Landwaves, Inc. has begun readying infrastructure for its South Beach development and hopes to have its cottage cluster housing in place this fall. Ten private cottages will face a common green space, with detached garages and extra parking spaces off to the street side. The cottages were designed by Ross Chapin Architects, the designer of these cottages in the pocket community of Umatilla Hill in Port Townsend, Wash. (Courtesy photo by Ross Chapin Architects)

Wilder development

includes variety of

places to call home



Construction on Wilder, the long-anticipated Landwaves, Inc. mixed-use housing development in Newport’s South Beach neighborhood, has begun.

The developer has been working on infrastructure, and is set to begin preparing the first 39 lots and neighborhood roads in the northwest corner of Phase One, said Bonnie Serkin, Landwaves, Inc. chief operating officer.

“It’s in the works to have the first cottages up by the time Oregon Coast Community College opens in the fall,” Serkin said. “We’re hopeful that everything will mesh and gel.”

Newport Senior Planner Meredith Savage said Landwaves will be putting in apartments, single-family homes, cottage cluster housing and five 10,000-square-foot lots with ocean-view estates.

A commercial component also is planned. A three-story building will feature coffee and retail shops on the ground floor, office space on the second and apartments on the third.

“Landwaves is planning a mix of housing,” Savage said. “It’s a big project, but with the college opening full bore this September, I think it’s probably timely. They mesh together. There will be housing for students, and housing for faculty and staff. I think it will be a pretty neat development if it all comes off as planned. It will be fun to see it go up.”

Serkin was hoping an apartment building would be ready by fall, too, but that doesn’t look likely at this stage.

“The builder is planning the apartments very carefully,” Serkin said. “Those will probably be done in the spring. The first commercial building could be up next year, too. That will contain the heart and soul of a village - a coffee shop.”

Since the coffee shop won’t be ready to go by fall, Serkin is working on providing a temporary place for college students and faculty to get their caffeine fixes in the meantime.

“There’s a company in Canada that converts cargo containers into little movable units we could use for a temporary coffee shop cafe,” Serkin said. “Just to get through the winter.”



Pocket neighborhoods

Cottage cluster housing may be a new concept for some folks. Compact, connected and walk-able, “pocket neighborhoods” feature multiple single-family homes surrounding a shared green space. Garages and extra parking can be detached, off to one side and out of sight.

Mention the square footage and the cottages sound small - some designs are 1,000 to 1,200-square-feet - but the Craftsman-style homes are imaginatively designed to feel roomy.

Landwaves, Inc. plans to construct 10 cottages, with 10 garages and extra parking spaces detached on the street-approach side. World-renowned architect Ross Chapin coined the phrase “pocket neighborhood”, and multiple award-winning Ross Chapin Architects designed the plans for Landwaves, Inc. cottages.

Cottage cluster housing may not be the best choice for everyone. Hauling six bags of groceries and a 40-pound bag of dog food, along with dry-cleaning, library books and a handbag, from car to home via an entire neighborhood may seem extreme to some.

To others, cottage cluster housing will feel ideal. Pocket neighborhoods provide both personal privacy and a secure neighborhood where neighbors know and look out for each other.

“The lifestyle isn’t for everyone, for others it’s perfect,” said Debbie Loudon, marketing director for Ross Chapin Architects.

“People find themselves paring their life down and discover they love it. Putting cars behind the cottages and walking through the common area to the front door fosters more sense of community. The likelihood of greeting a neighbor is increased and, of course, there is plenty of privacy once inside the home.”

Serkin said some cottages will be closer to parking than others, and alleys will run behind some of the homes, as well.

“The cottages are great,” Serkin said. “We’ve heard of people who chose to have their Thanksgiving celebrations at one of the cottages instead of a big house.”

If the community is receptive to the idea, more cottage cluster neighborhoods will be planned for Wilder, she said.

All housing will be built to high sustainability standards, Serkin added. They’ll be energy efficient, use renewable materials and provide clean air.

In addition, Landwaves plans to offer housing that’s affordable, she said, something every community needs more of.

“We’re working really hard to keep prices at a reasonable level so that housing is attainable for people who live and work in Newport,” Serkin said. “We’re hoping people in Newport will come and live here because they’ll be able to afford it.”

Contact Kate Rowland at krowland60@verizon.net.



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