RENDERINGS BY DOUG COOPER

After years in the making, the Rachel Carson EcoVillage at Providence Heights in McCandless is now under construction — and the public is being welcomed to check it out.

A multi-generational cohousing neighborhood, the sustainable community is southwestern Pennsylvania’s first ecovillage. Scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2026, the village — named after famed environmentalist Rachel Carson — consists of 35 private units ranging from studios to four-bedroom homes.

According to its developers, the entire community is designed to the highest standards of energy conservation, durability and air quality — creating an 80% savings in energy usage.

“Our materials have been selected for long-term durability and affordability as well as better air quality,” a statement from the ecovillage says. “Our natural site infrastructure will improve the quality of the soil and water and foster a healthy, human-inhabited ecosystem.”

For those curious about the community, an informational site tour, led by project manager Stefani Danes, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Besides viewing the homes under construction, participants will be able to meet current members of the ecovillage and walk the property, as well as learn more about how to join the community.

Located on 8 acres along Cumberland, the ecovillage property is owned by the Sisters of Divine Providence, who gifted the land adjacent to La Roche University and the Providence Heights Alpha School to the co-housing community after plans for a location on Chatham University’s Eden Hall Campus fell through in the fall of 2023.

“Reflecting our partnership with the Sisters, we are now called Rachel Carson EcoVillage at Providence Heights,” a statement from the ecovillage says. “Like us, the Sisters have a strong commitment to sustainability, the environment and social justice.”

Several units are still available in the co-housing community, which combines private homes with shared facilities, including a common house with a dining room, community kitchen, meeting spaces and two guest rooms.

There are multiple trails that run through the village, and all residents also will become a member of LaRoche’s Lifelong Learning program.

“Upon move-in, we will share facilities, resources, and to some extent our lives, but just as important, we will respect each other’s privacy, autonomy and personal property,” says the statement from the ecovillage. “The ecovillage will offer easy connections with neighbors without sacrificing the privacy of our own home.”

As for who exactly is moving into cohousing communities, the developers of the Rachel Carson Ecovillage note the trend has been driven by baby boomers seeking a downsized, community-oriented and environmentally friendly lifestyle.

On the other hand, cohousing is beginning to gain traction among millennials searching for contemporary neighborhoods that are more conducive to raising children rather than isolated, single-family homes, according to the developers.

“Since the first cohousing community was completed in California 30 years ago, more than 180 communities have been established across the country, with 20 currently being built, and over 100 forming,” the developers say in a statement.

Those attending the Oct. 26 tour will meet at the Kearns Spirituality Center on Babcock Boulevard. To register for the event, email RCEIntro@gmail.com or text 412-573-1927.