Playing in the dirt

Workers took advantange of today's mild weather to start topping off the first building at Mariposa ecoVillage, a sustainable development planned for west Amarillo.

Work is going slowly, but it's going, on the 625-acre site owned by Bushland-based businesswoman, environmentalist and philanthropist Mary Emeny. Mary was out with the volunteers as they applied roofing material.

The plan is to get the hospitality/marketing center sealed up from the elements before serious winter hits. Next week, the stucco goes onto the outside of the walls built from dirt compressed into giant Lincoln logs.

Once the doorways and windows are sealed, work can begin on the interior.

I'll get some photos posted here next week as they apply the stucco, also made from soil at the site of former caliche pits. The actual construction of homes and businesses from alternative materials will only cover about 300 acres scarred by the pits. The untouched land will remain untouched.

Work was to begin this week on another building, but developer Linda Lloyd said she has to apply for a waiver from the city because she thinks it's a waste to build roads first and then wear them out during building construction.