Sustainable Urban Village is a mash up of opposites. “Village” is pastoral, dreamy, idealistic, old fashioned, small and intimate. “Urban” conjures up pretty much the opposite-gritty, concrete and asphalt, contemporary, hip, huge and cold. Add “sustainable” to the mix, and it becomes ….an odd phrase. Where would one find such a creature? And what qualities will it embody?

As we contemplate where we’re going as a people and we feel the ground shifting under us as we transform from a car dominated sprawl lifestyle to a pedestrian friendly, ecologically sound, lowered consumptive way of life, I’m suggesting we pick and choose from the best options; incorporating best practices, and lessons learned of what works and what doesn’t, leaving those choices with harsh unintended consequences behind.

“What works” for me, rolls into 5 principles; “Mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods, with lifelong learning and open space……everywhere.” Another way to put it? Sustainable Urban Villages, and they are found…..everywhere.

As we begin to restart our economy, I’m suggesting we pick wisely, and base our investment in the future on the real, lasting values we hold collectively. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to live in balance with our earth. The job of each member of the village is to contribute their wisdom, their vision of the desired outcome, their unique perspective. Unintended consequences happen in blind spots. The Sustainable Urban Village requires the teamwork of the neighbors to stay on the lookout for the values of consequence and the blind spots.

What follows (Examples and Benefits) are some of the collective wisdoms we’ve help uncover; values and benefits that have come through the test of time, ideas that are built on best practices and honed by blind spots; good ideas that bear being considered as we evolve our way of life into one that is “Good for people, good for the planet, and good for the polar bears”.

MIRS!  -Briske

Village Development of America LLC (ViDA!) is a for-profit development company that facilitates the establishment of sustainable and empowering mixed-used, mixed-income neighborhoods, so that we can all live in vibrant, alive communities, and prosper.

First our design team listens for the collective wisdom of your group, gathering a whole vision based in the sum of all the contributions. We then plan for success, adding best practices from around the world.

The design team works with your neighborhood, landowners and regulatory bodies to create supportive social, governance, economic and environmental systems and rules. We can also coordinate construction oversite, and co-monitor the development over time, ensuring you and your community a pedestrian-friendly, empowered, more abundant, just, joyful and sustainable world.

We facilitate Your Neighborhood’s transformation with:

• You and your neighbor’s wisdom, visions and input
• Bringing you best practices from around the planet
• A 3D model and a financial model (pro forma)
• Community Based Advisory Committee, to clear financial and bureaucratic hurdles
• Design and Performance Standards
• A Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation
• A Neighborhood Property Management Company

A Mixed-Use Neighborhood has:

• Retail and commercial
• Public Facilities
• A healthier, safer, more sustainable lifestyle
• Viable, affordable one-car households

Mixed-Income Housing and Businesses support:

• A diversity of ages and cultures
• Young adults starting out
• Entrepreneurs bootstrapping new business
• Changing careers
• Aging in place
• Employee recruitment and retainage

“Neighborhood Extended Family” Benefits include time and money-saving solutions to:

• Cooking every night
• Child day care
• Affordable, assisted living
• Lifelong learning
• Energy efficiency
• Water conservation
• Job creation
• Neighborhood profit sharing
• Employer assisted housing
• Open space

How do we do it?

We work side-by-side with you to transform your neighborhood into a problem-solving “think tank” where each neighbors’ contribution is key, and then we give you the tools for redevelopment. And we’re always there as a resource and guide.

MIRS!  -Briske

If you feel your neighborhood is missing the vitality and connection that you long for, take the leap to a place beyond suburbia where you and your neighbors can live, work, shop, play, age in place and thrive all within walking distance.  With profit sharing and other strategies, you can have a higher Quality of Life, while living lighter on the Planet!

Village Development of America (ViDA!, Spanish for “life”), exists to bring more life into your neighborhood. We assist in gathering a common vision and finding new ways to make life better for everyone – a kind of “neighborhood extended family.”

Goals and Guiding Principles

1. Reduce the amount of resources consumed, in both construction and operation
2. Demand connectivity, connected open spaces and connected human spaces
3. Design safe roads
4. Support public transportation
5. Mix uses;  Combine the Five Components of Community:
   • Places to live
   • Places to work
   • Places to shop
   • Places to gather and recreate
   • Places to go to school
6. Mix Incomes; Create, capture and share wealth locally:
   • Shared open space and amenities
   • Affordable lifestyle
   • Work force housing
   • Profit sharing from new, locally-owned commercial space
   • Profit sharing from gentrification resale
   • Smaller lot sizes, increased densities-smart infill
   • Shared amenities and open space

MIRS!  -Briske

with an empowering, more sustainable lifestyle, where you and your neighbors thrive. Learning is lifelong and readily accessible, and you can mentor each other to acquire empowering skills that enable you to transform your lifestyle and the planet. You feel deep satisfaction from contributing to “The Solution” – of doing your part.

Image living Rumi’s exultant maxim, “let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”  Life is good  in a place where you can invest your energy, creativity and ideas into your surroundings, creating beauty. Add a safer, simpler walkable lifestyle that financially rewards your efforts to your imagined neighborhood.

Remember being a kid in the summer, bicycling around the neighborhood with your friend? Time stood still and there was magic in the air. What if that experince could happen again for the children of your neighborhood? Imagine the stress levels falling as you know your children are safe and looked after while you chat or work alongside your “family” – your neighbors.

Image being a single parent in a place where the phrase doesn’t carry any negative connotations. Envision yourself not stressed out because you have to work several jobs, which means you never see your children. Experience “it takes a village” – there’s support from your community and your job. You revel in time spent with your children.

And when you’re elderly, imagine time spent with youngsters – telling them your stories and mentoring them. Picture having plenty of space and privacy if that’s what you want, or sharing a meal with your community – the joy of breaking bread with your “extended” family and sharing laughter and conversation. If you need help, there’s a helping hand nearby.  Aging in place is made easier and supported by the community. It’s a great place to live..and die…surrounded by loved ones.

If your suburban, auto-dependent neighborhood is missing the vitality and connection that you long for, allow us to facilitate its transformation into a pedestrian-friendly, lively, mixed-use, mixed-income community, allowing you and your neighbors to live, work, shop, play and prosper.

How do we do it?

We partner with your neighborhood, gather your wisdom, vision and input and then support you with best building and sustainability practices from around the world. We then create a financial pro forma and a 3D model, set up supportive and financial and administrative mechanisms and then jointly oversee the redevelopment and continued operations.

We work side-by-side with you to transform your neighborhood into a problem-solving “think tank” where each neighbors’ contribution is key, and then we give you the tools for redevelopment. And we’re always there as a resource and guide.

For more information on our services, click here.

Making It Real Sustainable!  -Briske