FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 5, 2010

Contact: Nancy Haskin, Eric Stride (503-684-1880)

HBA announces 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams show site

For the last 34 years, the NW Natural Street of Dreams has encouraged attendees to dream and be inspired by the most innovative and impressive luxury homes the building industry has to offer.

And in honor of its 35th anniversary, the show’s organizers, the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland, title sponsor, NW Natural, and presenting sponsors, John L. Scott and BASCO, will invite attendees to dream once again…this time from the heights of Northwest Portland.

The 2010 show, which takes place July 31 through Aug. 29, is set for Cresap Summit, a new development located atop Forest Heights off Skyline Rd.

“The 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams site is about the three L’s: location, location, location,” said Rick Bernard, 2010 show chairman, owner of Bernard Custom Homes and a builder in 19 NW Natural Street of Dreams. “It has a rural feel while being right next to an urban area. You have the beauty of nature right out your front door while being close to tons of amenities and the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s a dream site for a dream show.”

At least five homes will be in the 2010 show, and two experienced NW Natural Street of Dreams builders have already agreed to bring their knowledge and skill to the endeavor. Previous “Best of Show” award winners Renaissance Homes and Hearth and Home will each display presold homes, and two to three other builders are expected to sign on in the near future.  

The 2010 homes will be more moderate in size and price, but still emphasize luxury living. Innovative building and design will be featured in these more attainable dream homes, which are expected to range in price from $750,000 to $1 million and in size from 2,700 to 3,500 square feet.

All the homes will be built to Earth Advantage Silver standards or higher, which reflects the HBA’s continued commitment to sustainable building and the will of the public.

“The trend in luxury building right now is to build smaller, more affordable homes that have more flexible living spaces and leave a smaller carbon footprint,” said HBA Director of Shows Nancy Haskin. “We are incorporating that trend into the NW Natural Street of Dreams and have already received a lot of support for the concept. For example, most of the homes are pre-sales, which is a good indicator that the market is coming back around and the public wants the product we’re offering.”

NW Natural will once again team up with the HBA to bring this unique show to life as it has since the show’s inception in 1976.

“The HBA of Metropolitan Portland is responding to what homebuyers and today’s public is demanding – high quality, innovative homes with a focus on sustainability,” said Dave Williams, VP of Utility Services. “NW Natural supports the HBA’s focus on energy conservation, and we are proud to be the title sponsor of the 2010 show.”

For more information, contact Nancy Haskin or Eric Stride at 503-684-1880.

About the HBA of Metropolitan Portland

The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland is the leading voice for the residential building industry, representing nearly 1,200 builders, remodelers and industry professionals.The HBA is the original producer of the NW Natural Street of Dreams, which has now been replicated in 500 cities around the country,and has brought the show to the Portland Metro area annually since 1976. For more information about the HBA, visit www.homebuildersportland.org.

About NW Natural

NW Natural is a 150-year old company headquartered in Portland, Ore., and serves about 662,000 residential and business customers in Oregon and Southwest Washington. It is the largest independent natural gas utility in the Pacific Northwest and one of the fastest-growing local distribution companies in the nation. For more information, please visit www.nwnatural.com.

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