Mesa del Sol
mesadelsolnm.com
This vast 20-square-mile mixed-use community rising from the ground south of Albuquerque eventually is planned to include 37,500 homes for 100,000 residents. Using a cutting-edge approach to community planning, developers are implementing a new urbanism concept in which homes, town centers, workplaces, parks, and schools are within walking distance of one another.
Homes: Styles run the gamut from single family to condos to apartments. Home sizes will range from 900 to 4,000 square feet, with projected prices from the $170,000s into the $400,000s. The first models are expected to open in 2009, with buyers moving into the first 400 homes later in the year.
Green scene: Each home will be Energy Star compliant for optimal energy efficiency, while the community itself will embrace alternative energy sources, large-scale water harvesting, recycling programs,
and walkability.
Santa Fe Railyard
railyardsantafe.com
Just a half mile south of Santa Fe’s historic plaza is a major revitalization effort at the Santa Fe Railyard, which includes construction of a station for the new Rail Runner Express commuter train. Joining existing studios, galleries, and museums will be the ArtYard loft project, new construction that offers live/work studios and commercial space. The Railyard will also be home to the permanent location for the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market, a cinema, and 13 acres of open space that includes a park, plaza, and pedestrian promenade.
Homes and commercial space: The first of three ArtYard buildings has been completed, offering eight commercial spaces and nine residential lofts. Nearly all have been sold. The residential prices range from $400,000 for 1,100 square feet to $650,000 for 1,600 square feet, although one-third of the units were reserved for buyers meeting minimum income levels. Two other buildings are planned with completion dates in 2009 and 2010, although the next to come will contain only commercial space. See thelofts.com.
Green scene: The ArtYard project is being built to meet the LEED Gold or Platinum standards for new construction and to qualify for New Mexico sustainable building tax credits. Green features include gray water systems and rooftop water harvesting, solar thermal panels for domestic hot water and heating, varied glazing, Energy Star appliances, conservation landscape plans, recycling programs, open space, and hike and bike trails.
Oshara Village in Santa Fe
osharavillage.com
At Oshara Village in Santa Fe, local builders eventually will construct about 750 custom homes on 470 acres in the southern part of the city. Home styles include Pueblo, Territorial, and Craftsman, and another portion of the community has been set aside for commercial, retail, and office construction.
Homes: By late 2008, 45 homes had been completed or were under construction, with a price range from the high $200,000s to the high $600,000s. Residential units include townhomes, single-family homes, and patio homes. Fifteen percent of the units will be reserved for subsidized housing.
Green scene: Water reclamation is a priority at Oshara Village, which has built its own reclamation plant. Custom builders must comply with strict covenants for energy-efficient building techniques and materials.
Paul Allen Homes at Saltillo
paulallenhomes.net
Production home building goes green with Paul Allen Homes’ community at Saltillo on Albuquerque’s northwest mesa.
Homes: Buyers can choose from four different floor plans. Homes range in size from 1,040 to 1,730 square feet and in price from $149,000 to $189,000. Phase I recently has opened with 100 homesites and two models.
Green scene: Each Paul Allen home at Saltillo is built and independently certified to Build Green New Mexico’s Gold certification standard. Features include tankless water heaters, low-E windows, compact fluorescent lighting, Energy Star appliances, and blown-in insulation.