The Drake Building is currently under construction at the corner of Barkely Boulevard and Newmarket St in Bellingham. It will be a 5-story building with mixed uses including retail/office space, parking and residential condos. The condos will range from $232,000 to $331,000 and will be the first residences in Barkley Village bringing it one step closer to being a true urban village.

So the figures are back from the economic analysis done by the Port and City of Bellingham: the “New Whatcom” aka former GP site development will cost the City of Bellingham $200 million in streets, bridges, parks, trails, utilities, etc and will cost the Port of Bellingham $137 million in clean-up, demolition and construction.

While those costs are projected over 20 years, that is still a lot of money for a community the size of Bellingham (aprox 80,000). The final project will be magnificent - no doubt about it. A new marina, parks, trails, clean water, condos, shops and businesses….almost sounds like another urban village. But can Bellingham afford this new project? I guess time will tell.

I came across this blog for King 5 reporter Robert Mak. He did a posting about Bay View Towers in Bellingham and the spread of condos in general opening up some very interesting discussion.

Some highlights:

- Will young people want to move out of their condos and into the suburbs in ten years when they have a family

- Is it viable to raise a family in the city in a condo (open space, parks, schools, etc)

- Bay View Tower units are 30-50% less than what they would be in Seattle or Vancouver, yet with the ability to work from home, location matters less.

Here is the link to it if you want to read all the comments http://blogs.king5.com/upfront/archives/2006/05/the_condo_craze.html

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23 urban villages have been recommended for accommodating Bellingham’s growth, although the new comprehensive plan says that most of these cannot be relied on to be developed in the next 20 years. While urban villages are great and can help with growth, they cannot be forced.

An urban village is a HUGE project for any developer to take on. Residential, commercial, parking and park space are all combined into one fluid project. It is a very large and expensive project.

Here in Bellingham our best example of an urban village is Barkley Village. It has been well designed with a consistent style throughout. It has shops, groceries, services and offices and is a very popular place, but it is missing one fundamental piece: residences.

An urban village is meant to be a place where people can live, work and enjoy the community that smaller towns experience while still living in an urban city setting. The idea is that you live there (usually upstairs with shops below) and down in the common area are all the amenities that you need - hopefully even your own job, eliminating the need for a vehicle.

There are several challenges that I see with putting in 23 urban villages:

Location. Many people in our area are pushing to limit urban sprawl and increase density. While an urban village would satisfy the density aspect, the reality is to do this kind of project from scratch requires a large open space.

Communal living. Are people ready to give up their private backyards and large garages? Not sure, but that inclination is not reflected in most of the requests we get from buyers.  Single family homes with yards are still the Number 1 choice with our clients.

Businesses. Finding enough businesses to fill the commercial space below, at a lease rate they can afford, can be a challenge.  Small business is not easy, and the attrition rate is extremely high.  Sustaining the village in terms of jobs and services needed may be a challenge.

Money. As with many things, the dollars must be taken into consideration. An urban village would cost millions of dollars to develop, and the payout comes a long time after the investment.

Many people by now must think that I am completely anti-urban village. Not true. I think that urban villages are wonderful, and when implemented properly, can be an excellent addition to a community and a great way to live. At the same time I am a realist and I see difficulties in mandating a certain amount of urban villages, particularly in a city the size of Bellingham.

The Solution?
I hate it when people nag about a problem but then don’t offer any potential solutions in return. So here is mine: wait for Barkley Village to finish. They are supposed to be putting in some condominiums in the next couple of years. Once they are finished and occupied, then lets look at how it is working. Bellingham has a very unique character and I think that it would be difficult to take a big city solution and stamp it into mid-size Bellingham. Let’s complete Barkley Village, learn from Barkley Village, and then decide if it is compatible with a Bellingham lifestyle.

Any other potential solutions? I would love to hear them.

The Bellingham City Council approved the recommendations of the Bellingham Planning commission to extend the growth area and to allow more homes in those growth areas. The new growth areas that have been added are:

Most of these areas will have an average of 14 homes per acre and the area east of Meridian will include both industrial and commercial uses. A formal recommendation by the Bellingham City Council is scheduled from Monday May 15. Whatcom County Council still has the final say since the growth areas are currently under Whatcom County jurisdiction.

Much of the new growth will be in urban villages while leaving the current neighborhoods in Bellingham city alone. Two members of Bellingham City Council, Joan Beardsley and Barbara Ryan disagreed with the recommendations since they are in favor of more city infilling before sprawling out.

You have it all figured out: thanks to urban village style areas such as Barkley Village and Fairhaven, you can get rid of your car because everything that you need is within walking distance or has a bus going by it. But what about visiting your friend out in the county…..buses don’t run out there.

Enter community cars. The concept of car-sharing organizations is popular in Europe and some major US cities, including Seattle. Here is how it works: members pay an annual membership fee. They then have access to vehicles which are parked around the city and can be used at random, or reserved. Enter your PIN when you get to the car and it automatically tracks how long you use the car and bills you. Flexcar, one of the major community car companies, charges a basic rate of $9/hour but has packages available for people who use them frequently. That rate includes gas and insurance!

Bellingham currently has a list of 40 people interested in a community car program. The Whatcom Transportation authority has currently decided against running a community car program, but are open to assisting the group with promotions such as reduced fare bus passes for community car users.

Let us know - would you use a community car?  Why or why not?

Condos are becoming very popular in our area, particularly with first time home owners and with retirees who want to downsize. Condo owners own and have title to their specific condo and have a percentage interest in the building as a whole. Assessment or association fees are collected from each unit owner on a monthly basis to pay for the maintenance and insurance of the exterior of the building and any other amenities on the property (such as parking, pools, recreation areas, etc).

The community covenants of each condo building outlines all the details of what the association does. It is important to read that document before you buy!

Here is a list of things to look for & questions to ask:

1. What are the monthly fees and when are they due?
2. What is done to collect delinquent payments?
3. What does the payment cover (ex/ garbage, cable, window washing)?
4. What does the payment NOT cover? (This would mean that YOU are responsible for these things.)
5. Does the association have a reserve fund to cover large repairs such as a new roof?
6. Where can you park?
7. Can you have pets? If so, is there a limit?
8. Is there an age limit? If there is, can your grandchildren come and stay with you? For how long?
9. Can you rent out your unit?
10. Do you have to have specific window coverings? (And other uniformity issues)
11. Can you operate a business out of your home?
12. Look at the minutes of the last association meeting and look at the budget.

Besides these specific questions, it’s a good idea to walk around the building and the common areas. Talk to current residents about what they do and do not like.

With a condo, you are not only buying a home - you are buying a community. Make sure that it is one you like and want to be a part of.