Archive for the ‘Newsletters’ Category

Friends of Soledad Canyon Earth Builders,

Back in the late 80′s, as we began our business of building rammed earth homes, we regularly hosted Demonstration Days. We’d take out a week’s worth of advertising in the Las Cruces Sun News and invite everyone to watch us build the walls of a home we had under construction.  We would demonstrate the process of ramming the earth walls.  Attendance was good, the word spread.

As the years passed we no longer held those types of demonstrations. Instead we began completing the rammed earth home and putting it in the Showcase of Homes. From 1993 to last year we had a home in Showcase.  As it turns out this year the home we are building is not ready to be shown.  So what better than to go back to our roots, so to speak.  We will be in the Showcase of Homes building the rammed earth walls.  It is a chance to really “expose” what we do.  It will give everyone a chance to see what it means to construct a home with 18″ earth walls.  You will be able to see and feel the strength of these mass walls.  As well, you can take a look at the beginning of the basement and the layout of this Uniquely New Mexican home.

The home we are building is located in Picacho Mountain:  1332 Saltillo Place

Directions:

Head west on Picacho to Picacho Hills Dr.  Turn right, go 1.1 miles.

Veer left on Barcelona Ridge Road and go 1 mile.

Turn right on Anthem Road and go .4 miles.

Turn left on Calle Estancias and go .2 miles to Saltillo Place.

Showcase Hours:

April 29, 4pm-7pm    April 30, 10am-7pm    May 1, 12pm-5pm

May 6, 4pm-7pm    May 7, 10am-7pm    May 8, 12pm-5pm

We hope to see many of you there-both those who have never seen the process, and those of you who have.  We look forward to catching up.

As of today, we are within a week of completing a 750 sq. ft. rammed earth addition to a home on the west mesa of Las Cruces.  It is amazing what 750 sq. feet adds to the living space of a home– a bedroom, an office and a nice size bathroom.  The tile work in the bathroom is exquisite!  Our thanks to Cornerstone Tile, Carlos and his crew for creating such beauty.  We will include photos when we have completed the job.

As usual, I must add a personal note.  I want to acknowledge two people who have been an inspiration to me all my life—my Uncle Frank & Auntie Jeannette.  In a few days they will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary.   Sixty five years!   They won’t see this because it is an E-Newsletter.  But the point in saluting them through this format is simple…..consider those in your life who do simple things in their lives that are really significant.  Making a lifelong commitment to another person takes so much inner strength, courage, love, and sacrifice. May you have people in your life that touch you as my Uncle & Auntie have touched me.

Max, Melissa & I hope to see many of you during Showcase 2011. Invite your friends and family to come see a rammed earth home being built.

The cactus are blooming all over town!

As always, I welcome your comments, shout-outs, and questions.

Pat Bellestri-Martinez

Welcome Spring!

Here it is.  Spring has sprung!  Notice the pops of green throughout town….the willows and cottonwoods, the red plums and the pretty white bloom trees are alive!  So sad to see many of our old cacti laying flat as a result of our very, very cold snap.

Our crew is busy finishing up the sheetrock on our “speak-to-our-heart” project-the 750 sq. ft. rammed earth addition.  It has been so joyful to work on this home.  The owner, Cyndy, often speaks of the love and detail her father put into building the home twenty some years ago.  (Love is in the detail!)  We are honored to be part of his creation by creating a bit more space to spread out in.  We have added a main bedroom, bathroom and office space.  The project is moving at a steady pace and will be move in ready lickety split!  We’ll share photos when it is complete.

Our main project in Picacho Mountain is inching forward with care and much deliberate thought. We have put in the pool! Well, not us but, Oasis Pools.  Yes, the pool…..because of the site we decided to put it in now, before we begin constructing the walls for the home.  Easier access now—-otherwise we would have had to bring in the high rise crane to lift the pool over the house or over the hill!    We brought in over 500 dump trucks of dirt to fill the site and bring it to pad level. The last retaining wall was poured a few days ago.  We will do our final fill next to that wall (below the garage) in the next week and then begin forming the slab.

Spring Showcase of Homes is fast approaching– Dates are as follows:

Friday April 29, Saturday May 30, Sunday May 1

Friday May 6, Saturday May 7, Sunday May 8

We will be participating in the Showcase this year in a whole different way!  We will be at the home we are constructing in Picacho Mountain.  No, the home will not be complete—we will be ramming the walls.  That’s right we will have an Open House in the true sense of the word—open to the sky!!!   We invite everyone to come and experience the building of rammed earth walls.  More details as time gets closer.

On a very sad note we send our deepest condolences to our friend and Soledad Subcontractor, Mike Alesi of Four Seasons Heating & Cooling on the loss of his son, Vince, a young man of 27, gone too soon.  Our prayers are with Mike and his family.  As well, we are without words for the devastating loss for the people of Japan.  A natural disaster of great magnitude….   Please count your blessings for the life you have and the people in your life, for it can change in a second.    I value the relationships that we have built over the years with our clients.  Each one becomes part of the Soledad family.  We were sad to learn of the tragic accident that took the life of Dr. Ron Fronczek, a rammed earth homeowner.  We built their home eight years ago.  Our prayers are also with Carol and her family.

I wish for you sunshine and flowers in the garden of your life. Happy Spring!

Pat Bellestri-Martinez

Lady Contractor

Hello Friends & Fans,

Anyone else feel like “it can’t possibly be February”?  Do the children in your life think that time flies by? Most adults that I know don’t understand how time is going by so fast.  The beginning of a new year gives one a chance to look back over the past year and reflect.  What happened over the last year?  Did I do what I wanted to do?  Were there things that happened that created hardship, yet I feel stronger by having had the experience?  How will it affect what I will do in the new year?  Here’s wishing you wisdom from your 2010 experiences, a new perspective that will make you a better person, here’s wishing you the ability to be grateful for the small things in your life, and the desire to make a moment in someone else’s life better.

So, an update on Soledad Canyon EarthBuilders…..we can actually see how and where the house will sit on the lot in Picacho Mountain! Dirt has been moved.  Footings have been dug.  Forms and rebar have been set.  Inspections have been made and concrete has been flowing!  This is first stage of construction of the lower level.  There is a lot more dirt to move.  That process will begin in a few days.  It is a thrill to be constructing!  Thanks to everyone involved that has allowed us to move forward on this project… we look forward to building throughout the new year on this project.  Perhaps we will do an open house during construction!

In addition to the Picacho Mountain home we have a project that speaks to our hearts.  We have begun a 750 square foot addition to a home that was built in the early 80′s.  The home is an owner built earth home.  It’s not rammed earth, it’s not adobe.  It was constructed of poured earth.  The owner has provided us with all the original photographs of the construction of the home done by her parents.  The addition had to be earth and we are thrilled that they choose rammed earth.

I have recently been involved with the reincarnation of an organization called The Earthbuilders Guild.  It is really fulfilling to be able to connect with other people in the industry who have a commitment to building with earth.  Not only rammed earth, but also adobe and compressed block.  by organizing we intend to make our presence know to those in our Government who create our Building Codes and those who work in the areas of rating energy efficiency of homes.   It will also be an avenue for promoting earthen construction in general.  At the point there is information to share (like a website) I will do so.

I started this e-newsletter a few days ago—before winter hit!  Oh my, I don’t remember the last time that we had to halt construction because of the weather for more than a day!  It is cold, but by the weekend we are back to sunny and into the 50′s!  Our winters are short–really short.  We get just enough to make us appreciate our desert winters.

I know my e-newsletters are not a regular as they once were, but I hope you will continue to find them informative and useful.  Input and comments are welcome.

Best to you all,

Pat Bellestri-Martinez

Another year is circling around!  The mornings are chilly, the leaves are falling, and it’s the time of year to give thanks for all we have (although I give thanks everyday!)

We have broken ground on our project in Picacho Mountain on Saltillo Place! This is a very special occasion! Why?  The people, the place and the time and effort all of us have put into the planning of this home.  It has been in the making for more than a couple of years.  Mario began the project with the owners……He stepped on the property and proclaimed — “Oh, this is a challenge” —with a sour look on his face but quickly turned around with a smile and said “But I love a challenge!!”  With his passing, the challenge continued in more ways than just the property.  But with the continued commitment of the Oheim’s we have moved through those challenges and have begun the Project!   The ground breaking, dirt work and slab pouring was Mario’s favorite part of building a home.  He would be very happy to be starting this home.  Max, Melissa & I are carrying that spirit and are also very happy to be building the Oheim’s Rammed Earth home!  We will share updates throughout the next year.

We welcomed the new owner to her home in the Pueblos the last day of October.   It was so clear that she was very excited to be moving into her new rammed earth home! As a matter of fact I think she wins the award for the most excited!  Again, thinking back over the time commitment we all put in to make a dream home become a reality is very gratifying.  Jean set her eyes on a piece of property through an internet search, found us and the land, and steadily made her dream come true.  Yes, it did take a few years, but what the heck, the years still came and went, she just made sure she ended up with a Soledad Canyon Earth Builders Home!  Now it’s just unpacking and setting up her Artist’s Studio and she can again continue her love of creating art.  The studio was built on the South facing side of the home—passive solar heat gain throughout the winter months!  Welcome home Jean!

We’ve had the pleasure of working with a few past clients over the last few months….doing maintenance work, fixing up, sprucing up, and a bit of some remodeling. It is nice to “go home”.  Every home we have built feels like home.  It is great to be a part of taking care of that home.  Thanks to all who have provided that work for our crew of guys.

Remember to appreciate this time of year.  As 2010 comes to end reflect on what is important to you and live with that thought.

Salud,

Pat Bellestri-Martinez

In Memory of our Founder, Mario Bellestri

“May his dreams of creating dream homes become our dreams”

March 1950-November 23, 2008

Hi!

The month of September just “slipped through my hands”!  It was another productive, busy month at the office and job site.
The Hays Residence located in The Pueblos is its last month of construction.  The subcontractors are in full force—-the tilers, the HVAC guys, the electricians, the cabinet guys, the plumbers,  our guys, everyone that can be there is there.  We are expecting the city to put in the gas line any day, which will be followed by the concrete guys.  They will be pouring the driveway and the sidewalk.  We’ve got a permanent electric meter in, the color coat of stucco is done, and the front door went in today.

Even after 25 years I’m always amazed at how many hands are involved in building a home.  I am very grateful to each tradesperson who has a hand in building our homes.  I know how hard they work and I am very appreciative of the work they put into making a product we are proud to turn over to our homeowner. A big shout out to all of the trade contractors that we have worked with over the years……Morales Construction, Caliper Construction, American Mechanical, Holguin’s Electric, Four Seasons Heating & Cooling, Ridgetop Construction, Allied Burglar & Fire Alarms, Cielo Vista Construction,  Classic Kitchens, and  Mendoza Insulation & Drywall. Thank you all for your efforts in creating a quality product.

We took a couple of days to expose the original wood floors in our office.  Oh my!  Underneath that glued down office carpet we found red oak flooring.  We are thrilled.  The building was built in the 50′s.  It’s cinder block, : (  but the floors are real wood.  We still have to complete the smaller two offices, but we have finished the front office.  Our guys did an awesome job of stripping, sanding and sealing the wood.  It looks like we just installed it…..we have reclaimed it!

There are several projects on our plate. Big ones and small ones!  I can’t divulge much until they are actually underway, though!   I look forward to sharing the news of our next projects with you at the appropriate time—in other words when they are under contract!!  It’s fun to be able to do many different jobs in a given day.  Anything from designing a deco backsplash in a kitchen to talking with an inspector about exactly what it is that is intended in that code! As a diversion from building walls for a home we recently completed a subdivision sign for the Hunt Community near El Paso.  It is a rammed earth structure, an exposed rammed earth structure.  Here is a picture of it.  A fun project with long lasting results!

I was recently listening to a radio show discussing trust. Creating trust in your life begins with trusting yourself, to trusting your loved ones, to trust in your work place and then trust in your larger community.  Trust has a lot of power.  Trust brings contentment and happiness into your life.  If I know I can trust, I know I can move forward, backwards, and sideways.  I feel so strongly about building trust that I base my everyday decisions on that trust in my business.  I have in my hands the trust of the people who I build for. They ask us to take a lot of their money and spent it well.  I cherish the trust they place in our hands.   I value that trust so much.   With each new project we’ve worked on I realize how fortunate we are to have that trust and I work hard to continually earn that trust—there’s no other way to run a business.

Hope you are planning to enjoy the Fall Fiesta season around Las Cruces over the next couple of months.  If you are not in Las Cruces you might want to consider a trip here — it’s beautiful this time of the year.  Read the Las Cruces Bulletin for all the events that are happening in Las Cruces.  The Las Cruces Sun News Pulse which comes out on Thursdays will also fill you in on what’s going on around town.  Tip: Last Full Moon night at White Sands is October 22^nd.

Take care of yourself and your home.  As important as it is to maintain our health it is important to maintain our homes.  The sun is a strong force of nature.  It is quiet, but it can do a lot of damage to our homes.  Make visual inspections of your home….the stucco, the window openings, the roof, the vents, and of course, any exterior wood.  If you have not had your heating/cooling units inspected in a while this is a good time of year to do so.

Best to you & yours!

Pat Bellestri-Martinez

Summer Greetings!
Being self-employed provides for many trials, tribulations and benefits. One benefit: I can change the rules or the plans as the case may be.  That means I can change the schedule for my monthly E-News.  I took a break in June & July.  Why?  Because they went by too fast!!!  There was no time to sit at the keyboard and write.  So let’s catch up.

The Hays Residence is coming right along.  The Soledad Crew has been working through the heat of summer and creating another energy efficient Rammed Earth home.  The drywallers are in there right now putting mud on the wall.  One of the highlights of this home is the authentic Adobe fireplace.  The guys out did themselves.  They did an awesome job.  As you can see from the photo it is constructed of adobes—locally made adobes.  It will get plastered.  The heat generated by the fire will permeate into the adobe blocks and radiate into the room.  Much like our rammed earth walls, the earth acts as a mass, then slowly releases the heat into the room.  Another fun part of this home has been creating the Studio space.  The large room on the south side of the house will be used to create art by the owner.  We have a couple more months of work on the home.  The doors of the home have just been stained and sealed.  Ahh, nothing like a beautiful handcrafted wood front door!

In the last month we have been able to get back to a couple of homes that we built 12-14 years ago.  We are doing maintenance work and sprucing up the homes.  This includes resealing the exterior wood.  Our New Mexico sun is really hard on wood!!  We have incorporated a few things in the way we construct today as a result of what we are able to observe of what happens over the years.  Always on a quest to do better…….If we know better, we do better.

I receive newsletters from Green Builder Media.  The following is a quote from an article written by Sara Gutterman.  I want to share her thoughts with you:

“One of the best things about the building business is the opportunity to imbue ideas with intention until they take on a life of their own. Actions result in solid forms that last for long periods of time and significantly affect the lives of inhabitants, neighbors, and communities.

I think it’s fair to say that we all try to lead meaningful lives. The decisions that we make today, for better or worse, can be undone, but only after years of hard work. And in those years, we change. We become somehow different than we are today. Potential and promise transform, and our projects, as well as our lives, often turn out differently than we had originally expected.

The choices that we make are ours, and ours alone. In the building industry, a choice to improve a building envelope with better insulation or high efficiency windows might seem small, but our collective incremental decisions have the power to make exponential change.

Every day, I see innovative ideas put into action, resulting in extraordinary building projects. There are a plethora of examples of people expressing their core values through green design and construction.”

My “core values” in regard to building, began 27 years ago when Mario & I were building our own home. A home I still live in today. The rammed earth walls are 24″ thick, the windows are wood windows with aluminum clad exteriors, and it is a passive solar design for winter heating.  I celebrate that builders are building green today, and I realize that being “green” has always been what Soledad Canyon Earth Builders believes in.  Our core values are there.  We continue to strive to do better.  The new generation of Soledad embraces that core value. Max, Melissa and the crew all know that building a home is more than a job.  It is creating a home that, as Sara said, affects the lives of inhabitants, neighbors and communities and I’ll add,  the people who build the home.  Some people may not realize that is happening, but I believe in the long run it does.

Over the last couple of weeks we have been going through the process of creating a new home.  That is, we have been making the selections for our new project in Picacho Mountain.  There is nothing like the feeling of creating, on paper, something that will be created by the ‘hands of man’ (and woman)!  Max has also created a new video on our website.  It is a tour of Casa de Tierra 2010.  If you did not get a chance to visit our Spring Showcase Home here is your chance to tour it.  Enjoy.

As usual, on a personal level, I must report in, after all, my personal & professional life is very much all the same!  (Generally speaking!) If you follow my E-News you know my Mom passed away in May.  Since then I’ve spent a bit of time in her home.  It is an adobe structure that my Dad built in the 40′s.  The integrity of the walls is great, the roof has been replaced a couple of times, the kitchen was remodeled a few years ago, but the heart of the home is in those walls.  An improvement in insulation (in the ceiling/roof) technologies has benefited earth structures over the years—Mom’s house could use that.  The core values of what my Dad built runs in my veins.  And that feel good.  The last outing my Mom had before she became ill was a visit to our Showcase 2010 home, two weeks before she passed.  It sure warms my heart to know that she saw what we created.

The months of June & July brought my Colorado “family” to visit, a class reunion of sorts, and a trip to California, a Meet & Greet with Clay Walker on the 4th of July, a couple of trips to Santa Fe and a Sister’s Weekend to see Sugarland and shop. (We stayed at the Hotel Andaluz, a beautiful, renovated property in the heart of downtown Albuquerque–a very European feel which incorporated Moroccan and Spanish colonial influences with a contemporary flair!)  All very memorable and very special times with special friends & family.  In between there has been the Monthly Art Ramble in Downtown Las Cruces, Music in the Park,  a visit to the new winery, Amaro, on Melendres, a soak in the Hot Springs of Truth or Consequences, summer food treats (shisitos, peaches, fresh basil, grapes, and figs;  green chile coming soon!)  As I travel through life I realize how good life is.  People make reference to the “good ole’ days”. Just remember today will someday be “the good ole’ days” so make each day the best possible.  There are so many things that are much better today than 25-50 years ago.  I challenge each of you to send me one thing that is better today in our world than it was 25-50 years ago.  I’ll compile the list and share it with all of you.  I’ll start with a couple of  things—automobiles are better today than they were 50 years ago!  Being 50 years old is better than it was 50 years ago!  What do you think is better?  

Here’s to your summer.  Live well, drink a lot of water, and enjoy the clouds in the sky!
Salud, Pat Bellestri-Martinez

P.S.  We have a 2006 Honda Ridgeline in excellent condition for sale.  Call the office if you are interested.

First weekend of Showcase 2010 is complete! Whew!! A very good turn out. People are out looking! If you didn’t make it out you still have a chance to do so this weekend! We have started getting ready to construct the rammed earth walls on our next project today! The crew is ready to ram…no more caulking guns and paint brushes for a while!!

Hi Everyone,

Week slow down, got a lot to do, could use more time!! Can’t we all use a bit more time? But it is one thing that we all have equally! Not money, love,or patience, only time!!  Showcase of Homes 2010 is upon us. It is an exciting time for all of us at Soledad Canyon Earth Builders. We are given the privilege of showing you our work. Our clients are willing to open their new home to the public. We are very grateful for that opportunity. We love showing our work! On that note, we cordially invite everyone to visit us at 4011 Quail Brush Court. Located east of town in Desert Mirage. From the corner of University and Telshor drive east on Dripping Springs Road for 4.8 miles, turn right on Desert Mirage Drive, go 1/2 mile, turn right on Desert Mirage Ct.

This 2,727 sq. ft. rammed earth home for the Barker’s is our typical “Uniquely New Mexico” style home. We are calling it “Casa de Tierra 2010″. Solar Power of Las Cruces has installed Photovoltaic Solar Panels on the Showcase Home! The Barker’s will producing electricity for their home for years to come and El Paso Electric will be paying them for the electricity produced!!! It has terrific energy, great views, solid comfort and fine art work. Again this year we are pleased to be able to Showcase several local artists. With the help of Catherine Brenner of the Unsettled Gallery and David Shaw, photographer extraordinaire, we will be displaying beautiful works of art.

My utmost gratitude to Team Soledad for all their hard work in making the house a home!

As we finish up Showcase we are also completing the Rincon de Amigos home.  We will photograph and post on our website the completed home.  The Rincon de Amigos home will welcome it’s new owners sometime the middle of May.  We will be as excited for them as they are in accepting their new home!

We are ready to start a new phase of building with new projects.  The Hays home in the Pueblos is ready to start the rammed earth walls.  Jean has been working with us for three years-maybe four.  Her slab is poured, we will begin ramming walls next week!

We are also in the final stages of the plans for the Picacho Mountain project!  Another extraordinary project for some extraordinary clients on an extraordinary piece of property!!

For now, I will sign off.  Got a house to go finish!  There are many events and activities to take part in around Las Cruces over the next two weeks. Everything from the First Annual Onion Fiesta in Mesilla, to La Vina Wine Festival, the Cinco de Mayo celebration and of course the 2010 Showcase of Homes.

April 23, 4pm-7pm    April 24, 10am-7pm    April 25, 12pm-5pm

April 30, 4pm-7pm    May 1, 10am-7pm    May 2, 12pm-5pm

See you there.  For those of you out of towners we will let you know when the video tour of our Showcase Home is on line!

Salud,

Pat Bellestri-Martinez

President & Lady Contractor