7/12/07. For Immediate Release: Green for Grandma and Grandpa
Steve Schappert, the CEO of Connecticut Real Estate and Construction, is at it again. The Brookfield Wetlands Commission were wowwed when they saw what Schappert plans to do with his latest “green” innovation, an elderly congregate housing structure at 533 Federal Road. This building will use photo-voltaic solar panels and a geothermal heating and cooling system, just as Schappert did on his Button Factory project in New Milford. However, the newest kicker is Schappert plans to use pervious concrete pavement instead of asphalt on what he calls his “Still Brook” property, a 30 unit congregate living facility designed to allow less active seniors, those in the 80’s and above, to enjoy a rich, socially stimulating environment.
What is pervious pavement?
Pervious concrete pavement is a unique and effective means to address important environmental issues and support sustainable growth. By capturing stormwater and allowing it to seep into the ground, porous concrete is instrumental in recharging groundwater, reducing stormwater runoff, and meeting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stormwater regulations. This pavement technology creates more efficient land use by eliminating the need for retention ponds, swales, and other stormwater management devices.
What does that mean to Brookfield?
Actually, it means a lot. Firstly, the town will be home to the first congregate facility in the state and perhaps the entire country which does not have to charge residents for gas and electric. Tenants’ costs will be fixed, a great comfort to seniors who generally operate on a fixed income. Further, because of the financial structure of the facility, elderly can purchase their units and utilize the equity in the property to pay for many of their care needs through a reverse mortgage. This provides the senior with security for his present situation and a legacy for his family and loved-ones.
Additionally, Brookfield will enjoy the position of being home to the most environmentally innovative commercial building in the state, maybe the entire country. Powered by the sun and heated by the earth, “Still Brook” will also prove gentler to the ground it sits on than any other commercial building in CT. Residents even will have solar golf carts with which to get to local shopping areas or the senior center.
Why does Schappert do it like this?
Schappert says, “Our company motto is ‘Doing well by doing good.’ It isn’t enough to simply make money. We need to change the way people treat the planet, and part of that mission involves spreading the word that you can make plenty of money and be environmentally responsible.” When asked what else he has up his sleeve, Schappert offers just a slight smile and says, “This is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
What's the Hurry?
We are in a hurry. The hurry is: we humans are in the process of destroying our planet. Global warming is the single most significant environmental crisis the world community has ever seen. The 2007 G8 Summit in Germany will focus on the reversal of global warming. President Bush, of course opposes this proposal. Like his strategy in the Middle East, he has a better idea, and he wants to convince the world of something they already know is untrue. This time it’s not that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but that global warming is not that dire an issue.
Our Nero-like President fiddles, but we cannot allow our Rome to go up in flames. This isn’t a city’s destruction we speak of. It is the end of all of us, of history, of every thought and feeling humankind ever produced. Our present federal government is not going to do anything about this crisis.
Our company, Connecticut Real Estate and Construction wishes to do something about it, because Connecticut needs workforce housing in significant number for very important reasons. Suburban sprawl is killing the environment. When we continually clear off two acres and more per household to put up large houses, we cut down trees which produce oxygen, we deplete the filtering system for our water, and we make houses which leave a carbon footprint which further opens a hole in the ozone. If we instead build multiple units together and build them with solar photovoltaic cell panels and with geothermal heating and cooling, we leave virtually no carbon footprint, we leave sufficient greenery to filter water run-off, and we provide our workforce with housing that allows them to stay in the state and not flee to the South and Southwest as has been the recent trend. As a result, those businesses (and their tax revenues) which require those workers need not flee with the workforce, a trend we have seen throughout the Northeast region of the country.
Additionally, we will build elderly housing. The Boomer Generation is aging. They are retiring at record rates and require specific housing that does not exist in sufficient number. We will build it. We will build commercial buildings and office space to go along with the elderly and workforce housing. We need cooperation from local governments to achieve our goals, and we need that cooperation quickly. As we move forward, we will build with town tax rolls in mind. We are aware that the workforce housing will require significant services and expenses, most notably educational expenses. This is why mixing the elderly housing with the workforce balances the ledger, for the elderly pay taxes without sending children to schools. Further, the commercial and office buildings will bring in significant tax revenues without pulling out revenues from the local municipality. This formula is referred to as “Smart Growth” and is to be part of our plans.
While proposing “caution” and “care” is never foolhardy advice, studies on these issues have already been done and “smart growth” is necessary throughout the state. We cannot wait. The cost is too dear for all of us to sit idly by and fiddle away time as the planet goes up in flames.
Sincerely,
Miles J. Shapiro, Partner
Connecticut Real Estate and Construction
VP Marketing and Commercial Real Estate
www.connecticutrealestateandconstruction.com
Our Nero-like President fiddles, but we cannot allow our Rome to go up in flames. This isn’t a city’s destruction we speak of. It is the end of all of us, of history, of every thought and feeling humankind ever produced. Our present federal government is not going to do anything about this crisis.
Our company, Connecticut Real Estate and Construction wishes to do something about it, because Connecticut needs workforce housing in significant number for very important reasons. Suburban sprawl is killing the environment. When we continually clear off two acres and more per household to put up large houses, we cut down trees which produce oxygen, we deplete the filtering system for our water, and we make houses which leave a carbon footprint which further opens a hole in the ozone. If we instead build multiple units together and build them with solar photovoltaic cell panels and with geothermal heating and cooling, we leave virtually no carbon footprint, we leave sufficient greenery to filter water run-off, and we provide our workforce with housing that allows them to stay in the state and not flee to the South and Southwest as has been the recent trend. As a result, those businesses (and their tax revenues) which require those workers need not flee with the workforce, a trend we have seen throughout the Northeast region of the country.
Additionally, we will build elderly housing. The Boomer Generation is aging. They are retiring at record rates and require specific housing that does not exist in sufficient number. We will build it. We will build commercial buildings and office space to go along with the elderly and workforce housing. We need cooperation from local governments to achieve our goals, and we need that cooperation quickly. As we move forward, we will build with town tax rolls in mind. We are aware that the workforce housing will require significant services and expenses, most notably educational expenses. This is why mixing the elderly housing with the workforce balances the ledger, for the elderly pay taxes without sending children to schools. Further, the commercial and office buildings will bring in significant tax revenues without pulling out revenues from the local municipality. This formula is referred to as “Smart Growth” and is to be part of our plans.
While proposing “caution” and “care” is never foolhardy advice, studies on these issues have already been done and “smart growth” is necessary throughout the state. We cannot wait. The cost is too dear for all of us to sit idly by and fiddle away time as the planet goes up in flames.
Sincerely,
Miles J. Shapiro, Partner
Connecticut Real Estate and Construction
VP Marketing and Commercial Real Estate
www.connecticutrealestateandconstruction.com
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