Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Laurent? Why South Dakota?
Information on lots and homes in Laurent
Growth in Laurent
Financing
School System
Businesses/Job Postings
Life in Laurent
Media
Why Laurent? Why South Dakota?
Why name the town “Laurent”?
We will name our town of Laurent, South Dakota in honor of Laurent Clerc. He was a remarkable deaf man who brought sign language to America from France in 1815. Laurent Clerc, “The Father of the Deaf”, established the first permanent school for the deaf in America (American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut) and was the first deaf person to appear before Congress. He lived from 1785 to 1869. Additional information can be found on Laurent Clerc, including his personal journal, at this site: www.disabilitymuseum.org/lib/stills/644card.htm
Why did you choose South Dakota for this town? Why select McCook County?
Size does matter and South Dakota’s population is only 754,844. McCook County’s population is 5,832. Laurent’s planned population will be somewhere between 1,250 to 4,000 people. With these numbers, we can expect to have political influence and an economic impact at both the county and state levels. We will be one of the top 15 largest cities in the state. We can build next to the interstate 90. This location is central to the United States and easy to reach by auto or air. The climate provides four seasons and the area gets over 250 days of sunshine a year. South Dakota provides excellent low interest financing for first time homebuyers through the SDHDA program. In South Dakota, there is no corporate tax, no income tax, no personal property tax and no inheritance tax. In 1992, Money Magazine named Sioux Falls, which is approximately 35 miles east of Laurent’s location, as the #1 best place to live in America. This area is still a great place to live.
Are there enough deaf people who would move to a town built for them?
Laurent is not a town built for deaf people. It is a town for people who use sign language. Over two million hearing people use sign language, including parents and grandparents of the deaf, children and siblings of the deaf, those who hear but have lost or never developed the ability to speak. More than one million deaf individuals in the United States use sign language as their primary language. Additionally, there are individuals who would like to experience a different culture or become fluent in the fourth most widely used language in the United States. It is important to understand that everyone who wants to live in a community whose common languages are American Sign Language and written English is welcome!
Information on lots and homes in Laurent
When can we expect to be able to move into a home in Laurent?
We plan to have those individuals who have made reservations for Phase I to be moving in late 2007 and early 2008.
How do we sign up for a lot, and when will we be able to choose? How soon can we start building?
The lots will be made available to the people on the reservation list in the order they were received. By late 2006, people should be able to start choosing lots. A non-refundable deposit will be required to hold a lot, and you will then be required to build within a certain time frame.
Note: A deposit is not required at this time. Please keep up to date by subscribing to our newsletter!
What will the size of the lots be?
Lot sizes haven't yet been determined, but they will be compact, deep lots. An average lot may be 20 - 45 foot wide and 100 - 120 feet deep for single family homes.
Is there a preferred builder we need to get in touch with? What will the square footage of homes be? What will the homes be like?
This information should be made available to you. We have focused several meetings with local contractors and builders in the county, and The Laurent Company also expects to begin hiring construction team. We expect to offer a wide variety of home options on various size lots. It is our goal to provide flexibility in building homes, to better fit your needs. We envision a wide array of choices of homes: single family homes on large lots, single family homes on small lots, rowhouses, loft apartments, main street apartments, live/work buildings (you live on a 2nd or 3rd floor and work or run a business on the ground floor). You may also be able to buy a lot and build a home to your own specifications as long as its in compliance with architectural and zoning codes of the town.
Will homes be equipped with alarm flashers, doorbell flashers, video phone, etc?
Yes. The whole town of Laurent will be friendly to signers. Special needs design elements (sunlight, reflection and glare) will be incorporated into planning and building the town. Homes and businesses will encourage easy visibility for signing across wide distances through the use of open spaces and placement of glass. Fire and police services will be designed with more lights and fewer sirens. High-speed Internet connections will be made available across town, as the internet and video relay service have become vital modes of communication for deaf people.
Where will we get our utilities?
We will work with local governments for water, sewer, electric and gas services. We will explore the renewable energy sources of wind and solar. We will plan and build following Traditional Urban models and not the current suburban sprawl model. Laurent will have mixed-use neighborhoods similar to the ones many of our parents grew up in.
Will there be a home association/approval board?
This has not yet been decided. We will keep you posted via the newsletter.
We are currently living in a high cost of living area. What is the cost of living there?
Check salary.com and compare with Sioux Falls, SD or Mitchell, SD.
How much will an average home cost in Laurent?
We hope to match the listing price of a comparable home in the Sioux Falls area.
Will there be a requirement to sell our home to a signer if we decide to sell?
No, anyone can live in Laurent. Sign language skills will not be a requirement of owning a home in Laurent. We will have homebuyers sign a covenant stating that they understand and accept that they are moving into a sign language oriented community as well as an agricultural area.
Growth of Laurent
How many acres of land are currently optioned? What about expansion?
Approximately 275 acres of land have been optioned at this point. We will plan some type of nature or agricultural preserve surrounding Laurent.
What is the projected population of Laurent? How will you handle future growth, without contributing to "suburban sprawl"?
2,500 residents is our benchmark, because we don't want to seem too "unrealistic" at this time. However, we do expect that Laurent will have a very strong appeal to signers worldwide and may continue to experience excellent growth for many years to come. Future growth will be town-centric. If we need to expand, we can adjust the density upwards rather than out. Expansion will be planned very carefully. Another town center with the same walkability approach would likely be built, with the two town centers being connected by trolley. Our goal is to minimize the land consumption and keep the surrounding area primarily agricultural.
Do you support the idea of urging deaf people to use spoken language (through the use of cochlear implants, new technologies, etc.), and how will this technology affect the growth of a signing community?
Hearing aids and cochlear implants can be wonderful tools for some, but not all. Not everyone is eligible, able, or wants to receive cochlear implants. I personally do not want one - I am very happy being deaf. Reports of the death of sign language due to new technologies have been greatly exaggerated. The same type of rumors circulated with the advent of hearing aids. Laurent will be a place to celebrate the uniqueness of sign language and the deaf culture with the rest of the world.
Financing
How is The Laurent Company financing this project?
Besides using our family funds, we have been fortunate enough to have the father of a deaf daughter bring us to a group of angel investors, who are working with our local bank, First Dakota National, to make the necessary funding available to build Laurent. The angel investors wish their identities and the conditions of funding to remain confidential, and we will always respect this.
How will the local government, firehouse, police station be funded?
Because Laurent will be a real incorporated town, most of the city services will be funded by property and sales taxes, as well as by other fees levied on city controlled utilities.
School System
Will the local school be integrated? Where is the nearest public school system?
We will be building the world's first integrated ASL public school system in Laurent, serving both hearing, deaf and CODA children - with K-12 being served in one facility. We plan to build the school system within the next 2-3 years or sooner. The nearest public school system is Salem, SD - 3.5 miles away. South Dakota has an open enrollment system and families may choose any public school they wish. Currently there are 4 school districts in McCook County with K - 12 programs. There is one Catholic School in Salem. Together these excellent schools serve about 1000 students.
Businesses/Job Postings
Will I have to work in Sioux Falls or Mitchell if I live in Laurent?
No, you can either work in Laurent or commute to work. Sioux Falls and Mitchell is only 30-minute drive from Laurent. We will do everything we can to assist and encourage job opportunities right in Laurent. Capturing the highway traveler's dollars as well as vacation and conference attendee's cash will be important. As planning progresses, we will work with the surrounding farm communities to identify needed services and businesses. We will work to identify value-added agri-business for our town.
What types of businesses will be located in Laurent? What job openings will be available?
There will be many types of jobs becoming available in Laurent, but the progress may be gradual. In the beginning, you can expect to see traveler-related businesses opening - such as dining, shopping, gas and lodging. The economic base will expand as the town grows.
We will have more specifics in the next few months. Please subscribe to our free email newsletter (via our website) to stay informed of our progress.
How can I start a business in Laurent?
The Laurent Company will have a staff person to help coordinate and identify key resources on how future business owners can apply for business loans in the near future. For now, you can start doing some homework by visiting
www.sba.gov (Small Business Association)
www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/bprogs.htm (US Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Development). The person will also track and coordinate planned businesses
www.state.sd.us (State of South Dakota)
www.grants.gov (Federal Grants)
www.score.org (Score)
One of several reasons we chose to build Laurent in a rural area 40 miles from Sioux Falls is because businesses in Laurent will qualify for excellent USDA Rural Development's Business & Industry Loan guarantees - up to $10 million dollars, and as high as $25 million dollars if needed.
SBA only guarantees loans up to $1 million dollars in most cases.
Start saving money now!! Investors will look at how much money you are able to put down on your business!
Can you tell me about any commercial tenants that you are talking to?
At this point we have interest from McDonalds, Subway, and a couple of hotel chains. We also anticipate building a grand hotel with large indoor water park as well. We will continue contacting large employers like the U.S. Post Office to explore ideas.
Life in Laurent
Will Laurent be inclusive, tolerant, and accepting...?
Laurent will be a town for signers, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic status. We are committed to incorporating our values of tolerance and respect of diversity. In fact, diversity will be celebrated in Laurent.
What would you tell those who have expressed concern that such a town would merely isolate and exclude the deaf more than ever?
There is a great need for a fully integrated town for sign language users - deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people. I expect the town to be emulated worldwide in terms of accessibility to all people with disabilities. Laurent will create opportunities for the deaf community. We chose a location based on its close proximity to a major US highway. We fully expect Laurent to become a tourist destination - inviting the world to visit, vacation, play, work, learn and live with us.
How do you plan to keep what happened in Martha's Vineyard from happening in Laurent (the eventual disappearance of deaf residents and culture)?
As for maintaining a signing population, unlike Martha's Vineyard - which happened naturally thanks to unique genetic makeup of the local population, we are looking at ways to ensure that maximum "direct communication" access takes place in Laurent. Through possibly a combination of local town ordinances or covenants on land deeds or by some other means, we would have laws within the city limits of Laurent requiring businesses and services to be directly accessible in sign language - meeting some minimum level of proficiency. We expect sign language users will continue to choose Laurent for many years to come because it will be a beautiful, wonderful and exciting place to live.
Can Laurent become another Wyndholme Village (a deaf retirement community that has not been built)?
No. The concept of Laurent, a complete town, is very different from a retirement housing development, or even a mixed used neighborhood. Laurent will be a town with all the rights and responsibilities to govern itself. This means that with a representative government, the people who live in Laurent will decide what happens in the town. Laurent will have diversity. With good planning, we will see both young and old, rich and poor, well educated and those in need of education, all moving into Laurent. We will be a microcosm of the American dream. Laurent will provide a place for hard workers to be successful. Our location on a major highway, between two large cities, and among other small towns, positions us to do almost anything. Very few new communities have the kind of opportunities we have with Laurent; easy access to an airport, major medical centers, colleges and universities. In addition, income from tourists and retirees will capture outside dollars, and allow them to stay in our community. Providing outlets and services to nearby farms will improve the wealth and stability of the entire county. Laurent is not a housing project, but a complete town. Much like the towns our ancestors built, but with one very special element. Sign language will be spoken here.
Media
How can I contact people who are on the reservation list?
If you wish to contact any of the individuals on the Phase I reservation list, you may email The Laurent Company with your contact information, and we will then forward the request to the individual.
What do I do if I want to live or own a business in Laurent?
Contact us for further information. Today, you can reach Marvin Miller at [email protected]. You can call M.E. Barwacz at (605) 425-3380 voice or e-mail her at [email protected]. As plans progress and this web site grows, we will provide additional information and links.
Do you have more questions you would like answered here?
Please feel free to e-mail the questions to Marvin Miller at [email protected].