An early sketch of the Pine Street Neighborhood
We created this "FAQ" to answer homebuyer's questions about Pine Street Neighborhood Homes during the development process. It's still a good description today:
Why create a new neighborhood in Hazleton?
Hazleton offers the amenities of a small town and the conveniences of a city. People know each other, share traditional values and have all the conveniences that a modern city offers. The downtown is revitalizing. The services - shopping, banking, health care and professional are there. The crime rate is the eighth lowest in the nation.
Why Pine Street?
Because Pine Street is a well-established and centrally located neighborhood allows for the use of existing power sources, water supplies and streets. Those are the key principles of a 'smart growth' concept. The neighborhood gains new residents and the city saves significant cost for extending municipal services like fire, police, transit and roads beyond where they are today.
Because of its central location, Pine Street offers local government services, the library, church and recreation facilities and downtown shopping all within walking distance. That reduces traffic congestion, road maintenance and air quality problems. Dependency on the automobile diminishes.
How does Hazleton benefit?
Pine Street Neighborhood Homes compliment other Hazleton revitalization programs like building façade improvement and meshes with the city's economic development and community vitality goals. New residents in the neighborhood provide a new market for retail and service businesses.
The Pine Street Neighborhood Homes will also help build a community. By providing reasonably priced homes in a range of sizes, they will attract many different kinds of residents. Such diversity helps create a vibrant neighborhood.
Are programs like this unique to Hazleton?
While Pine Street Neighborhood Homes will be a one-of-a-kind asset to Hazleton, it follows a national trend of builders to locate housing close to urban areas, since young families, single professionals and older Americans with grown children recognize the value of living in a diverse and active neighborhood with city amenities.
Most new homebuyers are young families. Why would they choose Pine Street Neighborhood Homes?
Well, in addition to the benefits previously mentioned that accrues to homebuyers regardless of age or family size, a young family benefit from the local park that features a playground, basketball court and soccer/hockey court. The park is well lit to allow for evening sports activities.
Pine Street Neighborhood Homes say they're energy saving. How so?
The Pine Street Neighborhood Homes will combine energy-efficient materials and systems to offer their owners low maintenance costs. Energy-efficient construction saves money - usually 30 percent over standard construction. That stretches household budgets making energy-efficient houses a real boost to providing reasonably priced homes. Some mortgage lenders actually offer special energy-efficient mortgages that take into account the reduced household energy costs when they factor loan amounts.
Well-built energy-efficient homes help residents stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The extra insulation and air sealing that make a home energy efficient also keep it quiet in a busy urban neighborhood.
How else do Pine Street Neighborhood Homes contribute to a better and safer environment?
Reused and recycled building materials help keep waste out of landfills by turning it to productive new uses. If you reuse old materials, you have less of a need to use new materials. Pennsylvania companies offer some real good resource-efficient building materials and by using them, Pine Street Neighborhood Homes also contributes to the local and state economy.
One area that these homes will standout is in using materials that promote good indoor air quality. Choosing the right building materials and ventilation systems will be a high priority.
This neighborhood will include trees and yards that not only make it an attractive place to live, but also contribute summer cooling. Trees contribute both shade and a cooling effect to neighborhoods. Also green areas help cities manage storm water runoff that can tax water treatment facilities.
Will these homes have easy upkeep?
Durability and low-maintenance will be hallmarks of the Pine Street Neighborhood Homes. That also contributes to a time saving and energy efficiency for homeowners. What's more, it will help keep the neighborhood looking good for a long time.
Do Pine Street Neighborhood Homes have any hidden benefits?
These homes will be built to aid access to the home and the neighborhood. The interiors of the homes, as well as the sidewalks, yards and parking will be designed to give more space to people who need it. This is important for someone with physical limitations. The differences in design are subtle, yet valuable. Doorways are wider, wall outlets are higher, kitchen cabinets are lower and bathrooms are larger. This is a benefit to everyone. In a way, owners are able to age in place.
Click for an article in the Hazelton Standard-Speaker newspaper...
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