Villebois residents are passionate about their community.  Do you LOVE where you LIVE?

“So….in a nutshell, the reason we chose Villebois was the overall livability of the community. It wasn’t just that the houses were nice or the floorplans worked for us, but the whole concept of living in a walkable community, with shops and parks,  where you know all your neighbors really appealed to us. And, as realtors, we see the vision of this place totally completed and just LOVE the entire idea. We have been to similar communities in other states and know what it feels and looks like when it’s done – and we are so excited to be a part of it from these early stages on. It’s been thrilling to watch the homes go up, meet the new neighbors, even sell quite a few homes in here. And, Costa Pacific really did it right. They saved mature trees, use recycled water, build green-friendly – everything that matters to today’s homeowner. Plus, Villebois is extremely all-inclusive. We loved the fact that it does not discriminate, there is a home for every age, every lifestyle, every stage of life – from singles to young families to empty-nesters and pet lovers – we all commingle here. Altogether, Villebois is much more than just a neighborhood. It is truly a unique place where people can come together and experience LIFE together. And if you don’t believe it can be this great – you just have to come and see for yourself!”

Sherine & Jaimy – Happy Villebois Residents

Click here to find out what others are saying about living in their new home and community Villebois Testimonials.

Villebois residents of all ages and lifestyles discuss what their families enjoy the most about the unique Wilsonville, Oregon, neighborhood from the close-knit social atmosphere to the variety of community events and activities that bring neighbors together.

For more information about the Villebois community, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Villebois, located in Wilsonville, Ore., is a new master-planned community that endeavors to connect its residents to the things that make life fulfilling and exciting.  In doing so, the entire design of the community was guided by three tenets: to preserve and promote connectivity, diversity and sustainability. And the community’s innovative and federally funded rainwater management plan (RMP) achieves all three.  It effectively connects the community’s residents to the area’s natural features through a diverse range of innovative means, which are described in detail in this and future posts.  Most importantly, the RMP manages rainwater in environmentally sustainable ways, helping to restore the land to its natural conditions prior to the development of the community.  That’s good news for Villebois’ residents — and great news for the environment.

The Vision:

Our Goal:

To design and build a community of approximately 2500 homes while restoring local and regional watersheds to the “natural condition” before the development of the Villebois community.

Defining Our Goal:

Research shows that 90% of the rainfall events in Wilsonville consists of a half inch of rain in a 24-hour period of time.  The Villebois Rainwater Management Plan would manage the half-inch of rainfall through natural, on-site processes.

Background:

What is the Natural Condition?

In a natural setting, rainwater falls onto the ground and soaks into the soil.  It is then carried through the soil via natural processes to local rivers and streams.  While acting as a vessel to transport the rainwater, the soil and plants also rid the water of pollutants.

How does our Rainwater Management Plan differ from the Conventional Method?

Normally, rainwater that lands on roofs, sidewalks, and streets runs immediately into a system of pipes, which quickly carry the water into local rivers and streams.  Thus, rainwater reaches these bodies of water in a much larger quantity than before development occurs.  Water that would normally take days to reach rivers and streams is now carried through pipes at a vastly quicker rate.  This alters the amount of water in the system and thereby interferes with habitat and wildlife.

In addition to quantity, water quality is adversely affected as well.  Rainwater collects pollutants from streets and sidewalks, and carries this pollution to the watershed.  Overall, this conventional system can be detrimental to the environment, and Costa Pacific Communities has designed an alternative system that will help to prevent environmental damage at Villebois.

In the Villebois Rainwater Management Plan sustainable techniques such as green roofs, porous pavement and pavers, bio-swales, and bio-retention cells were planned as part of the design to capture rainwater.  Once captured, the rainwater is filtered through enriched soils and cleansed through natural processes.  The rainwater has now not only been cleaned, but is allowed to reach the watershed at its natural rate via its natural soil system.  In effect, the quality and quantity of water leaving the new community has left in the same manner as it did before human interference.

To learn more about the Villebois or its rainwater management program in Wilsonville, Oregon, please visit ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with Costa Pacific Homes New Home Specialist Andy Green by calling 866.580.2836 or emailing Blog@CostaPacific.com.

The Bunny is Coming!

The 3rd Annual Villebois

Easter Egg Hunt

Friday, April 2

(rain or shine—dress appropriately!)

4pm @ Sofia Park

This event is open to EVERYONE – not just Villebois neighbors. But to make this egg hunt a success, we need your help!

If your child is planning to participate, please contribute at least one dozen plastic eggs filled with something (an M and M, a Skittle, a sticker, etc). We need A LOT of eggs so please contribute AS MANY EGGS AS YOU CAN.

We also need the plastic eggs that look like rocks or grass to make it more challenging for the big kids. These are typically available, pre-filled, at Costco or Target.

Please bring your eggs to 29507 SW Venezia on or before Friday, April 2nd at 11 a.m. or bring them to Sofia Park at 1 p.m. on April 2nd to help hide them.

Please consider contributing to the prize basket. These baskets will be filled with new, inexpensive, age-appropriate prizes for the kids who find the golden eggs. You can drop off prizes when you drop off your eggs, but it would help me plan if you tell me you’ll be donating prizes too.

Don’t have kids? Just want to watch or help? No problem! We could really use egg or prize donations, or help hiding the eggs. Or just come and join the fun!

Questions/Comments: Contact Allison Sherman at

allison@sherman.me or 503-709-2317.

OR

For more information about Villebois or the Bunny is Coming Event, please contact Costa Pacific Homes New Home Specialist Andy Green at 866.580.2836 or Blog@CostaPacific.com. The Costa Pacific Homes sales office in the Villebois Village Center is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and Sunday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Costa Pacific Communities announced that its latest community, Villebois located in Wilsonville, Ore., received the Gold Award for the highest honorary award, Community of the Year, at the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) NationalsSM Awards ceremony in Las Vegas on Jan. 19, 2010.

Villebois is a New Urbanist, pedestrian-friendly and transit-oriented community featuring a mix of housing types and a Village Center located adjacent to the Westside Express Service (WES) rail line in Wilsonville.

This is not the first “Community of the Year” award for the master planner and developer. In 1999, Costa Pacific received the prestigious award for Orenco Station in Hillsboro, Ore. Costa Pacific has been recognized both nationally and internationally for the communities it creates, and is proud to have become the most awarded builder/developer in the Northwest.

“It was thrilling to be selected from such prestigious company,” said Rudy Kadlub, Costa Pacific Communities CEO. “I’m overjoyed that we won this top honor. Villebois is a unique community, unlike any other in the world and I’m proud it’s already being recognized for its progressive vision.”

Costa Pacific did not stop at the Gold Award for Community of the Year.  It brought home three more Gold awards for Best Logo, Best Website for a Community and Best Product Design of an Attached Home Plan.

“The judges were so impressed by the story of Villebois…how thoughtfully the team crafted a “new” sense of place and community, said Peter Mayer, NAHB judging chairman. “From the product chosen to the way it was brought to market…They were spot on.”

Villebois offers area homebuyers a broad assortment of home styles and amenities from which to choose. Based on the intimacy and character of traditional European villages, the Villebois Village Center features everything from condominiums and row homes to apartments and mixed use buildings with ground level retail, residential or office space above. The Piazza Villebois, a dedicated community space and plaza, will serve as the heart of the Villebois Village Center and will be the future site of community events and other activities.

For more information about the Villebois community, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Villebois residents are passionate about their community.  Do you LOVE where you LIVE?

“We previously lived in SE Portland and we were looking to move to accomodate our growing family. We looked at several different areas and neighborhoods. We were looking for a community that would have all the walkable amenities of the city, preserved green space and parks, access to excellent schools, diverse housing options, and include sustainable development from building materials to greenscaping to neighborhood design. In addition, we were looking for more than a neighborhood, we wanted a community where people are connected to each other. We have that here. You can walk through the neighborhood and see how the intentional design of the houses, parks, and streets encourages people to interact with each other and build friendships. A typical Sunday afternoon is often spent sitting on the front porch with neighbors and watching our kids play in the front yard. Or, taking a stroll through the parks and stopping to play with friends we see along the way. It far exceeded our expectations and I am so happy to call it home.”

Marta & Matt – Happy Villebois Residents

Click here to find out what others are saying about living in their new home and community Villebois Testimonials.

Villebois residents of all ages and lifestyles discuss what their families enjoy the most about the unique Wilsonville, Oregon, neighborhood from the close-knit social atmosphere to the variety of community events and activities that bring neighbors together.

For more information about the Villebois community, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Villebois Sunday Market is now accepting 2010 vendor applications.

Interested vendors can download application and handbook at www.villeboissundaymarket.com .  You can also email us at  villeboissundaymarket@gmail.com or pick up the phone and call  (503)913-3114.

Deadline for new and returning applications are due Friday, March 5th.

Take advantage of the local farmers market in the beautiful Villebois community. For more information about the Villebois Sunday Market, visit VilleboisSundayMarket.com. You may also call 866.580.2836 or email villeboissundaymarket@gmail.com.

Allow me to vent for just a minute.

I recently read an article written by a local journalist in Wilsonville, Ore..  It discussed a new builder, Polygon NW, showing interest in building  homes in Villebois.  I think that is great news!  What I do not care for in the article is how the author tries to portray Villebois as “the recently troubled master planned community”.  I guess that he is entitled to his opinion but I think that his opinion is no where near reality.  There is no doubt that permits are no where near where they were in 2005 but let’s put this picture into perspective.

Lets take a minute to recap 2009

60 homes were sold in Villebois

47 new homes sold

Villebois won 9 national awards through the National Association of Home Builder

4 Gold Awards

5 Silver Awards

Named Community of the Year (that is throughout the nation, also called the United States of America)

For a “troubled development” 2009  shaped up to be a pretty good year considering the circumstances.  Villebois was the top selling community for new homes in the Portland real estate market and was named the top community in the nation.

Yes, we are in the midst, if not close to the end, of the biggest economic turmoil that this great country has ever experienced.  Instead of playing on peoples fear why don’t journalists try to spread a little bit of good news when it happens or better yet try to find the good in a situation.  People like good news sometimes too.

Maybe that doesn’t sell newspapers.

Click here to view the recent article in the Wilsonville Spokesman about the nationally award-winning Villebois Community in Wilsonville, Oregon.

To learn more about the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, please visit ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with Costa Pacific Homes New Home Specialist Andy Green by calling 866.580.2836 or emailing Blog@CostaPacific.com.

Legend Homes, Portland Oregon

Our building partner in the Villebois community, Legend Homes, looks forward to the spring as they plan to emerge from Bankruptcy.  It looks like their new philosophy of building more efficient, green homes will fit in nicely in Villebois.

When Costa Pacific Communities created the master plan for the Villebois neighborhood they made a conscious effort to incorporate green building and development practices.  Did you know that when they created the CC&R’s they made it mandatory that each and every home would be built to Earth Advantage guidelines?  I do not know of another developer that require that in a 500+ acre master planned community.  Taking it a step further they wanted to create a transit oriented development to help to improve the air quality in the region and give residents an alternative mode of transportation.  Throw in a cutting edge rainwater management system that the EPA is studying as a model for the rest of the nation and you have one of the most progressive communities in the nation.  Oh yeah, did I mention that  we recently were named the Community of the Year throughout the nation by the National Association of Home builders.

Come and visit Vileebois for yourself and take a tour of this exceptional community for yourself and find out why people LOVE to LIVE here.

To learn more about the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, please visit ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with Costa Pacific Homes New Home Specialist Andy Green by calling 866.580.2836 or emailing Blog@CostaPacific.com.

Carvahlo Condominiums - Villebois in Wilsonville, Oregon

As we approach a New Year, it is important to remember all of the benefits of purchasing real estate and new homes for sale in today’s marketplace.

Don’t forget that the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit for first-time buyers has been extended through April 30, 2010. Not to mention, the tax credit now offers $6,500 for owners of existing homes who are buying a new principal residence and have lived in their home for five consecutive years out of the last eight. Buyers have until the end of June to close.

In other news, the income eligibility limits for the tax credit – now for both groups of buyers – has increased from $75,000 to $125,000 for individuals and from $150,000 to $225,000 for married couples.

Don’t miss your opportunity to purchase the home of your dreams at the price of your dreams!

And where else can you find the home of your dreams than the award-winning Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon!? Take your pick of the broad array of single-family homes, row homes and condominiums available in Villebois. The community offers sustainably built, affordable homes perfect for any lifestyle.

To learn more about the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, please visit ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with Costa Pacific Homes New Home Specialist Andy Green by calling 866.580.2836 or emailing Blog@CostaPacific.com.   

For more information about the new tax credit, visit www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com.

For the eco-conscious commuter—or those who just like a little time to read the paper—the award-winning Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon is connected to nearby communities and the bustle of downtown Portland, Oregon through the Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail.

Villebois, developed by Costa Pacific Communities, is within walking distance of the Wilsonville WES Station, which has 400 park-and-ride spaces and 48 bike lockers. This easy access fosters a pedestrian- and bike-friendly atmosphere within the transit-oriented community.  

Not to mention, if you purchase a new Wilsonville home for sale in Villebois, you not only avoid rush-hour traffic but you will also feel good knowing you’re reducing your carbon footprint by spending less time on the road. Click here to learn more about what to do with your “WES Time”.

Built on a foundation of sustainability—from its transit-orientation to its green homes— Villebois will change how you live.

To learn more about the transit-oriented Villebois neighborhood, call Costa Pacific today at 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com.