Charlottesville VA goes green - sustainable urbanism is about people.
When we hear talk about urban communities and green building a phrase that is often used is sustainable urbanism. One of Charlottesville's newest urban communities is Belvedere, which is being developed around the model of sustainable urbanism. Today Real Estate III had a meeting at Belvedere to view the homes and listen to the developer, Robert Hauser, speak about the neighborhood. One of his statements that caught my attention was when he said that "sustainable urbanism is about people".
A neighborhood that is built with the sustainable urbanism concept in mind is of course "urban" in nature. It is built around the town model, with a mixed use neighborhood. You will see a mixture of retail, office space and residential. Under the residential umbrella you may find a range of prices, sizes, and home styles all on small lots as in a little town.
Ok. That makes sense but how do the people fit in? When you talk about sustainable urbanism it is important to remember what kind of person this sort of developement would appeal to. This type of neighborhood appeals to a resident who is very concerned about the environment. Energy saving in their homes and in their lifestyle is very important to them. They want to be able to bike or walk to work and restaurants. Consequently you cannot build this type of development just anywhere. It needs to be close to work and shopping. The homes should be energy efficient; in addition the urban feel is important. We are talking about homes that are close together, with front porches to sit on and talk with the neighbors, and sidewalks which take you to a destination such as a park, shop or restaurant.
A sustainable urban neighborhood appeals to people who like the neighborhood lifestyle. They want to get to know their neighbors and value the feel of community. They will appreciate a neighborhood coffee shop or cafe rather than a chain. In addition, they prefer a diverse and vibrant community.
The Belvedere neighborhood is based on these concepts. Belvedere has homes listed ranging from the high two hundred thousands to the high five hundred thousands. There are both attached and detached homes in a variety of architectural styles.
If green building and sustainablility are important to you, there is a variety of Charlottesville VA homes for sale that could meet your needs from a home in an urban neighborhood to a green built country getaway.
Remeber that as Charlottesville VA goes green - sustainable urbanism is about people, not just architecture.
Contact Pam Dent, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161 to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville. Email Pam Dent.
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Copyright © 2009 by Pam Dent, all rights reserved, "Charlottesville Goes Green - Sustainable Urbanism is About People".
