Podcast on pollinators – listen in now!

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Not long back we announced Grow Community’s participation in Bainbridge Island’s new Pollinator Improvement Plan.

Landscaping throughout our Grow neighborhoods will be “bee friendly,” with a rich mix of native flowering plants to give our little pollinators plenty of food and habitat.

screen-shot-2015-12-01-at-12-38-16-amNow the PIP is featured in a new podcast on Bainbridge Community Broadcasting. In his program Community Cafe Bainbridge, host Barry Peters interviews two local officials about the island-wide effort to promote a healthy ecosystem by looking out for the bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators so key to our food supply as humans.

Heather Beckmann, Bainbridge Island city planner, and Amber Richards, assistant to the city manager, discuss the goal of linking different green spaces across the island so pollinators can navigate the built environment. Grow Community is glad to take its place on this welcoming corridor.

Heather and Amber of Pollinator ProjectYou can hear the podcast right here. Find out not only how Grow is meeting the challenge to protect our pollinators, but how residents across the island can do their part by planting bee-friendly flower beds and gardens.

“We’re hoping all people would ideally get involved, so the island itself can be a sanctuary for pollinators,” Heather tells the Community Cafe Bainbridge.

Thanks to Barry, Heather and Amber for the great podcast and for giving a shout-out to Grow Community as the Pollinator Improvement Plan moves forward. Bee well!

Model home now open in Grow’s newest neighborhood

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The Grove neighborhood is almost here, and our new model home in the Salal building is now open for tours by appointment.

Oriented toward the neighborhood’s namesake greenway, the Salal’s south-facing homes accentuate the view with generous floor-to-ceiling windows. All residences feature single-level living with bedrooms and active spaces on the same floor.

Ground-floor garden homes open up to secluded outdoor patios, while second and third-floor residences offer private decks. A semi-private elevator provides access from underground parking directly to your entry.

See the Salal’s fine amenities and outstanding energy-saving features for yourself – make an appointment today by contacting our sales team: [email protected] or 206.452.6755.

Click here for more information and purchase opportunities, and watch for more announcements as the Grove neighborhood welcomes residents this fall.

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Lotakis honored in Kitsap Sun’s ‘20 Under 40’

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greg-lotakis-1024x935Grow Community project manager Greg Lotakis joins august company as a “20 Under 40” honoree for 2015.

The annual awards, sponsored by the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal and Kitsap Sun newspaper, recognizes “the best and brightest young business leaders who make Kitsap a greater place to live, work and play.”

Honorees were feted at a gala evening this week at Bremerton’s Admiral Theatre. Author and motivational speaker Dan Weedin offered a stimulating address on leadership preceding the introduction of winners.

“It is an honor to be considered and selected for Kitsap Sun’s ‘20 Under 40’ for 2015,” Greg says. “I continue to find myself surrounded by amazing people – coworkers, friends, and family.  I am truly grateful for them and know my success is tied to their support of me.  My congratulations to the other nominees and selected candidates. Here’s to a bright future for our communities.”

Greg is profiled in a special print and online section for honorees. Find out more about Greg and read his comments on leadership here.

Congratulations to Greg for this great honor, and thanks to the Kitsap Sun and Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal for recognizing his great contributions to Grow Community.

 

Grow aloha! Hawaii delegation pays a visit

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black-and-white-hawaiian-flowers-clip-art-888576Grow Community was pleased recently to welcome a delegation of officials from the great state of Hawaii.

Some 55 strong, the dignitaries were here by invitation of the City of Bainbridge Island, to study communities that embrace the future through sustainability, resiliency and walkability.

On Bainbridge, they found a great example of planning and development in an island setting much like (albeit somewhat smaller in scale) than their own.

Given their focus, the trip wouldn’t have been complete without a stop at Grow Community, in the vanguard of livability strategies and the new urbanism. Visitors toured Grow’s first neighborhood, the solar-powered Village, and saw progress on the new Grove neighborhood about to open for occupancy.

The tour followed another recent, similar visit by Dutch officials – Grow Community is definitely on the map!

Thank you and aloha to our Hawaii visitors – from our island to yours.

 

 

Pollinator Improvement Plan – a bee-eautiful idea comes to Grow

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Bees are the unsung heroes of a healthy ecosystem.

By supporting flowering agricultural crops and orchards, they and their fellow pollinators butterflies and birds are responsible for as much as one-third of the human food supply.

Enjoy tasty local cucumbers, strawberries, apples or even onions? Thank your neighborhood bee.

grow-beeGrow Community joins the effort to promote our island’s pollinator populations through the Pollinator Improvement Plan (PiP), now under way at Commodore Options School.

The goal: to create a network of pollinator-friendly micro-environments around the island, aiding the industrious apiformes as they seek out nourishment and shelter.

The landscape plan at Grow Community phase 2, the Grove, will include pollinator-friendly native plants with a sequential bloom season to provide food and habitat through the year for pollinators – from hazelnut in late winter/early spring to Oceanspray in late summer. These plants are located throughout the project, not just in the planting beds planted with the “pollinator mix.”

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Grow also features multiple canopy layers in trees, shrubs and perennials, to provide shelter options for pollinators.

Planting under the direction of renowned firm PLACE landscape architects is now underway on the site, even as we round out the first buildings nearby for residency this fall.

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“Bees might not be among our ‘homeowners’ per se, but we want them to be regular visitors,” said Greg Lotakis, Grow Community project manager. “Community gardens have been one of the signature features at Grow from the start, and we want to share those gardens and fruit trees with pollinators who are more reliant on them still.”

PiP is a joint project of Commodore Options program and the City of Bainbridge Island.

During the yearlong program, students will learn about the importance of bees and other pollinators to the natural environment as well as the various threats – overuse of garden chemicals, loss of habitat – their fragile populations presently face.

grow-village-kids1The multiage curriculum will include mapping of local bee habitats and production of a “Bee’s Eye View” video, to promote bee-friendly planting at homes and neighborhoods throughout the island.

The video will be shown on Earth Day 2016.

Participants will also work with the city to review local landscaping and pesticide policies, to make local public lands pollinator friendly. Students will be part of this community discussion.

“Our COS students are currently conducting the research needed to produce an educational slide show about pollinators. This is a first step to educate themselves about the process, developing a depth of knowledge that will add support throughout the project,” said Carl Lindbloom, project coordinator. “Commodore Options School’s focus is on project based curriculum and community service, so PIP is the perfect fit.”

Watch for more news about Grow Community’s bee-eautiful plantings here in the coming weeks.

HouseSmarts finds smart homes at Grow

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Intentionally designed for unintentional connections – that’s Grow Community.

Lou Manfredini (NBC’s Today Show, WGN Radio) and the crew of HouseSmarts visited Grow this past spring, interviewing residents and exploring what is now Washington’s largest solar community just a few steps from Winslow town center.

Manfredini liked what he found at Grow, praising the community for its modern design, neighborhood spirit, and forward-thinking renewable energy features.

“These types of ideas, we can place anywhere in the U.S.,” the host says.

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Grow and PHC earn Built Green Hammer award – again!

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For the second straight year, Grow Community and PHC Construction have earned the prestigious Built Green Hammer Award.

Sponsored by the Master Builders Association, the awards recognize outstanding, environmentally sustainable residential projects. Grow Community earned top honors in the Builder, Multifamily 1-50 Units category.

The award was presented this week at the annual Built Green Conference at Shoreline Community College.

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“We’re doubly proud to win a Built Green Hammer Award for the second straight year,” said PHC’s Marty Sievertson. “Our goal has always been to show what’s possible in top-quality, environmentally conscious construction. As Grow Community’s second phase, the Grove, sees occupancy this fall, we think buyers will really appreciate the care we’ve put into the project and that the Master Builders have recognized once again.”

Added Greg Lotakis, project manager for developer Asani:

“This award means a great deal to us because the Master Builders organization and Built Green program are local. We compete with the very best builders in our region for Built Green recognition, and all the builders involved provide support and encouragement to each other to help move our industry toward a sustainable future.”

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The Built Green program is designed to help buyers find quality, affordable homes that 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 maintain.

For more information, see builtgreen.net.

Going up, and going fast: Only 8 homes left for November move-in

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Fall is rapidly approaching, and only eight homes remain for November move-in at the Grove (Grow Community, phase 2).  More homes will be available for early spring 2016 move-in.

Homebuyers come to Grow looking for community, and through the dust and noise of the summer construction, they can see our vision – and they want to be a part of it.

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Buyers who reserved their homes a year ago are now going into contract.  It won’t be long until they’re living in their new homes!

On the horizon: final floor plans for the Tsuga, the last building in the Grove neighborhood.  Homes are still available for sale and will be ready for move-in early Spring 2016.

Watch for more exciting announcements as Grow Community phase 2, the Grove, continues to take shape.

 

August Construction Update: Under every roof, a different story. Sometimes the roof is the story.

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Work proceeds apace around the Grow phase 2 worksite this month, with eight buildings underway and in different stages of completion. Framing, drywall and roofing are the story at the Salal, Juniper and Elan buildings, those closest to occupancy projected for this fall.

At the Tsuga, the concrete deck will be completed the first week of September with framing to follow. Three of four single-family homes now have their foundations and floors ready to go, again with framing to begin soon.

In the middle of it all, we’re about to begin grading for the Grove, our newest neighborhood’s signature central greenway. We’re excited to begin planting this beautiful space, the centerpiece of Grow Community phase 2.

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Très bien! French programme Écho-Logis visits Grow Community for television feature

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A film crew from the French production house TV Only visited Grow Community last week, shooting a half-hour feature for the magazine show Écho-Logis.

camera2The program features the best examples of sustainable architecture and construction around the globe – so naturally they found their way to Bainbridge Island and Grow.

“We were looking for the greenest places in the U.S.,” says Anthony Da Silva, TV Only journaliste, who admits that while he and the producers had scouted out Grow Community online and were confident it would make a good subject, they were still startled by what they found.

“When we arrived, we were really surprised that it was much more beautiful than the pictures we saw on the web,” Da Silva says, praising Grow for building not just eco-friendly homes but also a whole simpler, low-impact lifestyle.

“It’s not only putting solar panels up and respecting the landscape where you put your house,” he says. “It’s also a feeling. For me, it’s a system, a way to work and to build and to live.”

The four-man production team spent four days on the island after filming an eco-friendly home in Los Angeles the previous week.

interview1Da Silva interviewed Jonathan Davis, architect of Grow Community’s phase one, the Village, along with project manager Greg Lotakis and various residents.

Interviews were conducted inside homes and around the Grow Community grounds and shared P-patch gardens.

A drone-mounted camera buzzed around the neighborhood throughout, zooming down pathways before soaring skyward for dramatic aerial shots of Grow’s solar energy-producing rooftops.

“It was an honor to have the Écho-Logis film crew here,” Lotakis says. “To be able to share a bit of the vision, and have the community’s voice as part of the show, was wonderful. It was a great reminder of how much has been done here that can inspire other communities.”

Écho-Logis presents “beautiful and innovative green projects all around the world by featuring the people who have conceived it, those who live in and interact with it,” producers say, while showing the environmental advantages that come with “an ethical way of building.”

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After returning to France, the team will decamp for Romania and their next feature: a woodland lodge replete with solar power and a system for recycling water.

Now in its fourth season, the Écho-Logis program can be seen on France’s TV5Monde network, available in more than 200 countries.

The Grow Community feature is expected to run late this year as part of the current 40-episode run.

Previous Écho-Logis episodes can be viewed online here.