Digested From "‘Green’ for rent: apartments are a first for OC"
Orange County Register by Pat Brennan
The first of March, residents will begin moving into Irvine’s 481-unit Main Street Village, Orange County’s first ready-to-rent, certifiably green apartment complex.
At first glance, it’s hard to see much difference. Most of the green features – recycled building materials, energy and water-saving fixtures, subtly altered design – are almost invisible until someone points them out.
The complex’s most unusual feature might be a “community garden,” where tenants can stake out a plot and grow ornamental plants, food crops or whatever they like — possibly the state’s first.
“We’ve looked hard, and we can’t find another rental community with an on-site community garden,” said Todd Morefield, a senior investment manager with the builder, MetLife.
The builder is trying for a silver “LEED” certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), but won’t receive the certificate until six months after all construction is completed in September.
Buying all the necessary “green” materials and consulting needed is so far costing MetLife just under $1 million, Morefield said. But he says it’s worth the price.
“Green-conscious buildings are part of a lifestyle we believe is definitely evolving and coming to the front,” Morefield said.
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