Green Living

If you’ve been following Candice’s series on green remodeling, then you know there are ways to up the eco ante in your current digs. But if you’re in the market for a new home, one that’s already been greened to order, look no further than some recent developments in Los Angeles.

Here’s a list of new green home options in our fine city.

Loft Living:

We like lofts and condos because they mean shared space and resources, denser living and, in many cases, proximity to car free errands.

TLofts: If you want to stay west and live well, TLofts may be up your alley. Its list of green distinctions is mighty long and includes 18 electric car charging stations, bike parking, rainwater harvesting and many more features as part of its green building cred. And let’s not forget TLofts are sleek and pretty too.

Evo: Evo’s elegance is made even more appealing with its LEED Silver Certification—meaning it was constructed with renewable and recycled materials and its units save energy and have cleaner indoor air. And if you work and play Downtown (Evo’s in South Park), your commute is cut to zero.  Walk  Score calls it a walker’s paradise. If you’re looking for loft living high on luxury, find out more about Evo here.

Cherokee Lofts: These slick spaces were born from Cherokee Studios where the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and David Bowie recorded. Not to mention The King. So if that isn’t enough of a selling point, maybe that the building claims the title of being the greenest mixed-use development in the state will win you over. We think its greatest hit is the green living roof.

Homes:

The Mews: In recently revived Atwater Village, an eco-minded housing complex of 23 solar-paneled units is putting down roots. They’re super spacious (like three bedrooms and two car garages) and modern, complete with views and bang for your buck.  Plus, it’s just a stone’s throw from Griffith Park.

Rock Row: This string of 15 LEED certified sustainable homes in Eagle Rock is so rockin’, they’ve all been long sold. But you never know what the future will hold…

Both projects give thanks to L.A.’s small lot ordinance, which allows multiple homes to be built on one lot in what was once zoned just for apartments and commercial properties.

The Gatsby Hollywood: In the heart of Hollywood, The Gatsby considers itself a green community doing its part to lessen its impact. Like saving 34 trees and over 40,000 kilowatt hours every year. These homes may have a historic feel in a historic location, but they also sport energy technology for our times: solar, of course.

Apartments:

If you’re a renter like me and you have a strong commitment to living sustainably in the city, check out L.A. Eco-Village. It’s the real deal.

One thing to keep in mind, particularly if in the market for an urban loft—don’t move into one right on the freeway. LA Weekly’s cover article last week, “Black Lung Lofts,” will tell you why.

Images via The Gastby Hollywood, LA Times (via Apartment Therapy) and The Mews