Wilsonville & Portland Oregon Townhomes & Condos » WES

Costa Pacific Communities’ Orenco Station Found to be Friendlier with More of a Sense of Community Than Other Neighborhoods

agreen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:35:27 +0000

Orenco Station Town Center - Hillsboro, Oregon

Award-winning developer Costa Pacific Communities is renowned for designing transit-oriented, master-planned neighborhoods on the cutting edge of New Urbanist Planning. The most current community Costa Pacific has developed under a New Urban Design is Villebois in Wilsonville, Oregon. However, prior to developing Villebois, Costa Pacific saw tremendous success in its award-winning mixed-use community Orenco Station located in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Sociology professor Bruce Podobnik of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, conducted a research study over the past five years about New Urban living, surveying residents living in Orenco Station in addition to three other Portland-area neighborhoods. Two of the well-established neighborhoods were urban – one poor and one middle-class. The third neighborhood studied was a suburban middle-class development of cul-de-sacs. Orenco Station was the fourth neighborhood.

The survey found that residents living in Orenco Station believed their community to be friendlier, that it offers more of a sense of community than other places they have lived, that they walk more often to stores, and that they use public transportation.

According to the study, the percentage of residents living in the other three neighborhoods studied “came nowhere close to saying they were as sociable and community-oriented as those in Orenco Station”.

This survey is evidence that Costa Pacific’s New Urbanist philosophy of high-density, multiple use, walkable neighborhoods can foster more socially connected, healthier lifestyles within urban environments. Click here to read the complete article.

Costa Pacific’s newest community, Villebois, was founded on the same basic New Urban fundamentals. Located near the Westside Express Service commuter rail and plans to feature a town center with retail space and high density housing products, Villebois will soon offer its residents all that Orenco Station has and more.

To learn more about Orenco Station or Villebois, call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit www.CostaPacific.com.

Join the Westside Commuter Club and Be Eligible for FREE Bicycle Racks

agreen — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:49:39 +0000

The Villebois neighborhood is bike-friendly!

Do you and your coworkers bicycle to work?

Does your office lack bicycle parking?

Do you want to create an incentive to encourage more of your coworkers to use public transportation?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you better listen up! Washington County’s Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA) recently launched an incentive management program called the Westside Commuter Club (WCC), which will provide up to two FREE bicycle racks to companies that sign up to belong to the WCC.

For residents living in and around the Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail line, the opportunity to belong to the WCC couldn’t be better.

Oregon’s award-winning Villebois neighborhood was built in close proximity to Wilsonville’s local WES Station. Offering residents easy access to bike from home to the WES and on to work anywhere in the Portland metropolitan area, the community’s commuter-friendliness is unparalleled.

Here is some helpful information from Trimet when it comes to riding the WES commuter rail:

How to Load Your Bike on WES

Each WES commuter rail car has room for up to six standard-size bikes on board. There are two bike racks, and room for up to four more bikes in the priority seating areas.

Using the Rack

When the WES arrives, just roll your bike inside and place it in one of the vertical racks near the doors. The rack will automatically secure the front wheel in place. There is a strap for the back wheel for added security.

Using the priority seating area

There are two priority seating areas on each WES car for seniors and individuals with disabilities. If both bike racks are full, you may use the straps provided to secure your bike in the priority seating area (unless it is occupied or needed by a senior citizen or a rider with a disability). Please make sure that the straps are securely fastened and that your bike is not blocking the aisle. Two bikes can be stored in each priority seating area.

Federal regulations require bikes to be secured in one of the racks or areas provided. If both racks and priority seating spaces are occupied, you must wait for the next train.

If you ride your bike to or from WES on a regular basis, consider locking your bike at the WES station near Villebois in one of its designated bike locker spaces. This convenience saves area residents time and gas. Not to mention, riding the WES commuter rail gives the environmentally conscious individual peace of mind that he or she is helping offset their carbon footprint.

Learn more about bike parking at WES stations

Rent a bike locker or check availability

If you have questions or comments for TriMet, please email bikes@trimet.org.

If you would like more information about the Villebois Village Center and its commitment to its residents as a transit-oriented development, visit ChangeHowYouLive.com, or call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.

American Public Transportation Association Holds Transit Video Contest

agreen — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:29:51 +0000

Local Clackamas County, Oregon residents are encouraged to help the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) spread the word to Dump the Pump through the organization’s video contest. Winners will receive a YEAR OF FREE TRANSIT and an iPod touch!

Not to mention, the first 25 people to submit a video entry to the contest will receive a $25 VISA cash card simply for entering and telling why they dumped the pump and took public transportation.

Now is your chance to chronicle your experience with the Westside Express Service (WES) serving the west Portland metropolitan area!

The APTA’s contest is open to anyone and everyone – young, old and life-long riders alike! Submitted videos will be judged on creativity, content and overall impact. The grand prize winner will receive FREE rides for a year on the Trimet transit system as well as an iPod touch. APTA will provide each of the winners with their free transit pass.

Now hear this Wilsonville and Clackamas County residents: Get out your video cameras, hop on transit and tell us about it. All videos are due September 18, 2009.

For full contest rules and guidelines, including detailed instructions about how to submit videos through the YouTube.com channel, are available HERE.

For information about the WES commuter rail serving the local Wilsonville, Oregon area, visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com or call 866.580.2836.

Experts Say Riding Public Transit Saves Individuals $9,167 a Year

agreen — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:22:48 +0000

According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), people who ride public transportation rather than drive cars can save an average of $9,167 per year!*

The APTA’s monthly Transit Savings Report calculates the average annual and monthly savings for public transit riders and examines how an individual can save money by taking public transportation instead of driving a car.

The survey’s findings reported that transit riders can save an average of $764 per month. This savings amount is based on the cost of the national averages for parking and driving in addition to the national average gas price of $2.628 per gallon for self-serve regular gasoline as of August 7^th.

According to the APTA, public transportation is a safe and affordable way to travel. Not to mention, public transportation’s immediate, positive impact on reducing an individual’s overall carbon footprint as well as America’s dependence on foreign oil.

Click here to see where Portland stacks up on the list of Top 20 Cities on the Transit Savings Report.

Award-winning master planner and developer, Costa Pacific Communities is known for designing Transit-Oriented Developments (TOD) that are built for people – not cars. At each Costa Pacific community, the winding paths and quiet, tree-lined streets are perfect for walking or riding a bike. The hidden rear garages help minimize the impact of automobiles. And the convenience of mass transit — including light rail stations and bus stops — provides an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to driving. It all comes together to create a safer, healthier, and more connected way of life for all of our residents — and, in short, a very friendly way to live.

Costa Pacific’s latest community, the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, offers its residents easy access to the Westside Express Service (WES) light rail. Located just a short walk from the community, the Wilsonville WES Station offers hundreds of Park & Ride spaces and bike locker spaces as well as scheduled arrivals of both the South Metro Area Rapid Transit (SMART) and WES.

For more information about the Villebois Village Center or the community’s close proximity to the WES commuter rail, visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com or call 866.580.2836.

* Based on the August 7, 2009 national average gas price and the national unreserved monthly parking rate.

Take the Bike Commute Challenge! Registration Opens Next Week

agreen — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:51:14 +0000

Calling all local companies! As September approaches so does the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s (BTA) Bike Commute Challenge: a month-long competition between workplaces throughout Oregon and SW Washington to see who can bike to work more. Registration for this year’s Challenge opens next Monday, August 17th. Visit www.bikecommutechallenge.com and stay tuned for more details about this year’s Challenge.

Residents living in the Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon, will have a leg up (or rather, a pedal up!) on their competition by living in a transit-oriented community. Located just a short walk or bike ride from the area’s Westside Express Service (WES) station, Villebois allows residents easy access to all corners of the Portland metropolitan area via the new commuter rail.

As a transit-oriented community, Villebois works in tandem with the BTA’s mission of creating a healthier environment by reducing carbon emissions and other environmentally adverse effects of driving cars. Not to mention, bicycling to work and beyond is a wonderful way to stay healthy.

For more information about the bike and pedestrian-friendly aspects of the Villebois Village Center, please visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with New Home Specialist Andy Green with Costa Pacific Homes by calling 866.580.2836 or emailing Blog@CostaPacific.com.

Villebois Offers Easy Access to Local WES Commuter Rail

agreen — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:10:19 +0000

As a transit-oriented community, the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon is unlike any other neighborhood in the Pacific Northwest.

Developed by award-winning master planner and developer, Costa Pacific Communities, the Villebois Village Center was built on a foundation of connectivity – both inside and outside its neighborhood boundaries. Not only are Villebois residents closely connected with their neighbors, but they are also connected to the rest of the Portland metropolitan area by way of Trimet’s West Side Express Service commuter rail serving the local region.

Nicknamed “WES”, the train gives residents living in the neighborhood easy access to rest of the metropolitan area. The Villebois Village Center is just a short walk or ride from the local Wilsonville WES Station. Or Villebois residents can take advantage of the neighborhood shuttle service and be at the WES Station in minutes.

The station itself offers hundreds of Park & Ride spaces and bike locker spaces, saving residents time and gas. Not to mention, riding the WES commuter rail gives the environmentally conscious individual peace of mind that he or she is helping offset their carbon footprint.

From Wilsonville to Tigard to Tualatin to Beaverton, the commute is quick and easy for WES riders. Once aboard the MAX light rail in Beaverton, commuters are only a hop, skip and a latte from downtown Portland!

A community like the Villebois Village Center will change how you live.

Visit Villebois.com or call 866-580-2836 to learn more about the Villebois Village Center and the WES commuter rail.

SMART Bus Schedule Change

agreen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:20:15 +0000

Due to the recent introduction of Trimet’s new Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail to the area, the South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) system bus has adjusted its schedules up to 5 minutes in order to allow for better connections between SMART routes and WES. Please visit www.ridesmart.com for the latest schedule times. New paper schedules are currently being distributed.

If you have questions about SMART or the new WES Commuter Train, call 866-580-2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may reach SMART Customer Service at 503.682.7790.

WES Commute Time Essay Contest: Win an All-Zone Monthly Pass!

agreen — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:15:09 +0000

TriMet is holding an essay contest for anyone interested in sharing what their commute experience will be like aboard Westside Express Service (WES) Commuter Rail serving the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area’s west side – from Wilsonville to Beaverton.

Now is your chance to tell TriMet how you’ll get to and from WES and what you’ll do once on board!

All participants will be entered into a drawing to win an invitation to a preview ride on WES and an All-Zone Monthly Pass Essays must be 100 words or less and must be received at TriMet by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 9, 2008.

For all contest rules, please visit the TriMet website.

A transit-oriented community, Villebois offers residents easy access to the new WES Station in Wilsonville. Imagine the ease of living in a community that allows you to avoid rush-hour traffic and get to work on time! Not to mention, you’ll feel good knowing you’re reducing your carbon footprint by spending less time on the road.

To learn more about WES, please visit trimet.org/wes.

For information about Villebois’ easy access to the Wilsonville transit station, please contact me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com or 503.855.4661.

Andy Green Costa Pacific Homes, LLC
Villebois Village Center
Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com
Visit us on the web at: www.Villebois.com

Villebois Transit Study with The City of Wilsonville

agreen — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:28:19 +0000

The proposed Transit Master Plan for the City of Wilsonville and SMART, the city’s transit service, was to be adopted on Second Reading at the July 7th Council Meeting without service to Villebois at the inaugural running of the WES commuter rail. In fact, Villebois was designated to Phase 3 of the plan meaning service beginning in 2011 and 2013.

We at Costa Pacific felt that omission was unacceptable in light of the fact that Villebois is the largest Transit-Oriented development not only in Oregon, but perhaps the entire country!

From the very first planning meetings for Villebois back in 2002 we contemplated a connection to the rest of the Metro Region via a proposed commuter rail line. We designed the connections to Villebois i.e.,Barber St. and Boekman Rd., to accommodate that potential. We suggested and promoted to Washington County, the project’s sponsor, TriMet and the City a better location for the station and park and ride than where they had already purchased property on Boberg Rd. The current location at Barber and Kinsman is not only more convenient to Villebois residents but to all other commuters as well and is a direct result of our planning and encouragement. In addition, Costa Pacific successfully lobbied our Congressional Delegation to support the funding of WES and the roadway connections.

The shared vision of Villebois as a unique and remarkable place led to the creation of a $40 million Urban Renewal Agency to finance these connections. In the Development Agreement between the City and Villebois, Barber St was to be completed simultaneous with the opening of the commuter rail. Due to unavoidable delays the Barber St. extension has not been built leaving no way for VB residents to walk or bike to the station. Without the Barber St. connection or shuttle service from SMART residents would be forced to drive themselves to the station unnecessarily taking up parking space or worse yet driving to their destination instead of taking WES.

Costa Pacific along with members of the Chamber of Commerce and Clackamas County Community Solutions presented these points to the City Council on the 7th. Costa Pacific requested that SMART provide two morning and two evening shuttles to WES at the two existing transit stops in Villebois (at Sofia Park and at the corner of Villebois Dr. and Barber St.). The Council agreed with our request and adopted the new Transit Plan with direction to the City staff to figure out a way to include Villebois.

Costa Pacific and SMART will be conducting market research this summer to determine the transit preferences for Villebois residents, that is, best times, frequency of use, likely destinations, and proclivity to use the shuttle. The information gathered will be critical for SMART to figure Villebois into the plan and into their budget.

We encourage residents and citizens to help ensure the vision of Villebois as a remarkable place founded on the Tenets of Connectivity, Diversity and Sustainability by participating in the survey and letting the City Council and staff know of your interest in transit.

Rudy Kadlub, CEO
Costa Pacific Communities, LLC
Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com
Visit us on the web at: www.CostaPacific.com