the hildebran Switch!
This summer, we will begin work on our six-acre, 44-home development, The Hildebran Switch, to provide attainable housing options for Burke County's low- to moderate-income individuals, families and seniors.
Subcontractors needed
Open Hearts Place, the General Contractor for Hildebran Switch, is seeking qualified subcontractors for the following trades:
- Surveying
- Grading (including constructing the roadways)
- Plumbing (underground sewer & water installation)
Below are the finalized civil engineering drawings that show the layout for this pocket neighborhood with plenty of shared green space for residents. Homes will be built using industrialized construction (integrating manufacturing processes in a factory environment to improve efficiency and reduce costs) and are intentionally small (650-1300 SF) to be cost and energy efficient. All will be net-zero ready, the highest level of energy efficiency to keep energy costs low forever.
Click here to learn more !
Photo taken by Anne Thompson
Phase 2 Is Complete!
With the completion of these 3 homes, we now have 6 families participating in the Open Hearts Place program!
Our second set of three houses certainly went up quicker than the phase 1 houses, and we were very excited about the expansion of our programming opportunities, doubling our capacity from three families to six! Each of these houses has the same 3 bed/2 bath layout (1056 sq/ft) but with a different type of front porch to personalize the appearance of each house. This expansion of our programming capacity included our moving from a part-time case manager to a full-time program director who will continue handling the case management work while also helping to make our programming more holistic and effective.
See some of our progress shots for phase 2
Phase 1 Is Complete!
Phase 1 of the OHP Program included building three homes on two lots. They are located on Hudson street adjacent to S. Sterling St., behind St. Matthews United Methodist Church on Shady Rest Rd. OHP built two 1100 SF homes - 3 bedrooms and 2 bath each and one 650 SF home - 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. The homes' styles are traditional and fit in nicely with the surrounding neighborhood.
OHP is already working future phases which will include building more homes on lots and/or land that will need to be acquired. The success of each phase will lend itself to the following phases, allowing OHP to endure and prosper, thereby making a difference by "equipping families for success"!
We continue to look for land and partners so we can build more houses. We hope to repeat the process over and over.
Housing shortages are an issue but we truly believe many families need to expand their village and increase their knowledge before they move into home ownership. OHP intends to be that village that breaks the cycle of poverty two generations at a time.
A look back at phase 1....
We've broke ground!!! Check out our progress through May 27th 2021. The first video shows the cleared and graded site with footers poured and drying, awaiting the 44" high retaining wall on those two sides.
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This next video shows construction experts installing the new-fangled foundation system, which makes for a better continuous pour foundation wall. The waterproofing and insulating properties of the Styrofoam and rigid plastic "concrete forms" will be a great benefit for these new homes!
Images courtesy of Elise Johnson