Two new real estate developments in Mexico are bringing a welcome breath of fresh air to our southern neighbor’s real estate and tourism industries. As available land is gobbled up by developers intent on capitalizing on Mexico’s alluring mix of fun and sun, two new sites, Playa Viva and the Villages of Loreto Bay, offer up guilt-free travel with stylish, green digs and dedication to sustainability programs like land conservation and renewable resource utilization. Here’s a closer look at the innovative offerings of each development.

Playa Viva

Located on 200 acres of oceanfront property 30 minutes south of the Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa International Airport on the Pacific Coast, Playa Viva has 10 fractional ownership casitas nearing completion. The casitas, which range from one to three bedrooms and incorporate living coconut palm trees as support piers, have thatched Palapa roofs made of palm fronds and resemble picture-perfect tree houses. The second phase of construction, slated for completion in 2010, will include up to 60 casitas, 13 lots for homes and a boutique hotel with as many as 120 rooms.

The property will also include a beach club, multiple pools, a restaurant and bar, in-room dining, a spa and fitness center, ocean-side yoga platform and nature center.

Costs

The price for one-tenth fractional ownership of a casita starts at $139,000 and includes four weeks of use.

Sustainability Factors

Nature: Nearly 160 of the development’s 200 acres have been set aside as a private nature reserve and turtle sanctuary.
Construction: With its sights set on LEED certification, Playa Viva makes use of salvaged and eco-friendly building materials and recycles 75 percent of its construction waste (local artisans turn leftover wood into furniture for the casitas).
Energy: Solar energy will supply 100 percent of the development’s energy needs.
Giving Back Playa Viva is donating 1 percent of revenue to the local community and is developing an organic agriculture program that will provide food for the community as well as livelihood for local farmers.
Keep in Mind: The commitment to sustainability at Playa Viva isn’t just lip service; the casitas will have neither televisions nor air conditioning.

Villages at Loreto Bay

Located approximately 700 miles south of San Diego, the Villages at Loreto Bay sit on 8,000 acres along the Sea of Cortéz in Baja California Sur. The $3 billion development will eventually include approximately 6,000 homes in numerous pedestrian-oriented, car-free neighborhoods. Currently in phase two of a nine-phase master plan, the Villages at Loreto Bay consist of single-ownership homes and condominiums infused with a strong sense of indoor-outdoor living and Spanish Colonial design.

The project also includes development of a beach club, golf club, retail space and an artisans’ village.

Costs

One- to four-bedroom homes range from around $375,000 to over $1 million. The few condominiums currently available start at approximately $650,000.

Sustainability Factors

Nature: 5,000 of the property’s 8,000 acres will be maintained as a natural preserve with trails for hiking, cycling and horseback riding, as well as organic farms and orchards.
Construction: Homes and buildings are constructed using compressed earth blocks which, due to their thermal mass, allow rooms stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Energy: The Villages of Loreto Bay have expressed a commitment to produce more energy from renewable resources than is consumed on-site, and are building phase 1 (20 megawatts) of a 60-megawatt wind farm facility. In addition, homes and buildings will have solar-powered hot water units.
Giving Back: 1 percent of revenue will go to the Loreto Bay Foundation to assist the local community. The developers are also planning an affordable housing option for those who work on the property.