Construction will commence soon on one of the largest environmentally friendly developments in Virginia, reports the Daily Progress. Belvedere, under development by the Stonehaus group, will put some 775 houses, 200 apartment units, 10,000 square feet of retail space and 70,000 square feet of office space on a 207-acre property north of Charlottesville.
Writes Brian McNeill:
Each of Belvedere’s houses will be Energy Star and Earthcraft certified – recognitions of a home’s energy efficiency and sustainability. Moreover, the development will include an organic farm, a dog park, a village green and amphitheater, grassy parks, a storm water park, a system of biking and hiking trails and the preservation of a flood plain and more than 40 percent of the site’s green space, trees and vegetation.
Belvedere (which means “beautiful view” in Italian) will be a terraced site, allowing residents to look out over the Rivanna River and its flood plain.
The project also will incorporate wind- and solar-powered multi-family buildings and commercial structures, as well as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified buildings in the project’s civic core.
The historic property was once known as Free State, one of only two free black communities in Albemarle County during the ante-bellum era.
Stonehaus is promoting the community as a “sustainable” development. Energy efficiency is expected to be a major selling point as energy costs rise. The company cites a study that found home values increase $20 in value for every $1 saved in energy costs. Earthcraft-certified homes can slash as much as 40 percent off the typical utility bill. An emphasis on mixed uses and walkability also will cut driving.
With 2,500-square-foot houses expected to sell in the $400,000 to $500,000 range — pretty pricey for Albemarle County — the company will need all the razmatazz it can generate.
(Image credit: Cline Design.)
