The following blog post was written by EVstudio Planning’s Summer Intern, Ji Soo Park of the University of Georgia:
Hi-Point Home Builders are the newest builder in Gold Hill Mesa, a neo-traditional neighborhood that provides a new community to live, work and play. (Hi-Point Home Builders formerly operated as GJ Gardner Homes). Healthy functioning of the neighborhood depends on equal importance of public and private spaces. A mix of public and private uses, green spaces and civic plazas produce a pedestrian-friendly environment that invites the community to be more active. Homeowners of the new homes will have great opportunity to access both public and private spaces. Private spaces are attractive front porches with yards and alleyways with garages in the back. However, these private spaces can be used as public spaces as tree-lined streets and sidewalks provide walkable access to restaurants, shops, and recreations.
EVstudio Planning had an amazing opportunity to plan residential designs for three of the GJ Gardner Homes at Gold Hill Mesa. One of the three houses will be featured in the Colorado Springs Parade of Homes, which will help attract and spread the idea of new urbanism to future potential new homeowners. The main purpose of these residential designs is to have as low maintenance as possible yet create attractive “private” yards that can be also publicly enjoyed by neighbors. In order to accomplish this, Xeriscape is implemented to provide low-maintenance yards and cut down on water usage and costs without having to take away the beauty of the garden. Considering the hot and dry climate of Colorado Springs and its elevation, numerous drought–tolerant plants are carefully chosen in conjunction with the landscape contractor, Weisburg Landscape. Turfgrass is provided in limited concentrated areas along with several ornamental grasses to reduce water usage. Front yards have various flowering seasons of perennials to consistently provide gorgeous visual attractions throughout the year. With beautiful private yards in healthy lifestyle-oriented neighborhood, Hi-Point Home Builders’ homes are great place for a new beginning of life.
The 2012 Parade Home will be the second home from this client in which we are pursuing LEED Certification as well as Water Sense for Homes. Last year’s Parade Home is featured today in EPA’s WaterSense for Homes’ Brochures.
