Underground Homes, Seriously?

Underground Homes, Seriously?

Posted May 4, 2010 by Matthew Denton

You be the judge.

After watching 2012 on the big screen a couple of months ago, I wanted to demand my two hours back from the film’s producer. I’m wondering why it didn’t get the Razzie this year. Then fast forward to April and I come across a pseudo-2012 advertisement from a real estate developer that may be using the appalling movie to sell its properties.

California-based Viviro is the first to start a trend that I hope wouldn’t take off for reasons you’d understand later. The firm is currently constructing a shelter complex that will house a maximum of people underground. The airtight shelters are supposedly guaranteed to withstand any catastrophe that, whether they admit it or not, palpably follow a 2012-esque storyline. The company’s official website states, “Each self contained shelter complex will comfortably accommodate a community of 172 - 200 people, in spacious quarters, for up to 1 year of autonomous survival to ride out the potential events.  Every detail has been considered and planned for.  Members need to only arrive before the facility is sealed and secured.”

What really got me is how they explained the benefits of living in such silly home, “The soil of the Earth itself can provide the best shelter for most catastrophes including a pole shift, super volcano eruptions, solar flares, earthquakes, tsunamis, and asteroids, as well as potential for many more manmade devastations such as nuclear bombs, bio terrorism, chemical warfare, and even the return of Planet X (known as Niburu or Nemisis) and the solar disturbances it will cause.”

Just as I thought that I was reading some hoax or a prelude to a sci-fi novel that’s soon to be released, Bloomberg BusinessWeek carried the news and wrote, “Vivos plans to complete construction and commissioning of the remaining network of underground community shelters within time for the possible end of the world on December 31, 2012. Spaces in the bunkers are likely to be in the US$50,000 price range and so far over 1,000 applications have been received to reserve a place.”

Here’s a computer imaging of the futuristic shelters:

My advice to the more than 1,000 applicants: do yourselves a favor. Think about what $50,000 can do for your dream house “aboveground”. It’ll be a good down payment for a mortgage or perhaps be enough to pay for major renovations. Never mind the aliens who’ll land in your backyard once Vivos’ predictions come fulfilled. At least, you’ve succeeded in buying a decent house for yourselves and refused to entertain any paranoia or senseless gullibility.

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