See the Work
Winchester Forest
An Ecological, Affordable Subdivision Within a New Urbanist Community
“We see affordable housing as the union of people, place, economy and ecology. This approach broadens the definition of affordable housing to include the needs of the inhabitants and the resources of the place.”
— Joshua Galloway
Suburbs from the mid-1900s are fast becoming an area in need of renewed investment. Urban city centers are enjoying increased popularity as people return to the convenience and community of the city, while new subdivisions are rapidly converting forest and farmland into lawn and asphalt. Old suburbs are often forgotten in between the two.
One model for addressing that trend is Winchester Forest. A community of 100 homes in Richmond, VA, Winchester Forest will connect the existing community of Winchester Greens with the established suburban neighborhoods and school to the north. The thriving Winchester Greens consists of 240 townhouses, a childcare center, 3 pocket parks, 174 affordable apartments for seniors, a neighborhood center, and commercial and retail developments. Complimenting these amenities, Winchester Forest is planned for a forested, 32-acre site transected by No Name Creek. Through the use of Low Impact Development the project will preserve 15 acres of forest, in addition to bringing home ownership opportunities to the otherwise all-rental community. Park spaces, sidewalks and street trees will extend the public landscape of Winchester Greens to connect with a County Park in an adjacent neighborhood. The green infrastructure of human and wildlife habitat is being developed in coordination with the constructed infrastructure of energy production and storm water systems.
The homes will be built to Energy Star and EarthCraft House standards. These green building programs offer a third-party verified process to build healthy, comfortable and energy efficient homes. In turn, the sustainability and affordability of these homes promote efficient use of resources for long-term health and stability of a community, including the people, the surrounding ecosystem and future generations.
Gallery
(hover over image to zoom)
by Joshua Galloway
The existing 240 market rate townhomes set the tone for Winchester Forest, with front porches, sidewalks and pocket parks.
by Joshua Galloway
An existing child-care center serves 100 local families.
by Joshua Galloway
The community garden brings residents from the town homes and senior housing together for shared activities.
by Joshua Galloway
A bank, restaurant and retail store offer amenities within walking distance for the residents.
by Joshua Galloway
Single family homes at Winchester Forest will complement the mixed use and mixed income community at Winchester Greens.
by Joshua Galloway
The site plan preserves forest cover and communal open space. A public park and community center to the north offers daily activities and sports fields for all ages.
by Joshua Galloway
Preserved trees at the heart of the community will shade a playground.
by Joshua Galloway
Computer models help determine the site layout and house designs.
by Joshua Galloway
Individual houses are modeled to test architectural proportions and lot sizes.
Project Summary
- Location:
- Richmond, Virginia
- Program Scope
- 16 affordable home ownership units
- 84 market rate home ownership units
- 3 parks (40,000 sq ft)
- Project Status
- On-the-boards (January 2010 anticipated completion)
- Location:
- Richmond, Virginia
- Project Scope
- 32 acres gross site area
- New construction
- 2 stories
- 180,000 sq ft gross project area
- Program Scope
- 16 affordable home ownership units
- 84 market rate home ownership units
- 3 parks (40,000 sq ft)
- Residential Unit Profile
Affordable units serve moderate income households. Market rate units have no income restriction.
10 2 BR 1,200-1,400 sq ft 75 3 BR 1,400-2,000 sq ft 15 4 BR 1,900-2,100 sq ft 100 TOTAL - Green Benchmarks
- EarthCraft House (anticipated)
- Energy Star (anticipated)
- Green Communities (anticipated)
- Cost
238,000 Acquisition (land) 20,442,000 Hard (construction) 2,050,000 Soft (all other) 22,730,000 TOTAL - Major Funders
- Alcoa Foundation
- Anonymous
- Green Communities
- Home Depot Foundation
- Chesterfield County
- Project Status
- On-the-boards (January 2010 anticipated completion)
