"The Viking House" Getting Ready for Show Time

By PHIL FAVORITE

Of the six state-of-the-art homes being built for the 2012 Street of Affordable Homes at Pacific Crossing in Forest Grove, one speaks particularly well for the future of homebuilding in Oregon.

"The Viking House" — a 2,230-square-foot, one-level single-family — is being built by students from Forest Grove High School, where each year a select number of students participate in a homebuilding project designed to put the practical shop-class skills into action.

A rendering of "The Viking House."

The program’s motto, Learn By Doing, is the principle that has guided "The Viking House" operation since its launch in 1975. This year's project is the 38th in the program's history.

“It’s very exciting for us to have them in our show,” said Kelly Ritz, president of Stone Bridge Homes NW, host of this year’s Street of Affordable Homes. “We’re proud of our business and proud of what we do, and excited to work with a school program that promotes the business of building.”

Chris Higginbotham, the 45-year-old teacher who has guided the program since 1995, said his students welcome the opportunity to display the results of their hard work in the spotlight of a summer home show.

Chris Higginbotham

 "It was an unexpected surprise to build for the show,” Higginbotham said. “When someone makes the biggest investment they'll ever make, you can expect them to want a high-quality product. It was decided that our focus would be on high-quality homes and to try to offer them at an affordable price."

The first step in building a high-quality product, Higginbotham said, is assembling the best possible team of students. Each year, members of "The Viking House" construction crew are selected from a group of applicants enrolled in Forest Grove High School's advanced shop classes.

Once selected, the students are expected to be unfailingly dedicated to the project. They work three hours every other school day on the home; construction begins at the start of each school year and is completed before school lets out in June.

"We try to assemble a little dream team every year," said Higginbotham, who was a long-time construction superintendent before becoming a teacher. "They're really young adults, and I like to think they're the best this generation has to offer. We have several high academic achievers, and several who have displayed great talent for the building trades. What they all have in common is that they're very dedicated."

This year's "Viking House" will be feature three bedrooms and two baths. In step with the other homes at this year's Street of Affordable Homes, it will be built to Earth Advantage standards for energy efficiency, resource management and healthy living.

During construction, students serve as the finish carpenters and are guided in almost every phase of construction by professional volunteers who demonstrate good building practices and answer questions from the students.

"They're getting great experience working side by side with professionals, which is a big help," Higginbotham said.

Over the years, that type of experience has launched the careers of many "Viking House" alumni. Some have started construction companies. Others have gone on to become engineers. Many have specialized in other building trades.

"The Viking House" project is self-funded with proceeds from the sale of the previous project and receives special pricing and donations in materials from partnering companies. Past donations have included solar panels, granite, paint, roofing, floor joists, various plumbing and light fixtures, stone veneer, gas fireplaces and insulation.

This year’s home includes a high-efficiency furnace donated by Lennox and a water heater courtesy of NW Natural.

Forest Grove High's shop program continues to thrive, going against a national trend of cutbacks which Higginbotham said "has been painful to watch."

"Not everybody is cut out for the cubicle," he said. "We still need to build houses. We still need to fix cars. Someone who has learned these trades is a valuable member of society.

"If you had a chance to work with these kids, you'd have a much more optimistic view of the future of this country."

 The Street of Affordable Homes will run July 5 through 29 at the Pacific Crossing neighborhood in Forest Grove.

Stone Bridge Homes NW Participates in 2012 Street of Affordable Homes

 Forest Grove: Big ideas in a small town

By PHIL FAVORITE

Forest Grove, OR

With its small-town feel, close proximity to the local tech corridor and views of the Coast Range mountains, Forest Grove is becoming more and more attractive to new-home shoppers looking for a little more elbow room.

Stone Bridge Homes NW will be giving buyers another reason to take a look at the close-knit Washington County community when it hosts the Street of Affordable Homes, July 5 through 29 at the Pacific Crossing neighborhood in Forest Grove. The annual showcase features six newly built homes, including two by Stone Bridge Homes NW.

Pacific Crossing in Forest Grove, OR

Other builders at the Street of Affordable Homes include J.T. Smith Companies and Skyline Homes, and students from Forest Grove High School are building another house — known as “The Viking House” — as an annual project.

"Forest Grove gives you a little bit more space, and a lot of character," said Kelly Ritz, president of Stone Bridge Homes NW. "And the price point is much lower. It's a really nice place to live, especially if the big city's not your thing."

Forest Grove is probably most famous as the home to Pacific University, a private institution with an enrollment of about 3,200 students. The town and university grew up together, both having been established in the middle of the 19th Century. Several historic homes in town date back to the 1850s, and Forest Grove features 10 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

Located on the western edge of the Portland metropolitan area, Forest Grove still has expansive natural areas and farmland and has avoided much of the dense growth that has become common in neighboring communities.

Stone Bridge Homes NW gained a foothold in Forest Grove with the success of The Parks at Forest Grove, a community of newly built homes priced from the mid $200,000 range. The remaining lots in Pacific Crossing, also owned by the company offers homes that are similarly priced.

The Parks in Forest Grove, OR

Prices at the Street of Affordable Homes will be in the $300,000s, a price point that is considerably lower in comparison to other high-end, luxury home shows. The homes will include a mix of single-level and multi-level plans, and all will be built to Earth Advantage standards for energy- and resource-efficiency.

"When you host a show like this, you get to highlight the entire neighborhood and introduce it to a buyer who might not otherwise see it," Ritz said. "We love Washington County and we think the location will appeal to a lot of people."

Part of the attraction will be Forest Grove's close proximity to its Washington County neighbors Hillsboro and Beaverton, where large employers such as Nike and Intel have been driving the Oregon economy for decades.

While those cities have grown more dense and urban over the years, Forest Grove — framed to the west by the Coast Range surrounded by rolling pastureland — has kept its small-town vibe with its district of historic homes and popular farmer's market.

"It's Mayberry-esque," Ritz said. "It's a great location because it's not very far from the Intels and Nikes, but it still has that small-town feel."

Ritz said she hopes visitors to the Street of Affordable Homes will discover not only the virtues of Forest Grove but also the value in the quality, well-built products of Stone Bridge Homes NW.

"We've been out there for five years now, and buyers have really responded," she said. "The more Forest Grove becomes known, the more people who work in Hillsboro and Beaverton will want to go out there and take a look at what we have to offer."

2012 Street of Affordable Homes at Pacific Crossing in Forest Grove, OR

Kelly Ritz, President of Stone Bridge Homes NW

Stone Bridge Homes NW, LLC is proud to be hosting this year’s “Street of Affordable Homes" show in its “Pacific Crossing” community located in Forest Grove, Oregon. “We are excited to bring the Show back to Forest Grove but this time to host it in our Pacific Crossing neighborhood.” said Kelly Ritz President of Stone Bridge Homes NW. The 2010 Street of Affordable Homes was held at Stone Bridge’s other Forest Grove neighborhood, The Parks. This year the Show will feature six homes of exceptional design with an emphasis on energy efficiency and affordability. The participating builders in the 2012 show are Stone Bridge Homes NW, Skyline Homes and Design, J.T. Smith, and the Forest Grove High School. “We have some superb builders participating in this year’s show and we are especially pleased to have Forest Grove High School build with us this year” said Kelly Ritz. Show homes will vary in size from 2,200 square feet to approximately 3,500 square feet and will be priced from the low $200,000. The houses are already underway and the show will take place this summer running from July 5 to 29, 2012.

The Pacific Crossing neighborhood is a beautiful planned community complete with a pool, club house, play equipment and walking trails. While the neighborhood is located in Forest Grove with views of the Coast Range it is strategically located only 15 minutes from Hillsboro’s high tech employment corridor and, 40 minutes from downtown Portland. The town of Forest Grove affords residents with a small town community feel but within close proximity to Washington County jobs. Forest Grove was incorporated in 1872; it contains 10 structures on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to some of the state’s best wineries, as well as the acclaimed Pacific University.

Stone Bridge Homes NW, the home builder who is hosting the 2012 Street of Affordable Homes is a local Oregon builder who specializes in building semi-custom homes, giving buyers a choice of 130+ floor plans, including individual buyer-identified modifications and upgrades. Besides Forest Grove, Stone Bridge Homes has communities located in Lake Oswego, Tigard, and Wilsonville in the greater Portland area, as well as in Bend and Eugene.  Stone Bridge Homes NW has adopted solar and sustainable practices as one of its signatures and builds all of its homes to Earth Advantage Silver standard or higher.

http://www.streetofaffordablehomes.com