Final Development Plan for the proposed Lowrie Primary School in Villebois

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District is proposing a new 67,000 sq. ft., two-story primary school to accommodate 500 students and 50 staff in Villebois. The Villebois Village Master Plan was amended to relocate the school site from the north portion of Villebois to the east side of Villebois. The proposal for the Lowrie Primary School Zone Map Amendment is scheduled for a Thursday, January 20, 2011 Wilsonville City Council Hearing.

The approximately 10.46 acre site is located in the eastern portion of Villebois Village; east of 110th Avenue and north of Lisbon Street. The main entrance for students will be on the south side of the building, and the main visitor entrance will be located on the west side. The school will generally operate between the weekday hours of 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. In addition, school activities and community use will occur during other times of the day and week, but the school will be closed after 10 pm.


The 67,000 square foot school, with 23 classrooms plus 1 special education room, will feature a two-story design in the northern classroom wing with the library, gym, administrative offices, and kindergarten classes on one level in the southeastern portion of the building. The building footprint will be slightly less than 42,000 square feet. The maximum height of the building is less than 35 feet. The School District proposes a neutral body color with primary colors as accents.


Modifications to the Original Villebois Master Plan.
The proposed refinements include the following:
1. Street Network. A change in the street network to accommodate a large school site as opposed to a residential grid system. This includes elimination of two local streets and some alleys, along with the extension of Brown Road north of Barber Street to an intersection on Lisbon Street across from the main driveway entrance for the school. This street extension will require a re-plat of the Legend at Villebois subdivision.

2. Parks. In the amended plan, the primary school site is planned to include parks and open space for community use. A proposed Community Park "1" on the east side of the site, Garden Park "South" on the west
side of the site and "Linear Green-9" on the south edge of the site.

3. Land Use Mix. The proposed primary school will displace some residential units that are currently planned. However, a comparable number of housing units will ultimately be built on the North end where the primary school site was previously shown.

Fred Meyer on track for July 2011 opening

Fred Meyer is holding true to its promise to open in July 2011. Currently 65 percent of the retail space is rented at the area known as Wilsonville Old Town Square. Gramor Development is partnering with Fred Meyer to develop the 19 acre, 262,000 square foot retail complex. A ground breaking event was held last July on the $60 million project at the corner of Boones Ferry Road and Wilsonville Road, just west of Interstate 5.
Tenants planning to move into Wilsonville's newest retail development are First Tech Credit Union, Go Wireless, Great Clips, Mango Tango Restaurant, Perfect Look, Vivid Nails Salon, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Subway and Oswego Grill.

Villebois Named National Community of the Year

Villebois in Wilsonville, Oregon, was named the 2010 Community of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) at The NationalsSM Sales and Marketing Awards. The winner of the prestigious Community of the Year Award is selected from new communities across the country.
Villebois and previously Orenco Station in Hillsboro, Oregon — both developed by Costa Pacific Homes — are the only communities in the Pacific Northwest to receive this top honor.

$60 Million project under way in Wilsonville.

It's a plan that has started and stopped over nearly two decades. But, now construction of the first Fred Meyer store in Wilsonville are under way. Fred Meyer executives and city leaders broke Ground on the largest commercial construction project in Oregon. Mike Ellis, President of Fred Meyer is happy to be doing business in Wilsonville.
This $60 million dollar investment off I-5 at Boones Ferry road in Wilsonville has been in the works on and off for decades. Design elements were a main concern.
"This project is finally the right idea, the right time and the right fit for Wilsonville," said Wilsonville Mayor Tim Knapp.
Mayor Knapp said it really came down to preserving the historic value of the area. "How can it honor the historical roots, that for Wilsonville are centered in this Old Town area that we're on the doorstep of," said Knapp.
The final design dates back to the late 1800s. The design does not look like a typical shopping center. There are 11 buildings that will house retail, office and even residential apartments.
Fred Meyer will invest some $35 million in the new store and create hundreds of news jobs. "Typically a Fred Meyer store will hire between 225 and 350, that's a lot of folks," said Mike Ellis.
McMenamin's is one of the first to join the project with a 5,000 square foot restaurant. It will sit next door to a century old Methodist church. It's a focal point of the development.
"They're going to take over the church and rebuild the church to historical standards," said Barry Cain, president of Gramor Development. Twenty other companies are also interested in being in the new complex.
Fred Meyer plans to open the new store in July 2011.
Joe Smith @ kgw.com

Mortgage Interest Deduction Under Attack!

Americans overwhelmingly oppose any action by Congress to tamper with the mortgage interest deduction, but it could be eliminated or scaled back as Congress and the Administration are looking at tax increases in light of deficit concerns.
The consequences would be devastating for home owners, the housing market and the nation’s economy.
SaveMyMortgageInterestDeduction.com is dedicated to preserving the mortgage interest deduction and protecting homeownership.
Visit http://www.savemymortgageinterestdeduction.com/ for more information.
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Fall Has Arrived in Villebois

Fall into the best part of your day in your cozy Arbor home. The competition is fierce with so many outrageous Halloween decorations. Blog your favorite.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!!