Hidden in plain sight - Nortwest Hub mentioned The Highlands and we missed it!

Usually we're on top of anything that's being said about The Highlands, but way back in August Northwest Hub mentioned us in an article about green building on a budget, More Green For Less Green, but we just learned about it.

The house mentioned in the article - the 99K house - was used as the basis for the design of the Live/Work Studios that will be built on the commons.
The Highlands version is slightly different from the one that won the competition. The deck was moved to the end overlooking the commons and the buyer has the option of opening the lower level as a garage or studio.

Here's what the commons looks like now. The grassy area is approximately the location of the central paved area known as the Piazza.

SICBA Home Tour

This year's Skagit and Island County Builder's Association home tour took place Sept. 11 through 13th. The beautiful weather brought a lot of weekend visitors enjoying a road trip that covers three islands (Whidbey, Camano and Fidalgo) as well as the Skagit County mainland.

Tour attendees gather in the hall to ooh and
ahh over Osprey's woodwork.

The afternoon sun lights the home in the tones
of a Maxfield Parrish painting.

Everyone loves this house and this house loves the camera.

Grand Opening

Saturday March 21st 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Celebrate the first day of spring with a trip to Langley and The Highlands, where the focus is on Low Impact Development, green building and smaller homes – the perfect solutions for today.

11:00 AM Enjoy local food
Scones and coffee from Langley’s own Village Bakery

Tour a BuiltGreenTM “Erin” model cottage and “The Villa”
View completed cottages and the Villa and see the plans for the Live/Work Studios to be constructed on The Commons.

12:30 – 2:30 PM More local treats
3 Sisters beef hors d’oeuvres by Chef Jess

Visit with conservation and gardening experts
Bring your questions

1:00 – 2:30 Meet award-winning architect Ross Chapin
Hear about his coming book “Pocket Neighborhoods: Creating Small Scale Community in a Large Scale World” (Taunton Press, 2010)

Drawings for great prizes
Home Energy Audit
Edible Landscape Consultation
Share of a Whidbey CSA
Dinner for two at The Inn at Langley

Learn about a special financing opportunity
Unbeatable rates for Highlands buyers

Highlands Art Show
For the month of March, works by local artists are displayed throughout the model home in the first Highlands Art Show. The show has been popular with artists and viewers alike, setting a pattern for future shows and an ongoing partnership between The Highlands and the Whidbey art community.










Participating artists
Tim Leonard – Metal sculpture
Susan O'Brien – Oil paintings on canvas and glass
Elaine Michaelides – Blown glass vases
Dimitri Michaelides – Blown glass sculpture
Sharon Warwick – Ceramics
Natalie Olsen – Weaving and fiber arts
Patrick Brennan – Abstract oils
Earl Olsen – Photography
Yvonne Palka (Highlands resident) – Sumi-e paintings

Skagit/Island Counties Builders Association Home Tour

September 12th, 13th and 14th 2008

A Ross Chapin designed cottage at The Highlands will be part of this year's tour. A total of 14 homes may be toured. Tickets are $7 and are available at each home on the day of the tour, or at Chambers of Commerce starting Sept. 2nd. For details, maps and directions to the homes, go to the SICBA website.

In conjunction with the tour The Highlands is hosting a sustainability information fair which will feature displays and demonstrations of green and sustainable materials and methods. It is not necessary to have a ticket to the tour in order to attend the fair.

The Highlands "Open Neighborhood" Event

September 16, 2007 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Though there are no houses to show off yet, the Highlands Low Impact Development (LID) infrastructure is in place. Come take a look at the network of rain gardens and carefully sloped streets that are the base of the water management system in an LID project.

This informal introduction to the Highlands will feature self guided tours of the site, snacks from local farms and a short presentation of Low Impact Development techniques. Staff will be on hand to give guided tours and answer questions about the neighborhood and LID.

The event begins at 1:00 PM with a selection of organic fruit, home-baked cookies and bread, fresh pressed apple cider and locally roasted fair-trade coffee.

The Low Impact Development presentation begins at 2:00 PM.

Arriving and Parking

The Highlands is located at 903 Al Anderson Ave. This is a quiet, residential road and there is very little parking. Non-motorized modes of transportation are encouraged.