Project of the Month
Clara Vista Townhomes, Portland, Ore.
an unusual mix of green building elements and environmentally sound practices. But Clara Vista isn’t a high-end development; the sustainable community is targeted at the affordable rental set. Bucking the notion that green building is only found in luxury developments, the 44-unit multifamily rental residence is on track to become a LEED-certified affordable housing project.
“We wanted to provide safe, high-quality housing for those with lower incomes,” Carleton says. Mission accomplished: The nearly $8 million project has green-friendly features like whole-house ventilation systems, onsite rainwater filtration, efficient hydronic space heating, abundant natural lighting, fluorescent lighting fixtures, fiber-cement siding, insulation, and Energy Star appliances. Each unit also features solar hot water heating, which was made possible through numerous local and national grants.
“We wanted to push the envelope even further,” says Brian Carleton, principal of Carleton Hart Architecture, which designed Clara Vista. Seabold Construction built the project. The biggest challenge was to combine green building, energy-efficient practices with an affordable audience in mind, Carleton says. Making those elements fit on a tight budget was tough, he adds.
Hardscape is minimized through structured parking under a primary building and by sharing parking drives with a neighboring development. Clara Vista’s style reflects the local vernacular with gabled roofs and lap siding. The homes are painted in rich colors such as warm gold and brown earth tones and deep blue-grey finishes.
Clara Vista, which serves residents earning 40 percent to 60 percent of the area median income, is built on two sites around open green spaces. Density is 29 units per acre. Three- and four-bedroom floor plans range in size from 1,170 to 1,408 square feet, and monthly rents range from $578 to $1,025. The complex opened in February 2006.
–Abby Garcia Telleria