O l d   E l m   V i l l a g e

Petaluma, California

Old Elm Village is a mixed-use, affordable housing infill development located a short walk from the historic center of this small, northern California town. The project was developed for a non-profit housing development corporation and the units are targeted at lower income residents.

The Village takes its name from a majestic 100 foot Elm tree located in the middle of the site. This tree (and several others) became the focal points of the project's two central green spaces, around which most of the neighborhood's 80 two-story townhouses are clustered.

Old Elm Village opens outward where it fronts onto adjacent streets: apartments over retail uses and live/work housing give an active public face to the project, animate the sidewalk, and create opportunity for local employment.

The project offers numerous amenities for its residents. A 1,600 square foot community center is centrally located and a large daycare facility serves families both on-site and in the surrounding neighborhood. Play areas for toddlers and teens are spaced throughout the project.

Instead of large surface parking lots, Old Elm Village uses parallel parking on the project's tree-lined streets to satisfy all parking demand.

With its close proximity to downtown, its mix of uses, its public open spaces, and its compact site plan, Old Elm Village is envisioned by local planners as a model for future infill development in this sprawl-conscious community.

Within the tight budget constraints of an affordable housing project, Old Elm Village strives to give each porch-front unit an individual identity through varied massing, materials, and color.