Happy Thanksgiving

It’s been another bounteous year at Grow Community, four vibrant seasons of progress and positive change.

Our pace-setting solar program earned recognition in the national press, as we used a clever combination of tax credits, incentives and pricing to put energy-producing arrays on three different flavors of multifamily homes in the Grove neighborhood – condominiums, townhomes and apartments. Washington’s largest planned-solar community – that’s us! – continues to set an example for renewable energy development nationwide.

French television featured Grow Community on its globe-trotting Echo-Logis program, highlighting the greenest, most forward-thinking communities around the world. Even if you don’t speak French, you can still enjoy the half-hour program and the stunning videography of our neighborhoods and our island.

Thanksgiving dinner. Roasted turkey with pumpkins and sunflowers on wooden table

Thanksgiving dinner. Roasted turkey with pumpkins and sunflowers on wooden table

Thinking globally and acting locally, we donated cedar construction waste to local grade school students to fashion “Mason Bee House Kits” for island bees. It was Grow Community’s latest contribution to the Pollinator Improvement Plan, an island-wide effort to bolster living and foraging space for bees, birds and other pollinators that are the linchpins of a healthy ecosystem.

And we welcomed many new neighbors, as the Salal and Juniper buildings, the Elan townhomes and Woodland homes were wrapped up and presented to eager buyers. Greetings!

As we pause together for a day of gratitude, we’re grateful for the wealth of enthusiasm, support and neighborliness we get from each of you throughout the year. At this special time, we are pleased to say:

Thanks-Growing!

Construction Update: As Thanksgiving Approaches…

With Thanksgiving almost here, we’re grateful for great new neighbors in the Grove and great progress throughout the Grow Community project.

All Woodland Homes are now complete and residents moved in, with only small punch-list items left to do. The Tsuga building is now partially occupied, with the remaining units ready for move-in this month. The ‘Tall and Skinny’ home will be wrapping up as well (ask about this very unique unit at our model home).

Landscaping in “The Knuckle” area west of the Woodland homes will begin this month, with connecting paths between the Village and Grove neighborhoods to be open by the end of the year.

In our third and final neighborhood, the Park, the Lilac and Sage are both progressing very well – both will have roofs on before the end of November.

Community Center framing will also be done before the calendar turns. Our goal is to get this building “dried in,” after which we’ll focus on community-supported decisions for the finish work.

Finally, the Trillium and Meadow Homes are both in varied stages of permitting. We hope to start these as soon as possible.

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Built Green gives Grow 5 Stars

Weather-tight outside, snug and warm within. Built Green gives Grow Community phase 2, the Grove, a prestigious 5 Star rating in its new online feature.

Built Green cites Grow homes’ excellent standards for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and top-quality materials in home that “cultivate a healthy, happy, and sustainable community for all ages.”

Built Green helps homebuyers find quality, affordable homes that offer opportunities to protect the health of their families and the Northwest environment. Built Green homes are designed to provide homeowners with comfortable, durable, environmentally friendly homes that are cost-effective to own and operate.

These resource-efficient homes are crafted to exceed building codes and provide homeowners with years of healthy, quality living, while protecting our families and the precious Northwest environment.

Read the Built Green feature on Grow Community here.

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Autumn sunshine, robust pumpkins and fresh-pressed apple cider

The Grow Community Harvest Fest was great fun for residents on a recent October weekend. As kids carved their Halloween jack-o-lanterns, adults took turns peeling fresh Washington apples and running them through an old-fashioned press to yield many jugs of sweet, golden goodness. Thank you to all who attended this great neighborhood celebration!