Designed for Today's Family

It is hard to believe, but we are wrapping up. Our first tenant came forward with the qualities that were in mind when planning these units. First off they are looking for a nice home for their new daughter. They are also interested in community revitalization and a sustainable future. Like many young people these days they have a tight budget, so they figured out they could enjoy these fresh surroundings by having a roommate in the private first floor bedroom. This bedroom and bath was always intended to be a flexible space. For the roommate,  this is a nice housing option. In addition the tenant owns a small business, and it's exciting to cross paths with N9NEPromotions. See the N9NEPromo posting about evolving their lifesytle. To see their latest streetball promotion click here.

Best Seafood Around

When  you come for the Hazelwood Park Summer Fair Open Houses and Fireworks, don't miss Davy's Locker a couple blocks away for the best seafood around with a spectacular view of Buzzards Bay.

Buy Local Campaign Continues

This project has run on the premise that Smart Growth construction can be completed by choosing local suppliers and contractors. The budget accommodates this through cost-effective design and the economic return to the community of which we are a part of. Often the local supplier competes just as well or even better than the national retailers. To be sure the national retailers have had a piece of this project, but this project is decidedly local.

The South End of New Bedford has amazing local resources for finishing your home. All of these businesses are within a mile, and are great for the income, jobs and street presence they create. Finding what you need in your village center is convenient, saves time and energy, and this hasn't been completely forgotten in this community. 

Appliances have been purchased from Tony's Appliance on County Street; both the selection and price were great. These were the most attractive appliances for the budget that I could find anywhere. The carpet is coming from C & M Flooring on Orchard Street near Goulett Square (click here for a brief slideshow from the South End Business Association). Paint has been from Rogers Benjamin Moore on County Street. Victor came out and did a color consultation that pulled everything together. He help me choose the colors that would be right together. Finally a beautiful modern lime green living room set is coming from DeMelos Furniture whose storefront is wondrously modern, spacious, and you look forward to seeing the changing rooms displayed inside.

Sneak Peak

With a punch list a mile long, and floors covered in cardboard, all I can show of the interiors are photos of the kitchen that show the direction the townhouses are taking with a low-budget and  minimalist style approach. Note the stainless steel appliances from Tony's Appliance. (Click to see floor plans showing this kitchen) The cork flooring is from Portugal and sourced through Black River Flooring from my home state of Wisconsin.

"In Search of Eco-Cafe Entrepreneur"

Edible South Shore says it so well in the latest Spring issue. We're looking for a Eco-Cafe Entrepreneur to complete this Smart Growth Mixed Use project that brings innovation and efficiency to this fantastic beachfront neighborhood. As shown by the movement of "Edible South Shore", the Massachusetts South Coast region has a flare for self sufficiency that is supported by a lower-cost of living combined with a high-quality lifestyle. Take a look at the latest issue of Edible South Shore or look for copies at these south shore business locations. 

See our Eco-Cafe posting to get a feel for creating a friendly neighborhood business in the available space. Also view a posting about the townhouses that offers an ideal live/work setup.

Recycle Everyday - Part 2

At least 40 five-gallon buckets containing either joint compound or paint were consumed on the job. Meg Hebert of the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District  directed me to A.W. Martin, Inc. to get these buckets recycled. I was told to be sure the buckets were relatively clean, and that took an hour of effort. When dropping off the buckets, I got an enthusiastic response from all of the staff and the comment that more builders should think about recycling. 

Sorting the trash always rewards me with less trash to pay to dispose of, and it is meaningful to produce less waste. The amount of cardboard and foam on this job is huge, and it would be pointless to cart any of it to the disposal site. Here's a link to my approach to reusing polystyrene  http://alternativearchitecture.blogspot.com/2009/12/affordable-energy-retrofits.html . See earlier post Part 1

Building Up is Catching On

It has taken the whole recession to finish these townhouses, and we're almost there. Much of what has kept this project going is the belief that it matters to a wide community of small businesses. Every building project has this capacity. It is great to hear more stories like these being told on CNN's new segment "Building Up America." Take a look click here. 

One of the projects profiled is the adaptive reuse of a 1959 auditorium into a new stuning performance arts center. The techniques used at the Austin Long Center were also being used here in New Bedford in the transformation of a deteriorated commercial building. Recycling and building up this economy have been key to this Smart Growth Mixed-Use Project. Looks like building up is catching on.