Villebois in Wilsonville (Part 1)
Want Village Community Lifestyle?

What do new home builders and master-plan developers know about today’s 21st century American homebuyer?  We want a certain Lifestyle.

To appeal to this demand in new housing, Costa Pacific Communities, developers of popular Orenco Station in Hillsboro, crafted a 500-acre project that incorporates more in their new construction than terrific finishes and quality craftsmanship – they’ve captured a lifestyle that is second to none.  And they’ve called it Villebois.

Village Near the Woods

Villebois, located in Wilsonville Oregon, just a few miles south of downtown Portland, is French for “Village Near the Woods.”  Pronounced Veal-Bwa, it is an appropriate name since the community planners saved 90% of the mature trees, preserved ten acres of wooded area and included existing trees into the open green space and parks system.

But living in the Northwest is not just about the greenery.  It’s also about green building.  The three different Villebois builders have it figured out.  Energy saving features abound in their new homes, recycled materials are used in the streets that line the plaza and recycled water is naturally filtered through the master-minded rainwater management system. This complicated engineering task of directing rainwater to naturally existing wetlands and drainages was a major task for the developers.  The plan includes the streets of Villebois acting as natural dams for the flow of water, permeable pavers and asphalt, water retention ponds and bio-retention cells in community planters.

Plus, the national magazine Cooking Light took its turn in Villebois, designing the 2008 Cooking Light FitHouse along with Portland builder Arbor Homes.  The FitHouse is wheelchair-friendly with an ADA-accessible bathroom, skid-free ramps, wide hall and doorways, custom lower kitchen counters and hard surface flooring.

Diversity Calls: Sustainability and a Sense of Community

This new master-planned community is designed to emulate a European village and features 3 distinct exterior styles, French, English and American.  And living in this village is about the amenities and community diversity more than ever before.  It’s about enjoying where you live, not just buying a home in a specific zip code.  Villebois offers its residents precisely that.  The Villebois lifestyle includes friendly neighbor BBQs, impromptu games at the park, community wide events and fully self-sustainable retail and office space.

With its downtown plaza at the center of the community, the Piazza Villebois promises to house nearly 35,000 square feet of retail including restaurants, shops, a grocer and even the neighborhood dentist office.  During the weekends, a casual but buzzing Sunday Farmer’s Market is in full bloom with live music, vendors from nearby farms and local artisans selling their wares every Sunday from 10-2 May through October.

Housing Styles for Every Stage of Life

Surrounding the Village center will be loft-style condo’s, row houses and apartment rentals.  And, because the site was originally a state-run mental health facility, the master plan designated more than 20 residences throughout the community to be set aside for community housing for people with disabilities.

The architectural style of Villebois homes lends itself to the distinctly European feel, with wrought iron banisters on the balconies overlooking the Piazza Villebois and the brick and stone exteriors on the English-style townhomes and houses. Most floor plans offer alley loaded garages so the front courtyards open to shared green space and tree-lined streets. With its mix of townhomes, rowhomes, detached cottages and larger manor homes, Villebois has a style and floor plan for nearly every type of buyer.  Whether you’re looking for a home with a master suite on the main floor or a 3,000 square foot place with a 3-car garage to store all your stuff, Villebois has something for everyone.  Prices start in the high $200,000’s for attached townhomes and low $300,000’s for detached homes with alley-loaded garages.  The more traditional garage in the front styles start in the high $400,000’s and continue up to the mid $600,000’s.

Click here to read Part 2: Villebois in Wilsonville 

Jaimy and Sherine Beltran are Villebois residents and have sold a number of owner-occupied and investment homes in Villebois.  For questions about Villebois housing, contact contact us.

Jaimy & Sherine Beltran are licensed real estate brokers in Portland, Oregon as well as a frequent contributing writers for OHM. Please don't hesitate to contact them with any questions you may have about buying or selling a home in the Portland area.



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