White Rock Crossing is being built co-housing-style, with homes facing each other across a courtyard.

Illustrations and photos courtesy of White Rock Crossing.

 

Feb. 25, 2014

Eco-conscious homebuyers looking for a green residence should check out White Rock Crossing in Dallas. The 3-acre development underway at the corner of Lake Highlands Drive and Easton Road features green/energy-efficient housing. Located one mile from White Rock Lake, the property includes a greenspace along the heavily wooded Dixon Branch Creek, providing a small nature preserve, which residents can enjoy. 

Vickie Anderson, a partner of AndersonSargent Custom Builders, which is overseeing the project, says the development is being built co-housing style, where homes face inward, instead of the street. Houses are designed for interaction and getting to know your neighbors. A community house will include a full kitchen, workshop for crafts, two guest bedrooms and event space. 

“To my knowledge, this is the first co-housing community in Texas, and we would like very much to do more of this concept,” Anderson says.  

Right, The homes back up to Dixon Branch Creek, which will provide a natural area.

The homes are designed to be energy efficient, with attention paid to which direction the windows face, in an effort to create an eco-village with low-cost or zero utility bills. The common house will be equipped with solar power and a metal roof.  

Homebuilder Jim Sargent, co-owner of AndersonSargent Custom Builders, L.P., has been building green/energy-efficient homes since the late 1970s, in response to the nation’s energy crisis. Because of his persistent study and innovation, he is now a nationally recognized leader in the energy efficient/green movement, often being referred to as the “Godfather of Green.”

Below, the common house.

Anderson and Sargent were contacted by White Rock Crossing's original investor Deborah Skinner. The Dallas resident wanted to find a cohousing community after reading Sarah Susanka’s book, Creating the Not So Big House 

"In it was a small community of cottage style homes built around a central green. I knew that was where I wanted to live. It spoke to me of a simpler time. It was a place where neighbors knew each other, spent time together and shared some common resources," said Skinner.

She was also an advocate of green living. When she couldn't find the housing she was looking for in Dallas, she searched for a location, bought the property and then contracted the builders.

Out of the 17 planned townhomes, three are presold. Buyers, including Skinner, are presently working on designs, and it is anticipated that construction will be brisk in the spring. Gas lines, water and sewer are installed, and entrances at Lake Highland Drive and Easton Road are being worked on. A community garden, swimming pool and rain catchment to water native plants are planned.  

The development will feature 1,500-square-foot townhomes with two-car garages, starting at $275,000. Buyers can custom design their homes, adding solar systems and other green features, and plan ideas are on their website.

“You can basically outright design your own custom townhome,” said Anderson. 


 Minnie Payne is a Carrolton-based freelance writer. She’s written for Pegasus News, Frisco Style Magazine and Seedstock. She presently freelances for Living Magazine, The Senior Voice and Your Speakeasy. She can be reached at jdpmap@verizon.net.

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