Mark your calendars for a public meeting about 315 environmentally focused apartments in the Box Factory that will include day care, pet washing stations, and roof terraces. The meeting will be via Zoom video conference.
Jan 19 at 6pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83299048837
Yes, this is another large development in a busy traffic area of Bend – but this one is not just the “same ol, same ol.” Located in the Spoken Moto parking area, these 315 rentals will include day care for the tenants; pet facilities, including a pet washing station; rooftop terraces; Net Zero development; tiered elevations to avoid a “wall” visual effect; retail businesses on the ground floor; and an outdoor pedestrian mall that will allow bicyclists to continue to ride through the Box Factor from Industrial Way to Arizona. In addition, Killian is committed to making a percentage of the rentals affordable (unheard of in our Neighborhood Association!) once the City of Bend finishes their affordable housing guidelines (Killian wanted to do this up front, but the City asked them to wait until the City’s guidelines are completed. The City told Killian they would have the guidelines for them by April so let’s hold the City to this!).
This development focuses on strong environmental building practices that will go beyond the usual LEED certification (including possibly a carbon offset) as well as an emphasis on walking and biking rather than driving due to the location. Killian also had been committed to helping with a mobility hub for alternative transportation, but the City of Bend has decided to delay that to move the mobility hub into the future KorPine area. These apartments will emphasize short and long-term bike parking as well as serious efforts to encourage recycling and possibly reducing food waste.
All of this combined is new to Bend and “raises the bar” on development – and that’s why I hope you will attend the public meeting. We can learn from this development in order to encourage developers all over Bend to follow suit. In case you do not know, Deschutes County is deciding whether to support CPACE funding to builders in Bend, which would allow developers to get financing to provide more sustainable and environmental buildings in Bend. This Box Factory project is a model then of how this could be done all over Bend!
Details about how to attend the public meeting on Zoom will be posted on the SCNA website in the Land Use area in early January: https://bendscna.org/land-use/#notices I’ll also send that information out again to this email list. In the meantime, mark your calendar for Jan 19 at 6pm as you will not want to miss learning about these apartments! Of course, bring your usual questions and concerns about parking and traffic (and please save these and any other questions/comments for the developer not me :^) Big developments are going to continue to happen in our NA’s, but day care, pet washing stations, roof terraces, Net Zero, carbon offsets, and so much more are certainly better than what we’ve been seeing.
The Box Factory is a beloved landmark in Bend so tell your neighbors too please!
