AUGUST 2010
The Future Organizing Resident Group (FROG)has been working hard to
reduce the buy-in cost into MAEV in order to make it affordable to firm and potential residents. As a result, we find it necessary to scale down our inital plan for the Community Building--with the goal to enlarge and improve the building as our needs dictate and as funds from the sale of lots bring in revenue.
We are also increasing lot sizes to assure solar access more easily and in a less complicated way, and we are reducing the number of attached accessible apartments to 6 (down from 11) and increasing the number of lots to 45 (up from 33).
Additionally, to speed up the project and take advantage of momentum, FROG is shifting the focus away from the Community Building to the seling of lots. We are in dialogue with a potential builder/developer and are making inquiries about cost and feasibility of purchasing the surrounding 200+ acreage property (in addition to the 40-60 acres that are already designated for the ecovillage).
Stay tuned! And stop by our booth to talk us at the 8th Annual Tiller's Harvest Fest on Sunday, September 19 from 11:30 - 6:30pm at 10515 East OP Avenue in Scotts, MI.
APRIL 2010
If you would like to talk with us in person, we'll be at the Kalamazoo Nature Center's Earth Day Celebration Saturday April 17 from 10am to ?? Address is 1200 N. Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo Michigan. Free admission in honor of Earth Day.
We'll also be at Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Texas Township campus on Saturday April 24th from 10am to ?? for their Environmental event in the Commons.
FROG voted to keep the LLC buy-in cost at $1000/family for the time being. This topic is to be reactivated for a vote in 6 mos. -- at which time we will vote on increasing the cost to $3000 or $5000.
March 2010
We have recently met with 2 green builders. They are preparing preliminary cost estimates for the apartment/community center building. By early spring 2010, we hope to be able to begin our marketing efforts in earnest - to identify who would like to become a resident of the ecovillage and share our dream!
Check back soon for the MSU student interior designs for the Community Building. We should have at least 2-3 of them posted by April.
February 2010
Apollo Engineering LLC. of Traverse City, MI submitted an agreement for the professional
design services associated with Manitou Arbor. Services to include mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
construction documents with all required specifications on the drawings.
