Orenco Station

Orenco Station is a master-planned community located immediately north of the Orenco light rail station and south of the Intel Ronler Acres microchip plant in rapidly growing East Hillsboro.  The site has been designated a “town center” by the Metro regional 2040 plan, in which the mix of land uses, higher density of development and proximity to transit reduces reliance on the automobile.  The community has been well received by officials at the City of Hillsboro, Washington County, Metro and Tri-Met as being representative of the kind of transit-oriented development needed within the urban growth boundary.   According to G.B. Arrington, Director of Strategic Planning at Tri-Met, “The success or failure of the public’s nearly one billion dollar investment in the Westside will be determined in large part by what happens around its 20 stations.”

To that end the Orenco Station community was painstakingly planned on a large green field site that had no particular natural amenities (i.e. water, views or rolling terrain).  Relying on traditional land planning principles and strong architectural guidelines, Costa Pacific created an intimate neighborhood of appropriate human scale.  The project features a mix of housing types, parks and open spaces, a traditional neighborhood “Main Street” connecting the light rail station to a retail area with shops at street level and residential homes above, and an adjacent community shopping center.

Villebois

After a nationwide search, Costa Pacific was selected by State of Oregon and City of Wilsonville officials to master plan Villebois, a transit-oriented pedestrian-friendly village of compact urban form featuring many elements reminiscent of European villages and small towns in the United States built before World War II and before the proliferation of suburban sprawl. The innovative community will ultimately include 2,500 to 2,700 homes, a village center, numerous parks, an elementary school and more than 160 acres of open space.

Villebois will incorporate Costa Pacific’s guiding design principles of connectivity, diversity and sustainability. Connectivity within the three village neighborhoods and the region will be enhanced through transportation/road improvements and links to buses and commuter rail. “Green” development practices and cutting-edge sustainable planning principles will manage rainwater, preserve trees and protect natural and open spaces. A trail system and habitat corridor will connect the Coffee Lake/Tonquin Basin to the Metro open space and the Willamette River. Villebois will also have new parks, public spaces and an elementary school site with playfields for public use, and a diverse mix of housing types featuring traditional architecture. A vibrant Village Center, with a Central Plaza and retail opportunities, will serve as the “Heart & Soul” of Villebois.

The development of Villebois helps to achieve the region’s density goals. The project has already attracted $140M in regional, state and federal investment for an enhanced transportation system. These road improvements will benefit the entire city by helping to reconnect east and west Wilsonville. The city also has a housing shortage, with many more jobs than places to live in Wilsonville, and Villebois’ 2,500+ homes will help to correct this imbalance. Providing housing close to employment will also reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled in the area and relieve congestion on Interstate 5.

“Without Costa Pacific Communities, our 500-acre Villebois Village site could have been a typical subdivision if another developer had been chosen. Instead, we are going to have a world-class community of compact urban form that will add value to Wilsonville for years to come.”
Charlotte Lehan Mayor, City of Wilsonville