Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

New Clayton eBullt Homes to Help Homeowners Save Money on Utilities Long-Term

LONDON, Ky., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Clayton, a leading national builder of single-family attainable housing, broke ground on a new neighborhood of energy-efficient modern manufactured homes in London, Kentucky. The neighborhood, called Redbud Estates, will include 51 properties featuring Clayton CrossMod homes. Several Kentucky officials attended the groundbreaking ceremony, including City of London Mayor Randall Weddle and Assistant Director for the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy Ashley Runyon.

In Eastern Kentucky, energy cost savings with eBuilt homes are estimated to be about $862 annually.

CrossMod homes are built to HUD code and seamlessly integrate site-built features, such as elevated roof pitches, garages, porches, interior finishes and permanent foundations, making them indistinguishable from traditional site-built homes. CrossMod homes appraise alongside site-built homes and other CrossMod homes, helping homeowners achieve wealth building opportunities through appreciation. CrossMod homes are also eligible for conventional financing programs.

"We are thrilled to witness the opportunity to promote growth and development by introducing new attainable housing opportunities in London and Laurel County, " said Randall Weddle, Mayor of London. "In addition to creating new housing, the development will help advance local zoning policies that allow for more innovative housing solutions."

CrossMod homes are uniquely positioned to increase attainable housing supply. By leveraging the off-site home building process, builders can efficiently construct CrossMod homes at scale inside home building facilities, then complete on-site finishes at the final property. Given their indistinguishable features from traditional site-built homes, these homes help the industry address restrictive zoning hurdles that have historically limited the acceptance of modern manufactured homes.

"As Governor, but more importantly as a dad to two kids, I understand how important it is for all of our families to have a safe place to call home," said Governor Andy Beshear. "Today, I feel hopeful seeing the folks at Clayton teaming up with leaders from the city and state to provide more affordable, energy-efficient homes for families right here in London."

All properties in Redbud Estates will be eBuilt homes, meaning they are built to the U.S. Department of Energy's Zero Energy Ready Home specifications. eBuilt homes are estimated to save homeowners up to 50% on annual energy costs1, providing homeowners a low cost of ownership over the lifetime of their home. In Eastern Kentucky, those savings are estimated to be about $862 annually.2

"This is such an important time for cities and counties everywhere to welcome attainable housing innovations for their residents. As cities like London continue to embrace CrossMod and modern manufactured homes, we can challenge outdated zoning codes and over time provide homeowners with wealth-building opportunities," said Kevin Clayton, CEO. "This neighborhood is a great example of how modern manufactured homes can help increase America's housing supply while offering homeowners long-term monthly savings through energy efficiency."

Four Clayton-owned home centers - including Clayton Homes of London, Clayton Homes of Corbin, Oakwood Homes of London and Freedom Homes of London - are working with local contractors to lead the neighborhood development.

Learn more about CrossMod homes and the floor plans that will be available at Redbud Estateshere: http://www.claytonhomes.com/crossmod

1 energy.gov ZERH guidelines 2 Energy savings are based on electrical consumption in Somerset, KY using NREL BEopt to estimate annual energy consumption of a home built to DOE Zero Energy Ready Home guidelines compared to the same home built only to industry and HUD standards in the cities listed.

About Clayton Founded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happyness through homeownership. A Berkshire Hathaway company, Clayton is a leading single-family, values-driven home builder dedicated to attainable housing, sustainable practices, and creating a world-class experience for customers and team members. The company's portfolio includes a comprehensive range of site-built, modern manufactured, Tiny, CrossMod and modular housing. In 2023, Clayton built more than 52,000 homes across the country. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

CrossMod is a registered trademark of the Manufactured Housing Institute.

SOURCE Clayton

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Governor Beshear and Clayton Break Ground on Neighborhood of 51 Energy-Efficient CrossMod Homes in London ... - PR Newswire

GUYS, THATS RIGHT. AND MOBILE HOMES ARE LEGALLY SUPPOSED TO BE GROUNDED WITH CINDER BLOCKS AND STRAPPED DOWN WITH CONCRETE. BUT AS WEVE SEEN WITH RECENT STORMS, THEY ARE NOT TORNADO PROOF. THERES NO SAFE PLACE INSIDE OF A MOBILE HOME. A TORNADO LEVELED THE SHERMANS HOME IN HYDRO SUNDAY NIGHT. ITS DEVASTATION AT ITS FINEST. THEN THURSDAY EVENING, MORE MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED. THESE AND ALTUS EVERYBODY SAYS GET AWAY FROM THE MOBILE HOMES. YOU CANNOT RIDE IT OUT. ITS VERY TRUE. THEY ALWAYS SAY GET IN THE BATHTUB. IF YOU DONT HAVE ANY OTHER THING. OR BATHTUB IS LITERALLY A MILE EAST OF HERE AND ITS IN HALF, WE WEVE SEEN IT SO THERES REALLY NO SAFE PLACE. NOT MANY MAKE IT OUT. SO SO WERE PART OF THE VERY FEW THAT MADE IT OUT ALIVE. WE ARE AND VERY GRATEFUL FOR IT. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALSO HAS THIS GUIDE ONLINE ABOUT MANUFACTURED AND MOBILE HOME SAFETY. AS SOON AS THERES A TORNADO, WATCH FOR YOUR COUNTY. EVACUATE EIGHT THE GENERAL MANAGER OF PALM HARBOR HOMES ECHOES THAT MESSAGE AND SAYS NOT EVERY HOME IS BUILT. THE SAME WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INDUSTRY. SPECIFICALLY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A HOME THATS BUILT WELL, AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE, UH, INSTALLERS THAT INSTALL IT CORRECTLY. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOURE IN, YOU NEED TO PUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FIRST, AND YOU SHOULD GET OUT OF ANY STRUCTURE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY COLLAPSE ON YOU. AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALSO SAYS DONT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BECAUSE IT COULD BE TOO LATE. REPORTING LIVE IN OKLAHOMA CITY,

Oklahoma couple lucky to be alive shows why you can't weather out a tornado in a mobile home

Oklahomans have seen during the recent storms that mobile homes aren't tornado proof

Updated: 5:11 PM CDT May 24, 2024

You've heard it time and time again if you're in a mobile home during a tornado warning, get out.Mobile homes are legally supposed to be grounded with cinder blocks and strapped down with concrete. But Oklahomans have seen during the recent storms that mobile homes aren't tornado-proof."There's no safe space inside a mobile home," Cole Sherman, whose mobile home was destroyed by a tornado on Sunday in Hydro, said. "It's devastation at its finest."Then, on Thursday, more mobile homes were destroyed in Altus."Everybody says, 'Get away from mobile homes. You can't ride it out.' It's true," Sherman said.Heather Sherman added that while people are told to hide in their bathtub during a tornado event, theirs was "a mile east of here, and it's in half.">> Download the KOCO 5 App"Not many make it out. So, we're a part of the very few that made it out alive. And we're very grateful for it," Cole Sherman said.The National Weather Service also has a guide about manufactured and mobile home safety. As soon as there's a tornado watch in your county, the guide says you should evacuate.Austin Williams, the general manager of Palm Harbor Homes, echoes that message, saying not every home is built the same. "When it comes to our industry, specifically, you have to have a home that's built well. And you have to have installers that install it correctly," Williams said. "At the end of the day, regardless of what you're in, you need to put yourself and your family first. And you should get out of any structure that could collapse on you."Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The National Weather Service said this is something you need to think about in advance and that you shouldn't wait for a tornado watch to be issued to figure out where to go. By the time there's a tornado warning, it could be too late to get anywhere. Top Headlines Parts of southwestern Oklahoma see tornado damage during Thursday's severe storms Pennsylvanian sentenced for Turks & Caicos ammo charge, indicating Oklahoma man's possible punishment Police: Young missionary couple from Oklahoma among 3 killed by gunmen in Haitis capital Morgan Spurlock, who famously ate only at McDonalds for a month in 'Super Size Me,' dies at 53 Remember last year's Memorial Day travel jams? Chances are they will be much worse this year

You've heard it time and time again if you're in a mobile home during a tornado warning, get out.

Mobile homes are legally supposed to be grounded with cinder blocks and strapped down with concrete. But Oklahomans have seen during the recent storms that mobile homes aren't tornado-proof.

"There's no safe space inside a mobile home," Cole Sherman, whose mobile home was destroyed by a tornado on Sunday in Hydro, said. "It's devastation at its finest."

Then, on Thursday, more mobile homes were destroyed in Altus.

"Everybody says, 'Get away from mobile homes. You can't ride it out.' It's true," Sherman said.

Heather Sherman added that while people are told to hide in their bathtub during a tornado event, theirs was "a mile east of here, and it's in half."

>> Download the KOCO 5 App

"Not many make it out. So, we're a part of the very few that made it out alive. And we're very grateful for it," Cole Sherman said.

The National Weather Service also has a guide about manufactured and mobile home safety. As soon as there's a tornado watch in your county, the guide says you should evacuate.

Austin Williams, the general manager of Palm Harbor Homes, echoes that message, saying not every home is built the same.

"When it comes to our industry, specifically, you have to have a home that's built well. And you have to have installers that install it correctly," Williams said. "At the end of the day, regardless of what you're in, you need to put yourself and your family first. And you should get out of any structure that could collapse on you."

Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.

The National Weather Service said this is something you need to think about in advance and that you shouldn't wait for a tornado watch to be issued to figure out where to go. By the time there's a tornado warning, it could be too late to get anywhere.

Top Headlines

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Oklahomans show why you need to leave mobile home before tornado - KOCO Oklahoma City

Interim policy compensates displaced home-owners with $20,000, provides relocation assistance

More protections are on the way for residents of manufactured home parks in Mission.

At the May 21 meeting, council unanimously adopted the Manufactured Home Park Redevelopment Tenant Assistance Policy on an interim basis, with the intention of replacing it with a bylaw in the future.

The new policy includes protections that would require compensation to tenants who own their housing unit. The payout would be based on appraised values, assessed values or $20,000, per the report.

The policy also requires rezoning applicants to include a relocation assistance plan and a commitment to hire a qualified professional to assist tenants impacted.

Additionally, the developer will need to provide proof of early and ongoing tenant notification, including a consultation meeting early in the process for tenants to voice comments.

The policy has been modelled after a Maple Ridge policy in use since 2023. Policies from other municipalities have been reviewed and could inform future amendments to the policy or bylaws.

The provincial Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Park Home Tenancy Act already provide some protection measures.

Meanwhile, a new provincial bill (Bill 16) provides municipalities with the authority to develop Tenant Protection Bylaws.

These bylaws can require developers to provide added support for tenants facing displacement in cases of redevelopment, including financial assistance, assistance with finding a new place to live and opportunities for right of first refusal on units in a new building, the staff report reads.

City staff will soon review the advantages of developing a bylaw under Bill 16.

The initial compensation payout in Missions policy was $10,000, but council resolved to double it. Coun. Jag Gill said it doesnt buy much.

Thats just the reality of it. For a lot of folks, they put all their money into these manufactured homes. So Im hoping that theres something that gives them a little bit more protection and if its those bills that staff talked about in the report, I look forward to seeing those as well, Gill said.

Council decided to act on the issue at the April 15 meeting after residents of the Grove Mobile Home Park on Lougheed Highway received a letter from new owners informing them of plans to redevelop the park into a multi-family residential and commercial project.

At the meeting, council asked whether a moratorium on development of manufactured home parks would be possible.

However, according to the report on May 21, staff determined a moratorium on processing development applications for redevelopment of manufactured home parks is not possible under the current legislative framework.

Mission Mayor Paul Horn says protecting tenants is an evolving process. He said the city is sending a message to potential developers of manufactured home parks that council will be watching and that developments must consider the needs of current residents.

READ MORE: Residents fear homelessness if Mission mobile home park closes

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Mission council approves temporary protections for manufactured home tenants - Mission City Record

Several residents of a neighborhood in the Skipcha subdivision went before the Harker Heights City Council on Tuesday to bring attention to a collapsing retaining wall that is threatening their property.

The wall, which is made of wooden crossties, has given way in several spots and shifted away from residents fences, causing significant damage.

One resident who spoke, Jean Flores, gave an impassioned presentation about the problems she and her husband had been dealing with especially with the recent heavy rains and implored the city to help.

Her husband, Dan Flores, presented a lengthy letter detailing the problems with the wall, complete with photos of the damaged yards and collapsing fences along the failing retaining wall.

He noted in the letter that his neighbors fence has fallen and his own fence is leaning. Other neighbors pools are at risk, he said.

I called our insurance company, USAA, and they said they wouldnt cover it, since it was erosion, Flores said.

But Flores also said the problem first started when Astound, a fiber optic company, blew a hole for its line near the Flores back fence in December 2022. By April of 2023, the Floreses noticed large holes in the yard and through the drainage ditch retaining wall where the Astound contractor blew the hole.

Flores called Public Works Director Mark Hyde, who came out to view the damage, along with the contractor contact from Astound. The Astound representative conceded that the fiber optic installation was the likely cause of the damage. But the next day, Flores said, the contractor tried to say it was a city problem, apparently after talking to his boss.

Astound send a landscaper out to make some temporary fixes the next month, but the damage has still been getting worse.

Last month, as heavy rains accelerated the erosion, the Floreses and neighbor Anthony Sniggs went to City Manager David Mitchell, who agreed to discuss the issue at a workshop, which the city held Tuesday.

During Tuesdays meeting, Mitchell clarified the issue of responsibility regarding the retaining wall.

He said the retaining wall was built on the homeowners property when the homes were built 15 to 20 years ago, and it remains the homeowners property.

The city owns the easement between the drainage ditch below the back of the properties and the retaining hall.

However, due to Texas law, all utilities including fiber optic companies have access to the easements to install or service their lines.

Because of this, neither the property owners nor the city had the authority to prevent Astound from installing cable near the fence. However, Mitchell noted that the city has issued a stop-work order in the area of the damaged retaining wall, which is allowable under the law.

In the meantime, residents want to know when the wall will be repaired and more importantly, who will pay for it.

Mitchell quoted cost estimates for replacing the 750-foot length of wall that has given way and it isnt cheap, as residents have found out.

A new wall with pavestone construction would cost about $668,500, and a concrete cast wall would cost $811,750, based on price per linear foot.

Mitchell expressed doubts about whether Harker Heights could legally use city money to pay for repairs to private property.

Well have to talk to our city attorney, Charlie Olson about that issue, he said.

He also noted that opening the door to paying to fix retaining walls on private property could have a domino effect.

Those walls with crossties are all around the city, Mitchell said. If we had to pay to repair a number of them, it would impact our budget and affect other road projects.

He displayed several slides showing walls made of crossties in the Country Trails subdivision, as well as in other areas.

Mitchell noted that the city no longer allows wooden crossties to be used to build retaining walls an ordinance that was changed in 2006.

Councilwoman Jennifer McCann called Dan Flores back up to the podium and asked him to clarify the timeline of the retaining wall problems.

Flores answered that he didnt have any problems with the wall for the first 15 years he lived in the house, but they started cropping up shortly after the fiber optic line drilling took place.

After Flores ran through the sequence of events, noting that Astound kept asserting that the retaining wall issue was a city problem, Mayor Michael Blomquist asked whether the fiber optic company might bear some responsibility in this issue.

Mitchell said this would be another question for the city attorney, and asked the city secretary to add the issue to the closed session the city already has scheduled at its June 4 meeting.

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Heights council hears concerns about collapsing retaining wall - The Killeen Daily Herald

Motorcyclist Killed After Crashing Into Retaining Wall In North County  Patch

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Motorcyclist Killed After Crashing Into Retaining Wall In North County - Patch

2 workers rescued after retaining wall collapse in South Ozone Park, Queens  WABC-TV

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2 workers rescued after retaining wall collapse in South Ozone Park, Queens - WABC-TV

The two-year investigation found the New Jersey Department of Transportation ultimately rejected repeated warnings from the highway project's contractor about the material used in the retaining wall's embankment and slope prior to its failure in March 2021.

The retaining wall, identified in construction documents as "Wall 22," is located in the middle of the I-295 Direct Connect project, the billion-dollar plan designed to reduce congestion at the junction of I-295, I-76 and Route 42 in Bellmawr.

State Sen. Paul Moriarty (D-04), who, before representing Camden, Gloucester and Atlantic counties, was a CBS Philadelphia investigative reporter from 1986 to 2003, said there needs to be public accountability/CBS Philadelphia

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South Jersey Lawmakers Demand Answers Following CBS News Philadelphia Investigation Into I-295 Wall Collapse - Patch

Work orders worth Rs. 2.30 crore issued to ensure safety of motorists

Mysore/Mysuru: Even as the work to construct a retaining wall atop Chamundi Hill between View Point and Nandi Statue Road is yet to be completed, several more retaining walls on the main road of the Hill and the road leading to Uthanahalli have collapsed due to heavy rains, endangering the motorists.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has undertaken the restoration of these retaining walls to ensure motorists safety. The main road to the Hill runs from Thavarekatte at the foothill to the parking lot on top of the Hill. The retaining walls, built many years ago, have either been damaged or broken in many places.

Similarly, the retaining walls on the road from Chamundi Hill to the Uthanahalli Jwalamukhi Tripurasundari Devi Temple have also been damaged and broken in places. Some of the damage to the retaining wall has occurred at places with a steep gradient, making these stretches particularly risky for motorists. As such, the PWD has prioritised the restoration of these retaining walls.

The PWD prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) along with an estimate for constructing concrete retaining walls on these two roads. It sought approval from the Government and initiated the tender process even before the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha Elections. Work orders have later been issued to contractors to commence the work.

Two contracts issued

PWD Executive Engineer Raju told Star of Mysore that a contract worth Rs. 1.8 crore has been awarded to one contractor for the restoration of retaining walls from Thavarekatte to the multi-level parking lot building atop the Hill while another contractor has been tasked with restoring the retaining wall along the road from Chamundi Hill to Uttanahalli for Rs. 50 lakh.

Both projects were initiated simultaneously before the start of the Lok Sabha election process, and already 50 percent of the work has been completed. The previously existing stone retaining wall has been removed at places and the available spaces have been expanded concrete walls with iron reinforcements are being constructed from the foundation level.

Instead of the earlier stone retaining wall, which was only 2 feet high, new 4 feet-high concrete retaining walls are being constructed at places where damages have occurred, providing increased safety for two-wheelers, cars, autos, tempos and buses travelling on this route.

Raju stated that the Government approved the construction of concrete retaining walls at the collapsed and weakened spots for the safety of motorists.

He mentioned that the construction of the retaining walls on the main road of Chamundi Hill and the road towards Uttanahalli is progressing rapidly. Additionally, on the other side of the road, areas eroded by rainwater are levelled with cement concrete.

He emphasised the responsibility of regularly maintaining all roads leading to the Hill, noting that the Department prioritises immediate repair as soon as any weakening is noticed.

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Construction of rain-damaged retaining walls underway atop Chamundi Hill - Star of Mysore

MassDevelopment reports it's issued a $21.8-million tax-exempt bond to help finance B'nai B'rith Housing of New England's 63-unit apartment building for people over 55 at 1201 River St. in Hyde Park, where Dempsey's used to be.

All of the apartments in the project, already several months into site clearance and construction, will be rented as affordable, with units reserved for people making between 30% and 60% of the Boston-area median income.

After Dempsey's closed in 2015, two private developers initially proposed a 48-unit condo building on the site, which stretches back along Central Avenue across from the Muni building.

Once completed, it will be the second new apartment building for seniors in the Logan Square area - a short walk from the LGBTQ-friendly Pryde in the former William Barton Rogers School.

1201 River St., filings.

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State helps out with all-affordable apartment building for seniors now under construction in Hyde Park - Universal Hub

ITHACA, N.Y. This round of construction updates will focus on the neighborhoods near Cornell, namely the University Avenue corridor, Cornell Heights and Collegetown. Read on and navigate the following galleries.

For those who missed part one of this gallery series, which looked at projects on Cornells campus, follow the link here.

To begin, the Ithaca Fire Station No. 2 is under construction at 403 Elmwood Avenue, on the cusp of the Collegetown and Belle Sherman neighborhoods. The new 13,400-square-foot building on the corner of Elmwood and Dryden Roads replaces two apartment houses that previously occupied the site.

The planned fire station will include resting quarters, a workout room, classrooms for training, multi-use facilities for skilled practice sessions (previously, the Ithaca Fire Department had to train at the wastewater plant during the winter), and indoor parking bays for fire apparatus. It will also host vehicular and emergency apparatus access, the usual complement of landscaping and lighting, and a rear parking lot with nine spaces.

As noted in a previous Voice update, the fire station will be fully electric, with a planned opening in Summer 2025. It replaces the existing station No. 2 at 309 College Avenue, which was built in 1968 and is functionally obsolete. Its property was sold in a competitive request for bids, and the winner, Integrated Acquisition and Development (developers John Novarr and Phil Proujansky), gave the city this corner site as well as a negotiated $5.1 million payment.

Walking past the site, the concrete foundation falls are being formed and poured, and some steel rebar can be seen poking out from the excavated site. The fire station is partially built into the hillside, so the foundation walls have a stepped appearance, as seen in the last photo.

Beyond the foundation wall are Larssen-style steel sheet pilings, serving as retaining walls to hold the soil back from the building site. As you can see in the background, before they are pile-driven into place, they are actually quite tall, and theyre manufactured to lengths of up to 118 feet.

Streeter Associates won the competitive bid process to build the new station, which is designed by Wendell Mitchell Associates Architects, a suburban Albany firm that specializes in fire stations. Edger Enterprises is performing the construction work; Streeter is the construction manager here, and subcontracted out various aspects of the construction.

Click on any of the above pictures to enlarge and navigate the gallery. Return to the story when youre done.

The Ithaca Voiceis providing a few extra photos on this project, due to its sheer size. Catherine Commons stretches along two blocks on the west side of College Avenue, and is programmatically divided into two portions, Catherine North and Catherine South, each consisting of three apartment buildings and totaling about 265,000 SF of space. The project is the work of longtime local real estate developers John Novarr and Phil Proujansky, who do business asIntegrated Acquisition and Development Corporation.

The buildings will contain approximately 360 residential units (with a net gain of 339 bedrooms versus the previous 11 apartment houses on-site), a 2,600 square-foot commercial space along College Avenue, a 1,600 square-foot private fitness center, and a small parking lot for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and service vehicles.

The project also includes streetscape improvements, several ADA-compliant plaza spaces, pedestrian amenities, and public bus stop infrastructure.The city of Ithacagranted approvals to the project in March 2022. ikon.5 Architects is in charge of design, with Welliver as the general contractor.

The buildout is phased, but not as a simple north/south split. Two of the three buildings of Catherine South are framed, sheathed, and being faced in aluminum panels and terra cotta in a variety of colors, with Building 3b a variety of greens with red accents, and Building 3a a combination of grey and mustard yellow with red accents. The third building in Catherine South, the smaller, gable-roofed Building 4, is fully framed and sheathed, with window fitting and roof installation ongoing. It has yet to receive any exterior finishes.

Meanwhile, on the Catherine North site, Building 1 is receiving its finishes of grey and salmon terra cotta with green steel accents, and Building 2a and 2b have green terra cotta with a lighter green steel on the sides (2a/2b and 3a/3b present as separate buildings, but theyre connected by multi-story skyways).

The marketing websiteboasts of community amenities such as a fitness center, high-speed internet, study lounges, bike storage, a package receiving room, and controlled (gated, essentially) access. Apartments will come furnished, and host a bevy of kitchen appliances, air conditioning, washer/dryer, granite countertops, and vinyl tile floors.Available apartments rangefrom 310 SF studios at $2,000/month to three-bedroom units that provide 1,054 SF and cost about $1,700/bedroom.

The question is always asked: Who can afford these? Collegetown is a captive market, and Cornells student population has grown by 4,000 students, mostly graduate and professional matriculants, in the past decade. Banks dont loan for big projects in Upstate New York unless the market is as solid as a rock. Catherine Commons initial phase of apartments will be occupied this August.

With 325 Dryden complete, AdBro Development (Chris Petrillose) has turned their attention to their next infill project,The William at 108-110 College Avenue. Similarly to its sister project, this project had a rather contentious review process and had to undergo a size reduction in order to obtain Site Plan Approval back in February 2023. It replaces two older apartment houses with a 29-unit, 44-bedroom, four-story apartment building designed by architect Jason Demarest.

As they did for 325 Dryden, Plumb, Level & Squareis handling the buildout of this project. The building is fully framed, sheathed in EnergyShield polyiso foam panels, and overlaid with TyPar housewrap. The primary lapboards are being installed, with the less prominent filler boards to follow. Structural brackets indicate where future balconies will be attached to the building. The black material is Grace Ice and Water Shield, rubberized asphalt more typical to roofing underlayment, and here meant to provide more durable protection from drips and drops below the balconies.

The marketing website shows a variety of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, and extolls fully-furnished units with in-unit washer/dryer, smart TVs, and wi-fi, along with community study rooms and a fitness center.Ads on Zillow show the units will go for $1,600-$2,300/bedroom, utilities not included, with occupancy in time for the Fall 2024 semester.

Cornells Roitman Chabad (ha-BAHD) Center, servicing students of the Jewish faith, is undergoing a buildout of a two-story, 10,000-square-foot addition to their Tudor mansion on the corner of Willard Way and Lake Street. The plans include a new commercial kitchen, a Pesach kitchen, a 140-person dining hall, a 50-seat community room, classrooms, mens mikvah (ceremonial bathing room), and covered ground-level parking.

The project has been in the works for several years, though the COVID pandemic delayed its review for a spell, when the future of in-person higher education was murky. Project plans were approved in 2022, with revisions approved last year.

The masonry elevator core and stairwell have been assembled and steel framework is ongoing for the commercial-grade structure. Concrete has been poured for new staircases on the sloped site. Steel trusses on a small building like this are uncommon, but large group assembly spaces are a heavy-duty use. Signage in front of the Chabad house as well as the Chabad website show the project about 75% of the way towards achievement of a $7.5 million fundraising goal, and state the new building will be completed next spring, though a Cornell fundraising site states January 2025.

Petrie Constructions regional office in suburban Syracuse is handling the buildout. The architectural work, with historical nods toward the century-old Tudor home that has housed Chabad for many years next door, was performed by Jason Demarest. Demarest previously designed the womans mikvah towards the rear of the property.

Modern Living Rentals, led by local landlord and developer Charlie OConnor, is not an attention-seeking type of development company. Most of their projects are renovations. When they do new construction, its small and intended to blend in with its older surroundings. Such is the case with 200 Highland Avenue in Cornell Heights, which was approved by the Planning Board back in February.

The project consists of a new 3,518 square-foot apartment house on a previously vacant swath of land that would comprise one three-bedroom and two five-bedroom units.

Since Cornell Heights is a historic district, architect Mike Barnoskiof local design and build firm Trade Design Build riffs off of the existing house next door, while seeking a modern materials treatment with a green roof and more generous fenestration. Building in historical districts in Ithaca is always a delicate balance of blending in, without mimicking older structures.

The house takes advantage of an ambiguity in the zoning code where technically its an addition to the house next door, through a shared basement connected by a passageway (which former Planning Board Chair Rob Lewis playfully called a party tunnel). This allowed more flexibility in design than cutting off a new building lot would have.

The building is framed and sheathed in plywood ZIP panels, and the rough openings for windows are still being carved out of the frame. The house next door will also be getting a renovation. A small project with wood framing like this may be ready for its first renters by August if the buildout goes smoothly. Nextier Bank of Pennsylvania provided a $980,000 bundled loan for this project and renovations at other MLR properties.

In Collegetown, there are a few projects that have tentative schedules but are yet to begin construction. The Ruby, a 35-unit project at 228 Dryden Road, has been taken over by Visum Development, which the rumor mill reports is having some issues with codes, even though the project is fully approved.

Approved plans for a 35-unit apartment building at 121 Oak Avenue are dead, and while the existing houses at 109 and 111 Valentine Place have been taken down to make way for a new 25-unit, 40-bedroom apartment buildingby Novarr/Proujansky, no construction has taken place in over a year. Even Collegetowns high-priced rentals have struggled to make financing work since interest rates were hiked up last year.

Modern Living Rentals seems likely to have better luck with its six-unit, 18-bedroom infill project at 601 East State Street. Cornell Hillel has plans for a new campus center at 722 University Avenue, but they appear to have turbulence with early zoning board discussions for variances. Ithaca Guns site has been cleared of on-site contaminated soil, but as mentioned by the Industrial Development Agency last month, the project has a financing gap and is unable to move forward for the time being.

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Gallery: See what's under construction near Cornell this spring - The Ithaca Voice