Metro West Housing Solutions recently hosted the grand opening of Creekside West in Lakewood, the latest installment to its Creekside Senior Living Campus and MWHS’s greenest community to date. Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy, accompanied by more than 80 industry leaders, attended the grand opening on May 11 and toured the facility, getting a first-hand look at its eco-friendly features.
Murphy and Rick Garcia, regional administrator for the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for Region VIII, cut the ceremonial green ribbon to officially open the center. Sitting just west of The Residences at Creekside at 1710 Pierce St., Creekside West completes the green senior-living campus, strengthens MWHS’ focus on sustainable design, construction and operations and is on track to earn LEED-Platinum third party certification.
Creekside West has also received a Renewable Energy and Sustainable Design in Buildings award from the Colorado Renewable Energy Society. The award was in the multifamily residential category and was presented to MWHS at the Colorado Renewable Energy Conference on June 3.
“This development provides affordable housing for seniors who, in some instances, might not normally have the opportunity to live in market-rate housing,” said Garcia. “In addition to being able to live in this multifamily environment, they enjoy the benefits of access to sustainable living, as well as easy access to the marketplace, which is beneficial to the commercial and retail sector as well.”
“The design and construction of Creekside West has infused the local economy with millions of dollars and helped support many jobs,” said MWHS Development Director Bill Lunsford. “The $17.4-million project employed roughly 100 people including architects, carpenters, electricians, engineers and many others.
Through Metro West’s six-week construction internship partnership with Red Rocks Community College, five paid interns received classroom instruction and gained valuable hands-on construction experience onsite.
The campus as a whole provides nearly one-half-mile of accessible pathways and is located within a quarter-mile of bus stops and a half-mile of a light rail station to open in 2013. Creekside West has both outdoor and indoor secure bicycle storage for its more active seniors, as well as priority parking for low-e, hybrid and electric vehicles.
In addition to energy-efficient lighting and appliances and water-efficient plumbing throughout the structure (all plumbing fixtures used are low-flow, low-water usage), other eco-friendly features include:
