Andy 's Blog

Happy Holidays from Costa Pacific Homes and the Villebois Village Center

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:58:56 -0600

The holidays are the perfect time for creating perfect memories.

Isn't it time you lived in the perfect place for creating memories too?

The Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, will change how you live.

With our brand-new Seville Rows, Carvalho Condominiums and upcoming Les Bois Collection, you can live a carefree lifestyle in the hip and urban, yet relaxed Village Center. Build life-long relationships with your neighbors. Participate in exciting community activities and events. Live a more sustainable life in a green-certified home and eco-conscious neighborhood.

The benefits of living in the Villebois Village Center are endless.

Aren't you ready for a change?

Listen to what happy residents say about life in Villebois.

Contact Costa Pacific Homes in the Villebois Village Center today! A Costa Pacific New Home Specialist would be happy to take you on a private tour of the distinctive community whenever is convenient for you. Call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com for more information about Villebois.

www.ChangeHowYouLive.com

Villebois Nominated for National Association of Home Builders' Community of the Year

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:53:24 -0600

Costa Pacific Homes recently announced that its latest development, the Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon, is a finalist for the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) most prestigious builder award: the Community of the Year Award.

This nomination is nothing new for the award-winning master planner and developer. In 1999, Costa Pacific received the prestigious Community of the Year Award for another development it designed: Orenco Station in Hillsboro, Oregon.

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 buildings with ground level retail or office space. 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.

The NAHB will announce the winner of this year's Community of the Year Award in January. Stay tuned.

For more information about the award-winning Villebois or Orenco Station communities, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit www.CostaPacific.com to learn more about Costa Pacific Homes' latest projects.

Villebois Hosts Merry & Bright Event This Friday to Ring in the Holiday Season

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:20:32 -0600

The Villebois Events Committee (V.E.C.) in Wilsonville, Oregon's Villebois neighborhood recently announced that it will host a Merry & Bright Party in heart of the award-winning Villebois community this Friday, December 4, 2009.

The event will include caroling, cocoa drinking, cookie eating and all around holiday cheer in the Sofia Park Pavilion in Villebois to mark the official start of the holidays. Villebois and area neighbors are invited to ring in the season together this Friday in the community in which the live, work, play and learn.

The V.E.C. will provide hot cocoa and hot cider. Guests are invited to bring a plate of holiday goodies to share as well as a flashlight. Caroling books will also be provided.

The Merry & Bright Party is just one of the many community activities that homeowners throughout the Villebois neighborhood regularly come together to take part in. The Villebois community is designed as a social environment where homeowners get to know their neighbors and develop lifelong friendships.

Click here for a complete list of Villebois neighborhood activities.

Change how you live. Envision yourself living in this social community.

For more information about Villebois or the Merry & Bright 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 Homes Introduces Les Bois Row Homes

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:14:09 -0600

The new Les Bois Row Homes are the very first detached homes to grace the award-winning Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon. These new single-family row homes offer homebuyers their choice of two distinct floor plans - The Alesia and The Montraux.

The Alesia is priced at $309,900 and features two bedrooms and a third bedroom/loft option. Priced at $359,900, The Montraux offers buyers three bedrooms as well as a lofted space.

In addition to bestowing residents with an upscale lifestyle at an affordable price, the Les Bois Collection feature a broad array of distinctive amenities. Not to mention, each of the detached homes comes with its own garage, private patio and low maintenance yard.

EXTERIORS
· 2-car rear entry garages
· Covered porches and entryways with waterproof decking
· Exceptional curb appeal
· Private patios & yards
· Hardi-Plank lap siding with 50-year limited warranty
· Premium Composition Roof with 40-year warranty

INTERIORS
· Sculptured architectural detailing throughout with volume ceilings
· Designer-selected recessed accent lighting
· Gas fireplace with painted mantel & tile surround
· Tile floor in entry
· Concealed fire sprinklers throughout homes
· Pre-wired for security system
· Option to build with elevator

IN THE KITCHEN
· Kohler Forte polished chrome faucet with pullout sprayhead & lever handle
· Sterling by Kohler stainless steel sink
· Tile counters with self edge and 6" tile backsplash
· Recessed can lighting
· Marmoleum floors

GE^® HOME ESSENTIALS APPLIANCES
· GE^® 30" stainless steel gas range
· GE^® tall tub built-in stainless steel dishwasher
· GE^® Spacemaker stainless steel microwave oven

QUALITY CONSTRUCTION AND ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES
· Meets Earth Advantage^® requirements for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, environmental responsibility & resource efficiency
· Concrete foundation with visqueen vapor barrier
· Engineered floor systems & roof truss systems throughout
· High efficiency 90+% gas furnace
· Milgard vinyl dual-glazed windows with limited lifetime warranty
· R-21 insulation in exterior walls
· R-49 insulation blown in all attic & ceiling areas
· Pre-wired with coil case & line set for future air conditioning

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
· 160 acres of parks, green space and playgrounds
· Mere steps from Piazza Villebois & the Villebois Sunday Market
· Near future retail space\
· Pedestrian- & bike-friendly
· Easy access to Trimet's WES commuter rail
· Guest parking

If you are interested in learning more about the new Les Bois Row Homes in the Villebois Village Center, please contact Costa Pacific New Home Specialist Andy Green at 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.

Villebois Neighborhood Resides in 3rd Safest Metropolitan Area, According to Forbes Magazine

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:01:39 -0600

The Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area, which includes cities from Beaverton to Clackamas, Wilsonville to Vancouver, recently ranked 3^rd on Forbes Magazine's list of Safest Cities.

To determine its list of the safest cities in the U.S., Forbes Magazine looked at the country's 40 largest metropolitan statistical areas across four categories of danger, including: workplace death rates, traffic death rates, natural disaster risk and violent crime rates.The Portland metro area ranked 3^rd as it boasts the lowest crime rate out of the 40 cities examined.

When it comes to new homes for sale in Portland or Portland-area real estate, the Villebois community in Portland's sister city to the south, Wilsonville, Oregon, upholds the area's reputation for safety and comfort. From affordable prices to exceptional amenities, Villebois offers buyers everything they are looking for in today's real estate market in Oregon.

Change how you live in Villebois.

To learn more about the Villebois community, call Costa Pacific Homes New Home Specialist Andy Green at 866.580.2836 or Blog@CostaPacific.com. Or visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Learn More About Tonquin Trail Master Plan and its Impact on the Villebois Neighborhood and Wilsonville Community

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:56:50 -0600

Known for its pedestrian- and bike-friendly nature, the award-winning Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon, offers its residents miles and miles of nearby trails and 160 acres of community green space. A web of paths, nature trails and sidewalks traverse neighborhood parks and green spaces, serving as pedestrian and bike connections between streets and pockets within Villebois. Several major regional pathways also snake through Villebois, including the Tonquin Trail, the Villebois Loops Trail and the Coffee Lake-Wood Trail.

The future of the Tonquin Trail and its connectivity to the rest of Wilsonville and the Portland metropolitan area's Westside has been one that local residents have watched closely. Metro, the Portland, Oregon area's regional government, is currently working on the future Tonquin Trail Master Plan, which involves a multi-use regional trail that will connect natural areas, neighborhoods, schools, jobs, shopping centers and transit stops between Sherwood, Tualatin and Wilsonville.

You can now get involved and add your two cents to the planning process of the new Tonquin Trail Master Plan. Attend an open house or share your views online between Dec. 7 and Dec. 21, 2009.

Here are the open house dates:

Tuesday, Dec.8
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Tualatin Council Chambers Building
18880 SW Martinazzi Ave.,Tualatin
Co-hosted with Tualatin Parks Advisory Committee

Wednesday, Dec.9
6 to 8 p.m.
Wilsonville City Hall, Council Chambers
29799 SW Town Center Loop E, Wilsonville
Co-hosted with Wilsonville Planning Commission

Thursday, Dec.10
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sherwood Community Room, Sherwood City Hall
22560 SW Pine St., Sherwood
Co-hosted with the City of Sherwood

Click here to view additional information, including area maps, about the Tonquin Trail Master Plan.

For more information about the Villebois or the Wilsonville trail system, please visit: www.ChangeHowYouLive.com or 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.

Wilsonville, Oregon - and Villebois Neighborhood - Sitting Pretty Between Two of Nation's Best Performing Cities

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:31:03 -0600

The Milken Institute recently released its annual report of the nation's "best performing" cities and the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area (which includes Portland, Beaverton and Vancouver) ranked No. 37 and Salem, Oregon ranked 58 out of 200 large U.S. metropolitan areas.

The Milken report ranks cities on a variety of factors, including job and salary growth over a given time period as well as the strength of their high-tech industries. Last year, the Portland area ranked No. 28 and Salem ranked No. 66 on the list.

Wilsonville, Oregon, resides about halfway between the city of Portland and the city of Salem. Known as the gateway to both Oregon's rich, horticultural wine country and its urban area, Wilsonville is certainly a special city.

Located along the scenic Willamette River, Wilsonville is home to a number of high-tech companies, such as Mentor Graphics and Xerox, as well as acres of public parks and gardens, including Town Center Park - an attraction with activities for all ages.

Not only is Wilsonville a great place to work and play, it's a great place to learn, too: the town is known for it's superior schools, libraries and earth-friendly initiatives, including a public transit system, a state-of-the-art water treatment facility and a comprehensive urban forestry plan.

Last but not least, the city is an exceptional place to live as well. Home to the award-winning Villebois neighborhood, residents living in Wilsonville love their city.

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

TriMet Purchases Two Spare WES Trains From Alaska Railroad

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:26:33 -0600

Portland, Oregon-based public transportation organization, TriMet, announced this week that it acquired two previously owned rail diesel cars (RDCs) from the Alaska Railroad for use as spares on the metropolitan area's Westside Express Service (WES) Commuter Rail.

WES currently boasts three diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains that provide transit service between Beaverton and Wilsonville on the metropolitan area's west side. According to TriMet, there are no spare vehicles for WES service when a DMU is out of service. With the new, additional trains, TriMet can reduce or eliminate the need for shuttle buses to supplement WES service and help make service for riders as seamless as possible.

The new cars are currently being retrofitted and will be available for service by next summer. According to TriMet, retrofitting includes "installation of cab signal and communications equipment and modifications for mobility device accessibility". TriMet's WES maintenance facility is also expanding to accommodate the two trains, which are 85 feet long and stainless steel.

For the eco-conscious commuter-or those who just like a little extra time to read the newspaper-WES is a wonderful transportation option. Residents living in the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, appreciate the close proximity the transit-oriented neighborhood provides to the area WES station, which is just a short walk or ride from the Village Center.

Villebois is a master-planned community that hosts a variety of housing options - from luxurious new condominiums and rowhomes to beautiful single-family houses. Currently under construction, the Villebois Village Center will feature retail and commercial space as well a thriving Piazza space where residents will flock for the weekly Villebois Sunday Market, live music and fun on the bocce ball courts. Villebois is unlike any other neighborhood in the Willamette Valley.

To learn more about the Villebois neighborhood or the WES Commuter Rail, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. Or visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended and Expanded Leaving More Time to Buy a Home in Villebois

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:51:36 -0600

Last week, President Obama signed legislation that extends and expands the first-time home buyer tax credit originally made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The new legislation extends the $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers for sales contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30. In addition, the law has been expanded to now include a $6,500 credit for owners of existing homes who are buying a new principal residence. Current homeowners can claim the $6,500 tax credit if they lived in their home for five consecutive years out of the last eight.

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. Additionally, the new law also provides relief to cash-strapped home builders by providing broader tax benefits for businesses with net operating losses (NOLs).

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released a statement last week saying the new legislation will "provide a much-needed boost to the fragile housing market and economy". In addition, NAHB estimates that the new and improved homebuyer tax credit will create 211,000 new jobs and generate 180,000 additional home sales over the next year. NAHB also expect the tax credit to generate $9.6 billion in wage income and $6.9 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

This means that now - more than ever - is the perfect time to purchase a new home.

And why not purchase that new home in the award-winning Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon?

Villebois is the latest master-planned community to be developed by Costa Pacific Communities. Featuring a vibrant mix of single-family homes, row homes, condominiums, retail and commercial space and 160 acres of parks and open green space, the Villebois neighborhood has something for everyone. And with new homes priced starting in the mid-$100,000s, Villebois is a sweet surprise for buyers looking for homes in today's real estate market.

To learn more about the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, please visit ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with 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.

Villebois Village Center - You'll Love to Live Here

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:40:12 -0600

From retirees and grandparents to young couples and families, the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, is perfect for people of all ages and lifestyles to live, work, play and learn.

At the heart of the neighborhood will be a bustling mix of row homes, loft-style condominiums, shops, restaurants and sidewalk cafés that will embody the character of a European village. The community is far more than a place to live. It is a place that can actually change how you live.

For more information about the Villebois community, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com to learn more about this exceptional new neighborhood.

Costa Pacific Lowers Prices on Homes in Villebois Village Center

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:46:42 -0600

Costa Pacific Homes recently announced that is has reduced the prices on its homes for sale in the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon.

The new Carvalho Condominiums now range in price between $269,900 and $394,900. These new Portland condos are available in both one-level flat and two-story townhome-style designs with four distinct two bedroom/two bathroom floor plans.

Ranging in size from 1,291 to 2,102 square feet and steps from Piazza Villebois and the Villebois Sunday Market, these new Wilsonville homes are ideally suited for a broad range of home buyers - from young professionals to empty nesters.

The Carvalho Condominiums in Villebois feature spacious kitchens with GE Home Essential appliance packages, gas fireplaces and Kohler fixtures as well as one and one-and-a-half car garages and covered porches. Not to mention, the Carvalho Condominiums offer buyers the only single-level homes within the entire Villebois community.

Also located in the Villebois Village Center are the Seville Rows, which are now between the low price of $367,900 and $437,900, and range in size from 2,005 square feet to 2,500 square feet. The Seville Rows feature open, inviting great rooms with dining nooks and gas fireplaces. The gourmet kitchens boast tile countertops and backsplashes, stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors. The homes also integrate multiple levels of covered decks, outdoor living spaces and generous two-car garages. They too are within walking distance of all of the activity and events that grace Piazza Villebois.

Visit Homes.Villebois.com today to search all the homes for sale in the Villebois neighborhood.

Call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com today to learn more about Villebois or the homes listed in the Village Center.

New Recycling Program Introduced in Wilsonville and Villebois Community

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:43:05 -0600

Allied Waste of Wilsonville is starting a new recycling program in the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon. Allied Waste will be delivering 32-gallon roll carts the week of November 16, 2009, dropping-off the carts at the end of your driveway. Collection of recycling materials will start the following week.

What should I do with the two bins I use now for recycling? You will need to keep one bin to recycle glass. Allied Waste will pick-up the other bin on the day recycling material is collected, or you can keep the bin to store items you may use once in a while. If you want Allied Wasteto pick-up the bin, please set it at the curb, empty of waste, next to the new roll cart.

Instructions for what can and cannot go into the new roll cart will be attached to your new roll cart. Our community now keeps between 55-60 percent of its waste out of the landfill. The new roll carts will enable you to keep even more waste out of the landfill.

If you want a larger, 60-gallon roll cart, call Allied Waste in December at 503.682.0336. The company will exchange your cart at no charge.

For more information about the new recycling program introduced in Wilsonville or the Villebois community's commitment to sustainability, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Live Completely, With Your Senses Alive at Villebois

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:22:35 -0500

Imagine...riding the WES commuter train home from work, on your short walk to your new home, you pass trails and sidewalks shaded by towering trees, there are families in the park, laughing playing together. You stop to pick up some fresh pastries in Piazza Villebois or fresh vegetables at the Villebois Sunday Market.

As you step out onto the cobblestone street, you exhale "Life is good."

The award-winning Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, has been designed to feel and live like a cozy and vibrant village, with timeless European-inspired architecture and 160 acres of parks and beautiful landscaping.

At the heart of Villebois resides Piazza Villebois, where friends from the entire community come to relax and mingle together on the streets; you will always see a friendly face in Piazza Villebois.

An exceptional, award-winning diverse design and sustainable, social community, Villebois is proud to live a green lifestyle with its innovative rainwater management plan. In Villebois, you are connected to the area's natural features.

Change how YOU live.

Go to ChangeHowYouLive.com and visit the Villebois Living section, then come and visit in person just west of downtown Wilsonville. For directions visit ChangeHowYouLive.com or call 866.580.2836. You can also email Blog@CostaPacific.com for more details about this exceptional, new community.

Find Out What People Are Saying About Life in Villebois

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:16:29 -0500

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.

Costa Pacific Communities Moves Office to Villebois Location

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:40:51 -0500

Award-winning master planner and development company, Costa Pacific Communities, recently announced that it has moved office locations from 4724 SW Macadam Avenue in Portland to 11416 SW Barber Street in Wilsonville, Oregon's Villebois Village Center.

Since 1990, Costa Pacific Communities has been building communities up and down the West Coast that enrich the lives of residents. Costa Pacific has been recognized nationally for excellence in design, master planning and marketing and is the most awarded builder/developer in the history of Oregon. Most notably, Costa Pacific received a Gold Nugget Award for Best on the Boards Site Plan for Villebois at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference in 2005. The master planner's Orenco Station community in Hillsboro, Ore. received the prestigious "Master Planned Community of the Year" award in 1999 from the National Association of Home Builders.

Additionally, Costa Pacific has been named Developer of the Year by Oregon's environmental watchdog group, 1000 Friends of Oregon, and twice been named Oregon's Builder of the Year by the Oregon Building Industry Association.

Costa Pacific Communities chose to move its corporate headquarters to better serve buyers searching for homes in the Villebois neighborhood and to oversee the continued development of the industry-touted Villebois Village Center.

To learn more about Costa Pacific Communities, visit www.costapacific.com. You may also call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.

Portland Ranks in Top 50 Major Cities for Excellent Quality of Life - Change How YOU Live

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:37:48 -0500

A recent study of all the major cities around the world found Portland, Oregon to be No. 42 when it comes to exceptional quality of life. Mercer's 2009 Quality of Living Ranking surveyed 215 cities and ranked them on a point-scoring index.

Vienna, Austria scored the highest and Baghdad, Iraq was the worst-ranking city of those studied. Mercer compiles the information for companies who must place workers in various parts of the world. Click here to read more about the quality of life survey.

This study further solidifies the decision more and more individuals are making to move to Oregon and the Portland metropolitan area, specifically. The Portland real estate market is ripe with opportunities for buyers looking for affordably priced homes in exceptional neighborhoods.

There is no neighborhood in the Portland area more exceptional that the award-winning master-planned Villebois community in Wilsonville.

Inspired by traditional European villages, Villebois, which is French for "village near the woods," is a 500-acre community that offers something for everyone. At the heart of Villebois sits the Village Center. Condominiums and row homes are the first homes to grace the Village Center, which will eventually also host a stunning piazza, with splashing fountains, majestic old-growth trees and ground-level retail and commercial space.

Surrounding the Village Center are three distinct neighborhoods, each with exquisite attention to detail, like stacked stone walls, lush gardens, and stunning architecture. At completion, Villebois will feature diverse housing types, including apartments and condominiums, attached row and town homes, as well as single-family detached homes on lots of varying sizes. The entire community is connected by more than 130 acres of trails and open green spaces, including parks and nature preserves that join to trails that lead well beyond Villebois.

Villebois will truly change how you live.

For more information about Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. For details about the Villebois neighborhood, visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Change How You Live: New Homes for Sale in Villebois

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:49:59 -0500

The Perfect Place for Perfect Moments: Buy the Only One-Level Home in Villebois

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:48:43 -0500

Live in the Heart of it All: Check out the newest homes for sale in the Villebois Village Center

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:46:31 -0500

Villebois Celebrates the VilleBOO Monster March on Halloween

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:04:56 -0500

Monsters, fairies, witches and clowns: Join neighbors in Wilsonville, Oregon's Villebois community for the best parade in town! On Halloween, all costumed Villebois residents and anyone else who cares to join - kids or adults - are invited to congregate at the Sofia Park Pavilion in the Villebois neighborhood to march, stroll, ride or roll on a short parade route to kick off the Halloween festivities. The parade starts at 6 p.m. and ends with refreshments and activities. The Villebois community hopes you can join in a ghoulishly good time!

Homeowners throughout the Villebois neighborhood regularly come together for a variety of fun and exciting community activities.

Here are just a few of the many events planned at Villebois:

• Villebois Sunday Market - Wilsonville's only farmers market runs every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May through October

• Easter Egg Hunt - Bring the kids and search for treats in Sofia Park

• Community Garage Sale - Feel good about getting rid of the items you no longer want

• 4^th of July Parade - Watch neighbors get creative with floats and decorations as you celebrate our nation's independence

• Campout Movie Night in the Park - Join neighbors as you watch old favorites on a projection screen in Palermo Park

• Oktoberfest - Enjoy German fare while celebrating the festival with friends

• Potluck Concert in the Park - Bring your favorite side dish and dine al fresco with other Villebois homeowners while listening to local musicians

• Christmas Caroling - Celebrate the holidays by caroling throughout the neighborhood

• Bunco and Poker Nights - Try your hand at game night with one of the many groups in the community

• Ladies Night Out - Meet new friends while you tour area restaurants and bars or meet at neighbors' homes each month

• Book Clubs - Join one of the community book clubs and catch up on the latest bestsellers

• Weekly potluck block parties

Call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com today to learn more about life in Villebois. Or visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Join the Villebois Social Network

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:47 -0500

At Costa Pacific Homes, we created an expansive network of online social media and other websites that showcase the extraordinary Villebois neighborhood. The Villebois experience is now only a click away.

Become our Friend on Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn and keep in touch with friends and neighbors. Stay up-to-date on the latest news and events happening within the community by following our Blog at blog.costapacific.com, Twitter page at twitter.com/villebois or Facebook Fan page.

Send us your videos of the neighborhood and we'll link them on our YouTube page. You can even share your photos of Villebois with us and we'll post them to our online photo galleries on Flickr and Picasa. Help us capture the breathtaking beauty and picturesque qualities of Villebois throughout each of the seasons - from the dog days of summer to the snow-filled days of winter.

Join the Villebois Social Network and get connected today! For more information about the Villebois Social Network, call 503.855.4661 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. Or visit GetConnectedVillebois.com.

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

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:45:25 -0500

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.

Wilsonville City Council Approves New Recycling Program, Fits Well with Villebois Neighborhood's Commitment to Sustainability

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:41:02 -0500

The Wilsonville Spokesman, a community newspaper serving residents living in the award-winning Villebois neighborhood, recently covered the Wilsonville City Council's approval of a new co-mingled roll cart recycling program in the small community just south of Portland, Oregon. Until now, Wilsonville was the only city in the metropolitan area not using co-mingled recycling carts.

Allied Waste anticipates delivering carts to Wilsonville residents in November with pickup starting the first week in December. For this new service, garbage customers will see only an additional $2.50 per month - $5 per bill - pay for the carts and equipment necessary to get the program started.

This new recycling program fits in well with the Villebois neighborhood's commitment to sustainable living. From the building materials and the natural amenities on-site to the community designs and transportation options, Costa Pacific Communities - the community's developer - creates unique places like Villebois that people love to live.

In developing the Villebois community, Costa Pacific launched a rainwater management plan funded in part by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that filters and redistributes rainwater back into the ground, reducing the amount of pollutants released into the area's streams and rivers.

With eco-friendly building techniques-including redeveloping existing building sites, and recycling up to 90 percent of the buildings that were demolished during the construction process-Costa Pacific lowered its impact on the natural environment. The company was also careful to preserve existing trees and open green space as well as incorporate native plants into the landscaping within the Villebois community, further validating its emphasis on environmental-consciousness.

Additionally, while working through the process of ensuring its homes meet Earth Advantage sustainability guidelines, Costa Pacific learned to build a higher quality home that maximizes energy efficiency and in turn minimizes the company's impact on the environment. All 2,600 homes that will be built within the Villebois community will meet Earth Advantage standards.

As a transit-oriented development, Costa Pacific's Villebois community gives residents the opportunity to commute from home via Trimet's new West Side Express Service serving the Portland metropolitan area's west side. This too allows Villebois residents to reduce their carbon footprint by spending less time on the road.

For more information about the new recycling program introduced in Wilsonville or the Villebois community's commitment to sustainability, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.

Local Musician to Open for KINK Live 12 CD Release Concert in Villebois

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:00:43 -0500

Costa Pacific Communities just announced that Villebois resident and local musician Michele Van Kleef will open for Portland-area adult rock radio station, KINK.FM's LIVE 12 CD release concert on Sunday, September 27^th in the Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon.

The concert is open to all Portland-area residents and will feature the music of Justin Jude, a musician featured on the KINK Local CD, which the popular radio station will distribute for free to all concert-goers.

In addition, the first 25 people to tour the Villebois models in the Village Center before the show will receive a free copy of the new KINK Live 12 CD and a chance to enter to win for a pair of Tyrone Wells tickets and dinner for two or one night stay at a hotel in downtown Portland. After the concert kick-off on September 27th, the KINK LIVE 12 CD will be released and sold through local Starbucks locations.

For more information about the KINK Concert this Sunday, please call 866.580.2836 or email Info@CostaPacific.com.

Check Out the New Photos of the Villebois Village Center

Andy Green (Costa Pacific Homes, LLC) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:58:31 -0500

Award-winning master planner and developer Costa Pacific Communities recently hired local Portland-area photographer Gregory Pierce to take photos of the newest model homes in the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon.

To view these breathtaking new photos, please visit: http://gregory71.zenfolio.com/f400255165

The mixed-use, transit-oriented Villebois community is home to an assortment of diverse neighborhoods developed by Costa Pacific Communities. In addition to eventually offering urban amenities at its Village Center, including restaurants, cafes and boutiques, a 20-acre greenway, parks, trees and excellent views of the Cascades and surrounding hills make Villebois a premier location for residents of all lifestyles to live, work, play and learn.

To see the complete gallery of photos displaying the unique qualities of the Villebois neighborhood, click here. To view the homes currently for sale in the Villebois community, visit Homes.Villebois.com.

For more information about the Villebois community, visit ChangeHowYouLive.com or contact Costa Pacific Homes New Home Specialist Andy Green at 866.580.2836 or Info@CostaPacific.com. The sales office is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.