March, 2006

Green Acres:
One Oregon developer turns a coastal wasteland into an environmentally sensitive neighborhood

By Kelly Brown Tomas

"My husband, Mel, grew up outside Astoria," Alice Iverson says. "When he was young, he spent summers working as a fisherman along the Columbia River. He lived in a bunkhouse very near this property." Although not all residents of Mill Pond Village, a community in Astoria, Oregon, share the Iversons' link to the land's past, they all seem drawn to the new development for the intimacy and romance it exudes. But the place wasn't always this captivating.

Abandoned since the 1970s, the former site of a plywood mill and lumberyard revealed a host of challenges when Venerable Properties manager Art DeMuro first walked the acreage in the mid-1900s. Haunted by the odor and toxic chemicals left behind, the site hardly seemed a smart investment.

Undeterred, Astoria's Community Development Department and its Portland-based developer collaborated on a vision to revitalize this portion of the waterfront. The plan called for a mixed-use neighborhood that would blend with Astoria's fishing-village heritage. With help from the Environmental Quality, the city worked diligently with Venerable Properties to make the area viable once again.

Although enthusiasm for the project grew slowly, most of the lost have sold. And the location and vistas have newcomers and visitors scrambling for the resells. Housing options on the community's 16 acres including waterfront cottages, single-family homes, commercial properties, a senior living facility, and retail spaces with residential components above. Prospective home builders may choose their own architects or contractors, but they must abide by guidelines from the city and homeowners association.

In order to maintain the fishing-village style, cottage features such as porches are mandatory. A walk along Mill Pond Lane confirms the commitment to the elements of fish-camp design--from clapboard exteriors to hues reminiscent of weather-beaten ships. Green-building guidelines protect ecologically sensitive areas, and many building materials are wholly or partially made from recycled materials. "The subdivision has a green reputation now," Art says.

Surrounding a 3.7-acre pond and bordering Columbia River, Mill Pond Village boasts plenty of outdoor space, including five professionally landscaped public parks with gravel walkways and wooden benches for enjoying panoramic views or watching river traffic. Arbors provide shaded gathering areas for cookouts.

"Most of the people living here are ambassadors for the development," said real estate broker Jennie Hillard. "People truly look out for each other."

Locals embrace the convenience Mill Pond affords. The community is only a bike, walk, or ride from Astoria's hospital, grocery store, restaurants, and shops. That's attractive to young professionals, second homeowners, and retirees such as Judy Ronis.

"I've used only six gallons of gas in the tow months I've lived here," she says. "You can walk everywhere." Or, if resident prefer, the can climb aboard the historic trolley, which stops along the river.

Dubbed "little San Francisco" for its steep roads and Victorian home, Astoria already has appeal. With Mill Pond Village offering a new way of living in this area, the town appears even better.

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