The proposed Mississippi Avenue Lofts

As 2006 came to a close, the homebuilding boom in America that has continued for more than a decade showed signs of finally abating. Economic data indicates sales slowing across a number of categories, although not amidst a full-blown recession. And as the market enters a potential downturn, or at the very least a correction leading to more modest growth, its effect on sustainable and green building remains in question.

According to the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales for November 2006 in the United States were approximately 6.28 million. They have hovered around that same general range for the past five months after falling from sales of more than 7.3 million in July 2005 and 6.9 million in early 2006.

But that doesn’t seem to worry Bill Jackson and Peter Wilcox. The developers of the Mississippi Avenue Lofts in Portland (along with partner David Yoho), Jackson and Wilcox say they expect to break ground as early as February on 32 units of high-density housing in a neighborhood that was plagued with boarded-up storefronts just a few years ago. The plans call for brownstone-like townhouses along the street and penthouses with wide wood-festooned rooftop decks, as well as more affordable one-bedroom units. Sixty percent of the structure’s ground-floor retail is leased to a popular local gourmet grocer, Pastaworks, on a 10-year lease.

What’s more, the Mississippi Avenue Lofts are aiming to achieve a Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) program. The building plans include an innovative energy sharing system for heating and cooling that will be up to 75 percent more efficient than other air systems; a storm water management system for irrigating plants and avoiding runoff; nontoxic paints free of volatile organic compounds; and a courtyard-oriented layout that distributes natural light and encourages natural ventilation. Situated in the burgeoning North Mississippi district, where a host of shops and restaurants have transformed this once dilapidated inner-city neighborhood into one of the city’s most popular, the project is also just a few blocks away from Portland’s MAX light rail system, encouraging mass transit use.

“I’ve done about 85 projects in my career,” says Wilcox, an award-winning urban designer and green economist who previously served as housing director for the surrounding Multnomah County. “I think this is going to be the strongest of all of them.”

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