Have you been wondering what is happening with the Living Wisdom Village project? The Crestone Peak Community Housing (CPCH) Board has been diligently working and it is certainly time for an update about our exciting plans.
With the receipt of grants from Aventa Foundation, Next Fifty Initiative and Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, CPCH has completed design of Living Wisdom Village, Elders Creating Community (LWV). An RFP was issued for an architect and the board contracted with Studio Completiva for full design of the project. SGM was engaged to provide civil engineering services. A Geotech study and traffic analysis were also conducted during this process. The completion of this work allowed CPCH to submit the final Planned Unit Development (PUD) package to the Town of Crestone in mid-March.
The Village will consist of eight studio, eight 1-bedroom and four 2-bedroom homes, and will be supported by a community center, giving residents a place to share meals, relax, work on creative projects, and have fun together. The Village is planned in a manner that creates a vibrant, warm, senior community without detracting from the existing natural, dramatic beauty of the landscape. To that end, only a portion of the land closest to town infrastructure is being developed; a large portion of the site will remain untouched in its pristine condition.
indieDwell modular housing has been selected for development, as they provide sustainably built, low-cost housing that can be placed in 3-4 months. Alcon Construction will provide pre-manufactured structures for the community and maintenance buildings and the carports. In order for rents to be affordable to the local population, design and construction must be completed as cost-efficiently as possible, which was a key priority for the board as they made each design decision.
The site plan shows the completed design. The proximity of homes will naturally encourage frequent interactions between residents. The residential units will face and have entry off an internal street, providing a neighborhood feel and privacy. Many ADA components will be added to the homes, providing long-term physical support for residents to age in place, and pedestrian pathways will be fully ADA compliant. A comprehensive landscaping plan has been designed for the site and will be implemented when construction is complete. The original intent was to have the Village powered by solar energy. To that end, the buildings are designed to be adapted to solar when funding is available for this upgrade.
Fundraising activities for construction are underway. The goal is to begin construction by late summer, with occupancy of the Village occurring by the end of 2021 or early 2022. There are currently 50 names on the LWV wait list, showing the demand for affordable senior housing for people who wish to live independently, near their friends and established connections.
CPCH is very grateful for all the financial support of this important project, including local donations which enabled land purchase, and consistent annual support from Saguache County Sales Tax Grants. As we continue moving towards construction, we request that you consider making a donation to this project. You will be contributing to our dynamic Crestone community and its future. Checks should be made payable to CPCH and sent to PO Box 911, Crestone, 81131, or you can make a donation here.