March 11, 2007 - ‘Green’ project looks for housing market niche She hopes that a new development in Columbia will give her the "community contentedness" she desires, along with a "smart growth" and environmentally friendly option for her and her husband now that their children have moved out. The 80- to 90-home "green" development of Bear Creek Prairie is planned on 17 acres of prairie and woodlands off Northland Drive. Developers Andi Guti and Sherri DeRousse have been working more than two years to create a neighborhood they say will be energy efficient, have a low impact on the environment and promote neighborliness through pedestrian walkways and trails. "The entire approach since the inception of this project has been extremely different from the usual approach to land development," Guti said. "Environmentally responsible development methods must be the future of land development." Despite a slower housing market, Guti said he expects the "unique features" of his development to attract buyers. The development group will debut the floor plans and prices for a variety of homes at 2 p.m. today at the Upper Crust Bakery, 904 Elm St. "It’s nice to find a place to live … that has exceptional views and a social connection," said Wallace, who works for the state Department of Natural Resources. "It would feel good to know I’m contributing to a community that is growing smart." Plans for the development outline three neighborhoods, including two areas of clustered town homes and flats surrounding a common green space with native plants and an area of freestanding single-family homes. The "carriage duplex" designs offer between 1,000 and about 1,200 square feet of living space, a one-car garage, a deck and options for one or two bedrooms. Prices range from "the lower $100,000s up to about $300,000," Guti said. Developers will be taking deposits for units in the first of a three-phase development and reservations for lots in upcoming phases. Guti said that the layout, based on European villages, encourages socializing and promotes safety. "This place is designed in such a way that a lot of eyes will be on the street," said Chip Cooper, who has been involved in the project and is looking at buying a home in the development. "It will be a closely knit group because of the pedestrian aspects … and opportunities to see, meet, greet and talk to neighbors." Guti said interaction will be helped in part by a neighborhood coffee shop. But energy-saving features of the homes will be one of the biggest benefits of the development. "When you build in this way, you might incur costs upfront for high-efficiency building systems and techniques," Cooper said. "The life-cycle costs of these new places will be far superior."
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