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On May 31
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, Sharon Haugen, Director of Community Development for the City of Helena, invited members of the development, building, energy, and real estate community to attend an early morning meeting to discuss issues related to city development. Those in attendance are looking at ways to make it easier to build and sell homes, promote economic growth, encourage new business development and repurpose existing buildings in Helena. To help aid in a smoother process, the City intends to hire a liaison to act as a facilitator between the development, building and real estate community and city engineers and building departments. It was discussed that the liaison would be responsible for ensuring a timely review of submittals, advocating for reasonable deviations or changes in policy that inhibit growth and sales and implementing procedures for solving issues is an equitable manner. With over 70% of new home permits in Helena going to Mountain View Meadows, developer Mark Runkle looks forward to working with the new liaison and the positive changes that will result from open communication between developers and the City. The Mountain View Meadows construction crew is currently moving approximately 2,000 cubic yards of dirt each day in preparation for laying 3,120 feet of water and 3,164 feet of sewer pipes, installing utility services and building streets for final platting of Phase II of The Uplands neighborhood. This new phase located just south of Blue Cross Blue Shield, will add 42 new single-family home lots and 18 new 2-unit condo lots to the city building lot inventory with another 60 lots north of Mountain View Park currently in engineering at Stahly Engineering. City development is a huge undertaking but it is the best way to build a stronger, more economically secure and vibrant community. By building a healthy tax base, Helena will be able to better serve the needs of both people and businesses. It is the best way to support city services such as police and fire protection, the maintenance of city streets and infrastructure and the upkeep and installation of city parks and amenities that improve quality of life.
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Building a Better Community:
4TH OF JULY COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
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Want to enjoy the 4
th with family and friends and not worry about fixing food or cleaning the house? Then come on out for the third Annual 4th of July Community Celebration at Mountain View Park where there will be plenty of space to stretch out on blankets and lawn chairs and a big variety of food to satisfy every appetite. Starting at 6:00 PM, Pennies On the Go food truck will serve up all your favorites from hot dogs, burgers and chili to nachos, taco dogs, dill pickles and soft drinks. Especially for the kids, you won't want to miss the giant "Pucker Powder" pixie sticks for sale in three sizes. The Missionary Food Truck will be on hand again this year with delicious tacos, burritos, enchiladas and quesadillas. While kids are waiting for their turn in the FREE jump houses, they can cool off with Shaka Hawaiian Ice, but we know you will want to indulge, too! Shaka sells Hawaiian-style shaved ice with authentic island flavors such as Li-Hing Mui, POG, and Mango; an ice cream filing and snow cap topping that take this dessert to another level. While the kids play, lay back and take in lively new grass tunes from 7-10 PM courtesy of the
North Hill Trio featuring Todd "Doc" Harwell on bass and vocals, John "Bo" Pirre on mandolin and vocals and Jim Walther on guitar and vocals. The North Hill Trio band
captures music from bluegrass legends, and adds original songs as well as reworks of popular music. The 4
th of July Community Celebration is made possible by sponsors Mountain View Meadows, LLC, Opportunity Bank of Helena and Stahly Engineering as well as the Mountain View Meadows HOA. The celebration gets underway at 6:00 PM and culminates with great views of the Prickly Pear Fireworks display. Special thanks to the sponsors and Prickly Pear Fireworks for working together to build a great 4th of July community event free and open to the public. For additional information email [email protected].
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On Topic:
A SOLUTION FOR LONELINESS
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The prestigious Scientific America, in a May 21, 2019 article by Kasley Killam*, provides a scientific-based solution for loneliness. Research suggests, to counteract loneliness, get out and
volunteer.
"
Loneliness is rampant, and it's killing us--literally," said Killam. "Anywhere from one quarter to one half of Americans feel lonely a lot of the time, which puts them at risk for developing a range of physical and mental illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and depression."
Have you ever seen an elderly man sitting alone at a park with a chessboard spread out in front of him? What about a woman sitting on a park bench holding a racquet watching you play tennis? People reading a book, writing, drawing or doing yoga most likely want to be left alone. But others may be calling out for someone to notice and join them in that game of chess or be invited to play the next match. Unfortunately, one never knows, so typically we walk on by or continue to play, unsure what to do or oblivious to the loneliness of others. So, is there a better strategy to combat loneliness than hoping someone will take notice and invite you to play?
"A 2018 study of nearly 6,000 people across the US examined widows who, unsurprisingly, felt lonelier than married adults," said Killam. "After starting to volunteer for two or more hours per week, their average level of loneliness subsided to match that of married adults, even after controlling for demographics, baseline health, personality traits, and other social involvement. These benefits may be especially strong the older you are and the more often you volunteer."
The obvious reason behind the benefits of volunteering to combat loneliness is that it provides a meaningful way to connect with others and make new friends. It also makes up for the loss of meaning that commonly occurs with loneliness. "This makes sense," said Killam, "given our deeply rooted need for belonging." Killam points out that by volunteering for causes that are important to us, we can gain a sense of purpose, which in turn may shield us from negative health outcomes.
Cognitive decline and memory loss is associated with a continued state of loneliness. But according to neuroscientist Lisa Genova, people who regularly engage in mentally stimulating activities build up more neural connections and are subsequently more resilient to symptoms of Alzheimer's. Volunteering is one way to stay engaged and stimulated.
By 2030, one in five residents in the US will be of retirement age, may no longer have work to provide purpose and connection, and will be prone to isolation due to increased physical limitations and loved ones passing away. "Given that loneliness seems to be most prevalent among those over 65 and under 25 years old," said Killam, "mentoring across ages could be a powerful way to volunteer and connect."
People want desperately to connect, concluded Killam, "--not through a screen, but face-to-face, with others from their community. Now more than ever, we have a real need and opportunity to build a culture of social health, one interaction at a time. Volunteering is a great way to start."
*Kasley Killam drives community engagement in health research for Project Baseline at Verily and is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. Her background is in psychology research and healthcare innovation.
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Benefits and Updates:
MOUNTAIN VIEW MEADOWS
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1.
DRESS IT UP FOR THE 4th OF JULY:
Just a reminder that lots of people visit Mountain View Meadows on the 4th
of July, either coming to the event at the park or stopping by after dark to watch the fireworks. Join us in showing off your neighborhood with your yards mowed, weeds pulled and flags flying. Also, your patience and hospitality to visitors is very much appreciated. We have the best spots in Helena to watch the Prickly Pear fireworks so be ready to share the views!
2.
MVM COMMUNITY-WIDE GARAGE SALE:
Check out additional information about this June 22 event in "The Best in Our Neighborhood" feature story.
3.
MARKET VALUE NOTICES FROM MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE:
These notices are not tax bills. The notices include the department's determination of market value for your property and will be used by your county treasurer to determine your property tax bill.
If property owners disagree with the department's determination, they may submit a Request for Informal Classification and Appraisal Review (called Form AB-26) within 30 days of the date on their notice. The Department of Revenue advises reviewing the information thoroughly. Once tax bills are sent in November, it is too late for the department to correct and update property characteristics that may impact the value of the property. Owners can electronically submit the form, download it, and find more information at mtrevenue.gov.
4. REPAIRING YELLOW PET SPOTS IN YARDS AND BOULEVARDS: Pet owner, Sue Rice shared her successful solution to repairing those pesky yellow pet spots in grass. First, pick up a "Scotts Patch & Repair Kit" (available at Lowe's) and follow the directions for use. Then, once the grass starts sprouting back up, apply "Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Thickener," which is a new product also available at Lowe's. Of course, other businesses may carry the same or a similar product but we've seen proof that these work.
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New Homes F
or Sale:
PLANS TO BUILD AND BUILD TO SUIT
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A choice of new homes to meet your lifestyle and budget are ready for move-in at Mountain View Meadows with more under construction. MVM now has a number of home sites that are eligible for 0% down loans. Visit our Information & Sales Office at 431 S. Alice Street to tour our right-now homes, view plans to build and check out lot maps. Realtors are always welcome
. Have your own plan? Give us a call at 406-449-0800 to arrange a meeting. The availability of new homes and lots is subject to change so check back often. Below is a listing of some of the new homes ready for move-in or currently under construction.
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Craftsman Village at Mountain View Meadows
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215 Bella View: "THE BARRISTER". This popular 4BD/3BA 2-story floorplan located across from Mountain View Park, features all the upscale finishes you've come to expect in a Sierra Custom Home. Granite countertops, soft-close cabinets and tiled master shower will bathe you in comfort. For additional information call Dawn Purvis, 406-439-6380, or visit the Mountain View Meadows Info and Sales Center at 431 S. Alice St. $309,900.
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2847 Jeannette Rankin: "THE TRADER". This affordable 3BD/2.5BA two-story featuring nearly 1500 S.F. of living space may be just the right fit for both your lifestyle and budget. Located down the street from what we believe is the best neighborhood park in Helena, you'll enjoy mountain views from your front porch where you'll have a prime seat for next year's fireworks display. This desirable craftsman home with granite countertops, laminate floors, soft-close cabinets, kitchen appliances, front yard landscaping and an attached two-car garage is scheduled for completion mid-August just in time for you to move in before school starts. Stop by the office at 431 S. Alice St. to stake your claim on this new home priced at just $269,900.
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2853 Jeannette Rankin: "THE SETTLER". Be the first on your street to own this home plan! The master suite on this 1580 S.F. 3BD/2BA craftsman bungalow features a double vanity, separate shower and tub and a big walk-in closet. The walk-though kitchen allows easy access to both the dining room to the rear and the family room to the front with extra space perfect for a pocket office. Priced at $289,900, this Weatherall home includes solid-surface countertops, laminate floors, soft-close cabinets, kitchen appliances, front yard landscaping and an attached two-car garage. For additional information call 431-7680.
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2871 Jeannette Rankin: "THE RANGER". Watch the fireworks in July from your covered side porch on this classic craftsman bungalow from Sierra Custom Homes. This 3BD/2BA single-story home with an attached 2-car garage includes all the upgrades you want from stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and soft-close cabinets to laminate flooring, tiled wet areas and tall 9' ceilings. Sit back and relax on your full front porch and enjoy the surrounding views or take a short walk to Mountain View Park. Front Yard landscaping included courtesy of the developer. Stop by the MVM office for a personal showing of this new home currently under construction priced at $309,000.
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2868 Alexis Avenue: "THE TOWN HALL". A classic design that never goes out of style, this 4-square craftsman home features 3BD/2.5BA, a gas fireplace, granite countertops, soft-close cabinets, a downstairs office, an upstairs TV room, an attached 2-car garage, a concrete patio and a beautiful front porch. With 1914 S.F. and lots of storage, you'll have all the room you need for personal space or for a growing family. "The Town Hall" is located just one block from Mountain View Park and priced at only $299,900. For additional information please call 406-449-0800.
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2896 Stacia: "THE PRIMROSE". A brand new 3BD/2BA Garden Home with main floor ensuite. This 1526 S.F. two-story home features granite countertops, soft-close cabinets, laminate flooring, kitchen appliances and an attached 2-car heated garage. Side yard fence included plus free front yard and rear carriage lane landscaping! Easy walking distance to Mountain View Park. RD financing available. For additional information, please stop by the MVM Information & Sales Center at 431 S. Alice St. or call Dawn Purvis, Century 21,
at 406-439-6380. MLS# 21814840. $269,500.
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2870, 2872 & 2874 Runkle Parkway:
Another popular 3-unit condo building underway on Runkle Parkway, all with outstanding views of the Elkhorn Mountains. Two single-story 1635 S.F. 3BD/2BA units flank a 1932
S.F. 2-story with 3 upstairs bedrooms and an additional TV/entertainment room. All three homes have attached 2-car garages and front covered porches plus the single-story plans come with covered outdoor living spaces out back. We have one model available to view to give you an idea how your new condo will look, but hurry in to talk pricing, stake your claim and select your own interior colors. After business hours and weekend tours available by appointment. Call 406-431-7680.
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2852 Runkle Parkway:
NEW CONDO with amazing mountain views! 1660 S.F. single-story condo features 2 or 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, tray ceilings, great room, separate dining, attached 2-car garage, front porch and rear, private, outdoor living space. Stop by now to take a look and claim this beautiful contemporary condo before its gone! Priced at $294,900.
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The Uplands at Mountain View Meadows
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347 Elouise Cobell: This 3BD/2BA 1860 S.F. Sierra Homes single level design and spacious appeal makes it one of The Uplands most popular new floor plans. The kitchen is a chef's dream with ample counter space, plenty of cabinet storage, large walk in pantry, stainless steel appliances and a breakfast bar on the island. The expansive living room, with Coffered ceilings and a gas fireplace, adjoins the dining area completing the eating and entertainment space. The private master suite boasts large expansive windows and dual vanity bathroom. The other two sizable bedrooms, one of which can be converted to a den or office, share the second bathroom and round out this well-planned home. For more information on this property, call or text Dawn Purvis, 406-439-6380. MLS# 303019.
$339,900.
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340 Elouise Cobell: "THE TARGHEE". This new 3BD/2BA home is well underway! With 1769 S.F., this Sierra Custom Home
includes laminate flooring, granite countertops, soft-close cabinets, gas range and fireplace, gorgeous master suite, and a mud room leading to an attached 2-car garage. For more information, contact Dawn Purvis at 406-439-6380. $319,900. MLS# 21814522.
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366 Elouise Cobell: "THE WHITEFISH".
Beautiful new home nearly finished is in easy walking distance to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Headquarters. Impressive front entry and large covered rear patio for outdoor living set this home apart. Built by family owned Grewett Construction, known for their rustic wood finishes and exceptional craftsmanship, this new 3BD/3BA floorplan includes an open vaulted great room with gas fireplace, vaulted master ensuite, study, huge walk-in pantry and spacious laundry room/owner's entry off an oversized 2-car garage. Better keep a close eye on this one or you'll miss a great opportunity to own this awesome 1975 S.F. executive-style home! MLS# 21903732. $349,000.
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Aspen Park at Mountain View Meadows
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Currently all homes under construction in Aspen Park have been sold. Stop by the office at 431 S. Alice Street to discuss your plan for a new home at Aspen Park. We'll help you choose the perfect lot and connect you with the best builder to make your dream home a reality.
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Antelope Trace at Mountain View Meadows
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At this time, all available lots in the Antelope Trace neighborhood have been sold. Be sure to check out the new homes and building lots in The Uplands and Craftsman Village neighborhoods.
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Two ambitious neighbors, Sandi Carsen and Darla Oropeza banded together to undertake organizing a (multi) neighborhood yard sale June 22 starting at 8:00 A.M. As a professional marketing director, Darla joined forces with Sandi, who came up with the original idea, to get the word out among residents and the greater Helena community. At least 10 homes in the neighborhoods will participate offering everything from clothes, baking dishes and toys to quilting cloth, ladders, swords, daggers, Russian nesting dolls, camping equipment, gardening supplies, window treatments and camping equipment. (And here's a little secret: Sandi has an English Pram for sale at her condo located at 2815 Twilight Avenue.) It takes effort to make an event like this happen, but it is the exact kind of thing that makes Mountain View Meadows a
community
. Thank you Sandi and Darla for volunteering your time to make this happen. And thanks to all of you participating. If you're on the prowl for the best deals in your neighborhood, be sure to start your search early. You never know what you might find!
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Kevin & Janice Schlosser
Have recently moved into their gorgeous Sierra Custom Home in Aspen Park.
Kristina Pugh
Is enjoying her beautiful brand new 2-story Garden Home in Craftsman Village.
Jess & Brooke Mortensen
Are getting settled into their magnificent home with wonderful mountain views!
Thomas & Nicole Spain
Are anxiously waiting to close next week on their lovely new house in The Uplands.
Congrat
ulations!
And Welcome to the Neighborhood!
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Fun & Fitness:
JUMP FOR JOY & FITNESS
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With two free bounce houses on the horizon at the 4
th
of July Community Celebration at Mountain View Park, we were curious to see if we could find statistics on calories burned while bouncing. Although we didn't find much on kids bounce houses, we did run across a lot on the benefits of trampoline bouncing including the latest indoor activity craze, indoor trampoline parks.
In an article in Women's Health titled, "Can You Really Burn 1000 Calories Per Hour on a Trampoline? Uh...about that," Samantha Favre claims "
It's time to get bouncy--or at least that's what the fitness world is telling us." Kids aren't the only ones getting their jump on, either. New trampoline centered fitness classes at trampoline parks along with mini trampoline classes at fitness studios show that the thrill of the jump is bolstering the heart rates of adults all across the country.
So, what's the appeal? First, proponents claim, it doesn't really feel like a workout. "Most people want to get in as much as they can for as little perceived effort as possible," says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). "Trampolines lend themselves to that--you're working out at a slightly higher intensity than what you perceive it to be, and you really enjoy yourself while trampolining. It taps into the free-flowing, rhythmic bouncing that is associated with enjoyment and a child-like feeling."
But 1000 calories an hour?
A recently released ACE study found that, in a 19-minute trampoline workout, men burned an average of 11 calories per minute while women torched about 8.3. According to researchers, that's about the same energy expenditure as running a 10-minute mile pace on flat ground or biking at 14 miles per hour. If you do the math, sticking to that pace for an hour would put men at about a 660 calorie burn and women at 498 calories per hour...not 1,000.
Whether the claim is true or false, if you haven't checked out the fun and fitness benefits of jumping, you don't have far to travel to try it. Flippin Family Fun indoor trampoline park in Montana City just south of Mountain View Meadows is open Monday through Saturday and has kids, teens and adult jump times as well as special times for moms with toddlers and special needs children. There is even dodgeball for those who want to add the thrill of the game to their fun and fitness schedule. For additional information, check out flippinfamilyfun.com/Helena.
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...I can't say it ever feels that way. With new building phases in the works at any given time, the thought that you can move on to the next street, the next new home and the next new neighborhood with everything neatly tied up from the last seems impossible. There are always preliminary plats to re-evaluate, floorplans to tweak and equipment that needs repaired. And it's not just the big things that vie for your attention long after you thought the job finished. Danielle and I laughed the other day, as I walked into the office with another handful of weeds plucked from the landscaping out front. Didn't I just do that last week? I pulled weeds in the landscaping at our house ten days ago and Mark trimmed the dried stems from the Russian Sage, but now there are new weeds to pull! I'm not really complaining about the never-ending tasks of home ownership. I've owned my own home since I was in my mid-20's and wouldn't live any other way. There is an underlying sense of accomplishment when the weeds you pull are from your own yard in the flowers you planted. Yes, they keep growing, but so do families and friends and what is better than owning your own home to raise your kids, build your own traditions and share special memories? When you come home at night you can kick off your shoes and put your feet where you want. You can sit on your deck and watch the sunset. You can pull in your driveway and know you are home. Yes, it sometimes feels as if home ownership comes with a never ending to do list, but there isn't anything better for the heart and soul than falling asleep in your own bed under your own roof, even knowing at some point it will need fixed.
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Way to get the job done, Huskies! Proud grandparents of #28 Adam Ryland-Davis who scored his first "Hat Trick" of the season for the Helena Huskies. The timing couldn't have been better. The Huskies were in overtime against Bozeman. Adam scored the winning goal for his team to take first place at the State Lacrosse Tournament in Missoula June 8-9.
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