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"Sell property and build Sthapatya Veda" was the mandate that Rogers Badgett, of Badgett Construction, gave to Mark Mantle, his chief operations manager. And building they are, full steam ahead. And why shouldn't they? Badgett Construction completed the nationally known Raj in 1993, the first Sthapatya Veda building in Fairfield. The Manor, a smaller hotel for long-term rentals located behind the Raj, soon followed. Last fall, two pre-sold villa homesites were under construction nearby. Another 67 villas are planned in the area.
New Companies Fuel Prosperity
Around Fairfield, the desire for homes designed according to the ancient architectural system of Sthapatya Veda is booming. As new knowledge unfolds for living life in accord with natural law, the desire for beautiful buildings increases. Rogers Badgett says two things are driving the building boom. "People are beginning to have fulfilling experiences in these structures, whether they visit a friend's home or a business around town. And second, the successful businesses in town are allowing Fairfield residents to afford new homes."
The activity at the Raj, located in the development north of Fairfield often referred to as the Mandala Project, is only the tip of the iceberg in Fairfield's Maharishi Sthapatya Veda construction industry. Three development companies poured foundations for homes and business sites before the worst of winter set in and have been building them through the winter months. A new company, Akhanda Construction, features Sthapatya Veda kit and turnkey packages built with all-natural materials, and Crescent Properties, owned by Sherry and Curtis McDonald, is showing affordable manufactured homes of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda design.
Akhanda Construction Company, owned by partners Bob Stone and Jimmy Sinton, offers Sthapatya Veda homes in a complete package with appliances, fixtures, and furniture. Akhanda, incorporated last December, plans to break ground on its first model home, a 6,500-square-foot, five-bedroom, two-story structure with a veranda and detached garage. Akhanda, which means "unbounded," builds with solid wood (log) construction, and the kit reduces cost and cuts the time of construction for the homeowner.
Maharishi Global Construction (MGC) is offering a new portfolio of 25 floor plans with facades. "People can buy a pre-designed home plan here or anywhere in the country. We believe this will increase Sthapatya Veda development across the country exponentially," says Dean Draznin, marketing director for MGC.
At the Mandala Project, many sites for homes, businesses, and even entertainment and wellness facilities are going up. The original intent of the Mandala Project is to provide visiting or living space for 5,000 people. Officially named the Maharishi Center for Perfect Health and World Peace, the development is about 1,000 acres, with each of the ten developments, called mandalas, occupying a pie-shaped piece of 95 to 100 acres. The brahmastan, or the silent heart of the Mandala Project, is a 90-acre park which will feature two domes for group meditation, plus beautiful gazebos and gardens.
At Mandala Nine, Mark Mantle says that the villas currently under construction are sold already. "We sell or rent them out immediately--whatever works," he says. Many people rent living space in the Manor, located just behind the Raj, while their homes are being built, and there are businesses located there, too. Genevra Daniels, who owns Golden Management Company, started her real estate company in a suite in the Manor. "It's fabulous," she reports. "Working in a Sthapatya Veda environment is much less chaotic, and very supportive to start-up companies. It is subtle, but it underlies everything, so it is very powerful."
Not only is Badgett Construction building at the Mandala Project but also at sites north of the Maharishi University of Management campus. Last autumn the company received city approval to have the 11 lots in their subdivision, named University Village I and II, be zoned for Maharishi Sthapatya Veda design. The Villages are north of Utopia Park on B Street. "We are selling lots now, and most are sold with covenants approved," Mantle says. Covenants are the basic rules and regulations by which a subdivision is built to maintain architectural integrity. The new owners of these lots will enjoy building and living in a neighborhood built entirely according to the specifications of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Badgett Construction also has three houses on B Street under construction. The first was ready last December, and the others should be for sale soon.
Not to be outdone, construction company owners Tim Fitz-Randolph and Chris Johnson have various projects underway in the Mandala Project and around town.
Mandala One boasts the Vedic Observatory, perhaps the most unique piece of architecture in Iowa. Nourished by developer Tim Fitz-Randolph, the Vedic Observatory is the centerpiece of Mandala One and occupies about an acre in the center of the pie-shaped development. "It was fascinating to build," Fitz-Randolph says. "We had a lot of fun doing it and it is built exactly according to the specifications of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. These exacting standards reflect the remarkable qualities of order and harmony in nature." The Observatory was completed last fall and will be open shortly for tours.
Fitz-Randolph's company, Mandala One, Inc., oversees the development of Mandala One. He plans a hotel of about 30 rooms for Ayurvedic treatments, with more rooms to be added later. Mandala One is designed to host a combination planetarium and theater, and a jyotish center. "We will have a Gandharva Veda music center, too," he said.
On the eastern half of Mandala One, 39 half-acre homesites are planned, priced around $39,000. Maharishi Global Construction is building 29 sites on speculation. Commercial sites, including a small hotel, a theater, and retail shops, will be built in the western portion. According to Mandala One sales director Michael Hauth, "There is a big demand for business and residential Sthapatya Veda construction. We are well-placed next to the Observatory and within walking distance to Mandala Nine and the Raj, the best restaurant in town."
"We feel that anything we build will sell," says Dean Draznin, marketing director for Maharishi Global Construction. "This community especially knows the importance of Sthapatya Veda for enriching their lives. Anyone who has been in a Maharishi Sthapatya Veda-designed building feels the effect. It's very palpable."
On the campus of Maharishi University of Management, Maharishi Global Construction is building a structure designed as four lower dwellings and two upper dwellings. The lower apartments are 1,700 square feet and the upper dwellings are 1,450 square feet. The building is located west of the present university condominiums and north of the existing preschool.
Now, all this building requires infrastructure, and that means sewers, paved roads, and electricity. The State of Iowa has a regulation which closes asphalt companies during the winter months because asphalt cannot be maintained at a warm enough temperature to pour into pavement. When spring comes Jasmine Avenue in front of the Mandala Project and the access roads to and the circular roads through the development will be paved, providing easier access to the entire project.
Building is also continuing at Mandala Two, where USA Global Link owns two office buildings. Three 4,000-square-foot homes are for sale and more construction is planned.
Chris Johnson named his development in Mandala Six "Chalets on the Lake." Ten chalets and 30 rental units are designed around three lakes. His company, SJJ Development Company, has completed three family units and has another two single-family homes, at 4,800 square feet apiece, under construction in the mandala area. These one-acre lot homes will be offered for sale this spring for under $300,000. Mandala Six will sport an 80,000-square-foot golf course as well. A foundation is underway for a 3,000-square-foot triplex structure, and ground was broken for an 18,000-square-foot office building that is to be called the Himalayan Lodge. It will offer hotel and executive business suites, and will be available in the summer or fall of 1998.
Curt and Sherry McDonald, of Crescent Properties, are offering homes of prefabricated Maharishi Sthapatya Veda construction in three sizes: 1,300, 1,800, and 2,400 square feet. The development, named Hera Haven Meadow, is located on the corner of Gear Avenue and Brookville Road in Fairfield. Last December the cornerstones for five foundations were prepared before the ground froze, and three homes are already built.
A Sthapatya Veda Building Boom
There's no doubt that Fairfield is experiencing a surge in residential construction. According to Tim Fitz-Randolph, the desire to live in a "harmonious and beautiful environment" drives the local Sthapatya Veda design boom. "The knowledge has emerged to provide these structures now," he says. "The purpose of Sthapatya Veda is remove any shadows in our understanding of the universe. These structures enliven natural law in our lives."
