Press Release: January 2020
Matthew Grocoff
THRIVE Collaborative
matt@thrive-collaborative.com
Site of Former Youth Prison Transformed into Sustainable Neighborhood of the Future
Aims to Be One of the World’s First Climate Resilient Net Zero Energy Neighborhoods
Living Community Challenge - Net Zero Energy
THRIVE Collaborative is transforming the site of a former youth prison in Ann Arbor, Michigan into one of the world’s first Living Community Challenge neighborhoods. The Living Community Challenge is an expansion of the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most rigorous green building standard.
Veridian at County Farm is targeted to be a mixed-income net zero energy communities: 100% all-electric, powered by solar, with resilient energy storage and no gas lines or combustion appliances of any kind. It is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, adjacent to a 130 acre park with miles of forested trails, community gardens and play spaces. Front porches face a greenway guiding residents into miles of trillium-lined pathways. Landscaping is viewed as a means of reviving ecosystems and food production will be integral to the neighborhood with food-producing native species, like hazelnuts and paw paws, in addition to lanes lined with fruit trees and community gardens.
THRIVE Collaborative founder Matthew Grocoff said “we will not be defined by the unsparing consequences of climate crisis, but by how we respond as the window of opportunity for action closes. Veridian at County Farm creates the inspiring vision of a fossil fuel free future in which neighborhoods operate as elegantly as forested ecosystems.” Construction is expected to begin in 2020.
The neighborhood will include a multifunctional community barn (salvaged and restored from a nearby 1840s farm), a garden tool share-shed and retail center with coffee shop and a Farm Stop grocery where customers can purchase 100% local produce, meats and dairy exclusively from local farmers and producers year-round.
Research shows that living close to people from a variety of incomes and backgrounds leads to substantially better lives, measured by real economic gains, greater educational attainment, and improved health. At Veridian, two thirds of the homes (99 units) are being developed for sale at market rate and the neighboring parcel with one third of the homes (50 units) will be developed by a local non-profit for low-income tenants including some who have formerly experienced homelessness. To encourage human powered living, the neighborhood will have abundant bike storage, a bike maintenance shed, EV Bike share, EV Car Share, and more.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - Honor
Veridian at County Farm is being honored in the United Nations gallery for Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Earth Institute at Columbia University selected Veridian at County Farm to be included in their Local Projects Challenge in collaboration with the UN. It is among fewer than 100 exemplary projects from around the globe that are being highlighted to demonstrate how we can meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These projects will be featured at the 2020 World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi. Download the UN SDG Veridian at County Farm project 2 page PDF
Allowing Public to Invest in Equity Raise for Site Development
THRIVE Collaborative is proud to offer a unique impact investment opportunity in the construction of Veridian at County Farm. THRIVE Collaborative is working with Localstake to help accelerate sustainable real estate investment and give access to historically underrepresented investors.
https://localstake.com/businesses/veridian-at-county-farm
About THRIVE Collaborative
THRIVE Collaborative is an Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan-based building, real estate development, design, and consulting firm dedicated to creating the life enhancing communities needed for the 22nd Century. THRIVE’s mission is to accelerate the shift towards beautiful, healthy, and environmentally responsive design and lead the transformation to a truly sustainable human-built environment that is nature rich and ecologically restorative. We use intellectual rigor combined with expert collaborations to create transformative solutions. We take a holistic approach to addressing critical community needs and fostering connectivity by using the framework of the seven performance categories of the Living Building Challenge and the Living Community Challenge: Place, Water, Energy, Health & Happiness, Materials, Equity and Beauty. THRIVE’s work has been featured in seven books on urban planning, net zero energy and sustainable design and building. www.Thrive-Collaborative.com
1840s local barn to be salvaged and restored as a multi-functional community gathering place, including a weekly indoor / outdoor farmers market.
Concept sketch of The Farmhouse at Veridian. It will house the Honey Locust Farm Stop. Helping local farms succeed, the Farm Stop is a full service grocery selling only 100% local produce, meats & dairy - a next generation of the traditional farmer’s market model.
Veridian at County Farm is adjacent to a 130 acre park with miles of forested trails, community gardens and play spaces.
LINK TO Urban Institute Report: Transforming Closed Youth Prisons. The Paper highlights Veridian at County Farm plans as exemplary land use, sustainability and affordable housing.
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