Our goal to provide evidence to the developer, Taurus, that there's a market for attainably-priced (objective of starting under $200K) green condo efficiencies (click here for example) by Nov. 19 has been met! Congratulations!

The goal of the next phase is to secure financing to begin the development process, and for that we need 15 qualified buyers. Units will be available first come, first serve based on when you joined this site. Join the Residents group if you'd like to be on the Bearden 15!

We can continue to grow the community of support by having people fill out the survey, applying the Wikipedia model to establish a new attainable sustainable housing and workplace standard in Washington DC! Download the flyer (below) to forward to your friends!

We will be awarding two $25 SOVA gift cards, sponsored by Taurus, to the two top contributors for November. See how to earn points here.

Read a graduate student's write-up, Saving Green By Going Green.

The Bearden Arts Building is a mixed-use project by Taurus Development Group, completed in August 2008. This renovated green building at 1341 H Street NE includes ground floor retail and two floors of office space. The second phase of the project will be a new five-story extension to the original structure, to house approximately 20 units of 'green' residential condominiums in four floors above retail.

The Bearden Arts Building has the following triple bottom line goals.

Financial/Economic
The Bearden Arts Building will meet required member rates of return, serve as an appreciating investment for its homeowners, and provide a revenue source for strategic environmental organization partners. The project will demonstrate that urban-infill ‘green’ residential condominiums can be attainably priced and profitable with or without the use of government subsidy, serving as a model suitable to be widely replicated in other locations.

Social
The Bearden Arts Building will deliver attainably-priced contemporary residential condominiums to the H Street, NE corridor, contributing to the ongoing neighborhood revitalization while acknowledging its culture, heritage and history. The project will be crowdsourced, allowing future owners to participate in the design and development process from the beginning. The retail tenant will be a locally-owned, independent business, with attainably-priced coworking office space for start-ups and growing small businesses above.

Environmental
The Bearden Arts Building will be built using sustainable design and construction practices based on the Green Communities Criteria, specifically created for attainably-priced developments. As a model of elegant and practical green living, the residences will be efficiency style units with low carbon footprints. Parking spaces will be reduced compared to new housing developments, resulting in more residents that walk, ride bicycles, take the bus or metro, and use short-term rentals (Smartbike, Zipcar).

A triple-bottom-line benefit of the green building approach will enable the tenants, building residents and others to participate in a Green Collar Job Training program which will provide education and skills for workers to occupy jobs related to living, building, and working green. With on the job training and an employment placement program, green collar workers will be provided with the resources necessary to succeed in the green marketplace. Bearden Arts will become a resource and training center for the Green Collar Job Training Program.

The beta community has until November 19 to prove that there is indeed a market for this kind of development.