Louisville's Legacy Lofts
Named Multifamily Green Building Project of the Year
by the National Association of Home Builders
New Orleans, LA, May 12, 2008 - Legacy Lofts was named the Multifamily Green Building Project of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) during their Green Building Conference in New Orleans. Accepting the award was Mark Isaacs AIA, president of Legacy Development Corporation, the design/build firm that built Legacy Lofts, a mixed-use 38 unit condominium project located downtown at 830 E. Main (corner of Main and Campbell).
"We are thrilled with the recognition from such a prestigious award," said Isaacs. "We hope Legacy Lofts will become a model to the nation for Near Zero Carbon Living." Isaacs, an MIT trained architect, leads the design/build firm specializing in Near Zero Carbon construction and supply chain solutions. "The team came together to figure out how we could build, not just green, but Near Zero Carbon. We cussed and discussed until we got it done," he joked.
Legacy Lofts makes use of renewable energy like the sun and earth's natural moderating temperature to reduce to near zero the need for energy supplied by fossil fuel. Isaacs and his ?Green Team' used geothermal heating and cooling, solar hot water collectors, photovoltaics, and super insulation to build Legacy Lofts. "Our independent consultants calculate heating, cooling, and hot water under $10 a month on average per unit," said Isaacs, "and that's before the contribution of solar hot water and photovoltaics. Living at Legacy Lofts means that more than $10,000 of the value of your home has been essentially invested in your own power company to make sure your energy supply stays secure and affordable."
Phase One FACING MAIN STREET is expected to be completed this September. "Ten of the 19 homes in phase one have been pre-sold," said Sally Isaacs, Mark's wife who is the Semonin realtor representing the property. "Mark and I are moving to Legacy Lofts because we want the comfort and amenity of Near Zero Carbon Living for ourselves."
The building provides a very affordable comfort and smart-growth within the context of the East Downtown neighborhood. "The neighborhood is a real gem. We have a farmers market every Tuesday afternoon at our back door with fresh locally grown produce. Right behind us on East Market is the Bodega Café, Grocery and Deli, Melillo's Restaurant and the Felice Winery complete with bocce courts. Galleries and more great restaurants are around the corner. You can be downtown on the trolley in six minutes. It's a level of convenience that has not been available in downtown living until now," said Isaacs.
During the award presentation, Isaacs shared an emotion filled moment, "I built Legacy Lofts as a result of hurricane Katrina. Like most Americans I felt helpless as I watched over 200,000 citizens in the great city of New Orleans become homeless overnight. How could one person impact complex issues like global warming and petropolitics? We got to work designing a Near Zero Carbon building to show the nation it could be done. Receiving this award here in New Orleans means the world to us. Thank you."
