess,” Handler said. “The previous owner hadn’t done anything to it in years.”

Seeing the potential, Handler purchased the home and hired Bero as his general contractor to oversee the approximately $800,000 renovation.

“He was one of the original builders who did several homes in Tournament Hills,” Handler said. “He knew the neighborhood well.”

During this approximately eight-month remodel project, Handler chose to gut the home’s interior, removing all the flooring down to the concrete foundation. Bero was instrumental in most of the interior floor plan and redesigns.

“The floor plan now is completely open,” Bero said about the home that originally had a series of what he referred to as honeycomb walls. “We made the decision to start knocking down non-bearing walls and see where it led us. Each wall would come down, you’d say, ‘I can breathe.’ A lot of the decisions are made for you because it becomes so obvious.”

A 10-foot pivot door with 24-foot ceilings creates a grand entrance into the home. The staircase, originally located in the entryway, was moved so the view to the backyard wasn’t obstructed.

The small kitchen was enlarged and designed with the chef in mind. It features state-of-the-art appliances, a custom-designed island and a separate breakfast bar.

“The original kitchen was very tiny,” Bero said. “It wasn’t functional at all.”

Alder wood cabinets stained dark mahogany set against white quartz counters with waterfall edges provide a modern appeal via the stark contrast.

“Looks like the counter is spilling over the edge and dropping down on the floor,” Bero said of the waterfall edges. “It’s the same material on the side as on the top.”

Dark porcelain tile flooring throughout the main level mimics the look of slate contrasted by stark white walls further defines the contemporary appeal throughout the home.

“You can see what he did,” Sher said. “Less is more, very minimalistic with white walls and clean lines.”

A large dining room and family room with a gas fireplace is adjacent to the kitchen. Large windows and 10-foot ceilings allow streams of natural light to flow into the airy and expansive space.

“This particular home has a double-great room concept,” Sher said. “Where you have this great room with living and dining room but open to the other side family room just off the kitchen.”

A glass-enclosed office offers the only walls in the main living area of the home. Custom light fixtures reflect an artistic statement to enhance the modern design.

Two of the six bedrooms on the main level are considered suites, each with its own private bath and walk-in closet. Two bedrooms on the upper level feature walk-in closets and share a bath.

Double doors open to a large private master suite with a grand walk-in closet and private bath. A large circular Fiberglass tub encased in a platform of marble is the focal point of the room. A matching marble shower and two vanities create a spa-like experience. Natural light flows into the room from a private balcony window next to the tub.

The walkway between the master bedroom and the loft was redone to open the views from the upper to the lower level.

“It was a monstrosity,” Bero said about the handrail system that was on the walkway. “We had to redo the whole thing.”

The exterior was renovated completely with new landscaping designed and installed by Vantage Landscaping. Several large pine trees surrounding the sports court were removed.

Bero restructured the decking around the pool to ensure proper drainage while the pool and spa were updated with new plaster and tile.

“It was a great opportunity to bring a struggling home and make it current and fashionable in one of our best established neighborhoods,” Bero said.

Surrounding the famous private Tournament Players Club golf course, Tournament Hills is a guard-gated community with approximately 132 custom homes built between 1993 and 2001.

The community’s custom homes, developed on acre lots, range from 3,528 square feet to well over 21,000 square feet. Many estates have designer features such as gourmet kitchens, service entrances and smart technology. According to Sher, homes begin in the $900,000s and go up to multimillions.

Built by the Howard Hughes Corp. in partnership with the PGA Tour, TPC Summerlin opened in 1991 followed by the Clubhouse one year later. Architect Bobby Weed with TOUR player consultant Fuzzy Zoeller designed the project.

“It’s an oasis in the desert,” Lee Smith, TPC general manager and director of golf, said about the 140 acres of turf coverage. “Also, we are one of 45 golf courses out of 15,000 in the country to host a PGA TOUR event.”

According to Smith, the course has catered to several famous golfers, past presidents and Hall of Fame sports players. Consistently voted the best golf course in Summerlin and Las Vegas, TPC Summerlin is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Commemorating the event in May, TPC held the grand opening of a new multimillion dollar Lifestyle Center. The Center offers a 2,000-square-foot fitness area, tennis courts, children’s splash area and club room as well as a full-service kitchen.

Renovations to the clubhouse are planned over the next 10 months.

“The clubhouse has gone through numerous renovations over the years including the locker rooms, outdoor patio, indoor furniture and golf shop,” Smith said. “We are planning additional renovation work to the front entrance and the bar/lounge.”