Fitzsimmons SW 17th & 18th Housing

[warreng88]

Fitzsimmons sets sights on south OKC neighborhood, draws up plan
by Kelley Chambers
The Journal Record May 29, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY – In about four months one south Oklahoma City neighborhood will look quite different.

Construction is set to begin within the next month on the first six of 13 homes between SW 17th and SW 18th streets near S. McKinley Avenue.
Architect Brian Fitzsimmons is drawing up plans for the homes, which will have modern flair, plenty of windows for natural light, and sloped roofs that when seen side-by-side will resemble the shape of a butterfly’s wings. The addition is called Mi Tierra.

Despite their modern design, the homes will be targeted toward first-time buyers who earn 80 percent of the median household income.

The homes are being built by the nonprofit Neighborhood Housing Services Oklahoma City Inc. The group works on the city, state and national level to secure funding to offer counseling and education programs to get low- to moderate-income families into new homes.

Roland Chupik, executive director for Neighborhood Housing, said this year the organization will build 25 homes in the metro area, 13 of those at Mi Tierra.

The homes will be built for certification by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“We are getting into the green building arena,” Chupik said. “This will be our first 100-percent green building project.”

The Mi Tierra homes will range from 1,200 square feet to 1,500 square feet and will be priced from $90,000 to $110,000.

Fitzsimmons said he was given a blank canvas for the design; that allowed him to be creative and have some fun.

“This is an opportunity to see if we can accomplish quality architecture at a reasonable budget,” he said. “I think we’re going to get there.”

Mi Tierra homes will have garages that are set back so that living spaces will have views of the street.

“We didn’t want a typical suburban development dominated by the garages,” Fitzsimmons said. “The visual character on the street will be greatly varied.”
Neighborhood Housing acquired the land this year from the Latino Development Agency, which built and sold five homes on the block in 2006.

Chupik said that organization offered them the land to build affordable homes.

“They asked if we would take over their existing projects,” he said. “We’re going to finish it out with those 13 units.”

County records show many of the homes on the neighboring blocks were built in the 1950s. Chupik said he has seen renewed interest and revitalization in other neighborhoods where his organization has built homes and expects to see the same near Mi Tierra.

The project is in the permitting process, which is supposed to wrap up in the next month. At that time construction will begin and Chupik said the first homes should be completed in about four months.

Fitzsimmons said he was intrigued by the chance to design LEED-certified homes in the development.

“They called me and I jumped at the chance,” he said.

http://journalrecord.com/article.cfm?recid=99114

[soonerguru]

This is extremely cool.

[warreng88]

This is the area just west of the Downtown Airpark. If the Grant humphrey's project is still a go and this Fitzsimmons project plays out, this area will develop very rapidly.

[tuck]

Very Cool!!!

[amylynn5656]

This is great!! Hopefully more LEED-certified homes will start popping up! I just bought a house but would jump at the chance for one that is LEED-certified!

[metro]

Here's the pic that went with the article.


Brian Fitzsimmons with Fitzsimmons Architects is designing 13 homes for Neighborhood Housing Services of Oklahoma City. (Photo by Maike Sabolich)

[metro]

[amylynn5656]

Do want.

[warreng88]

[QUOTE=metro;229313][QUOTE]

What I am confused about it that it said the garages would be set back so there would be views of the street. I took this to mean they would maybe be on the side or set further back. I guess I was thinking it would look different.

[metro]

same here warren, doesn't look like a big setback on the garages, 6 ft maybe. I understand what he's saying, in most suburban cookie cutter developments, the garage is set up more and you have to walk about 6-10 ft in on the side of the garage to the door. Looks like he's just switching the two, so in that regard, I suppose it does make sense in making the door more of the focal point and less-so the garage as in most of suburbia.

[julieriggs]

I love modern/contemporary designs... but I look at that roof line and think LEAKS. I would be interested to see that in more detail.

GREAT project, however. Wonderful to see a blighted area close to downtown renewed in a way that is inclusive of current residents.

[soonerguru]

I want one.

[warreng88]

Update:

Sustainable, attainable

Group building green houses for low- to moderate-income families
By Brianna Bailey
The Journal Record
Posted: 09:53 PM Thursday, June 17, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY – A local nonprofit group is building 13 eco-friendly homes for low- to moderate-income families in southwest Oklahoma City with the help of a $550,000 grant from the city.

The first two green homes in the development, called Mi Tierra, are already near completion. Sponsored by the nonprofit housing organization Neighborhood Housing Services, the development is in the area around SW 18th Street and S. McKinley Avenue, near Rotary Park.

“Our economy has changed somewhat and the need in particular for low- to moderate-income housing is very strong in Oklahoma,” said Roland Chupik, executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services.

The homes will range in size from 1,200 to 1,800 square feet. Neighborhood Housing Services expects all 13 homes in the development to be completed by August 2011.

Mi Tierra homes will have energy-saving features, including walls with spray-foam insulation to reduce heat and cooling costs and heating and cooling systems that use geothermal technology. The systems work by using circulating water from the earth to heat and cool the homes. The houses also will have energy-efficient windows and roofing.

The green features will save their future homeowners up to 50 percent on their monthly energy bills, Chupik said.

There is a huge need for affordable housing in Oklahoma City, particularly in the southwestern part of the inner city area where Mi Tierra is being built, said Russell Claus, director of city planning.

“We will never have adequate capacity,” Claus said. “We are trying to do something more than just baseline housing and providing something that is going to be sustainable in the long term.”

Neighborhood Housing Services hopes Mi Tierra’s green, energy-saving features will eventually earn the development a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold or platinum rating for energy efficiency.

Neighborhood Housing Services acquired Mi Tierra from the Latino Community Development Agency in 2006.

The community development agency had already built and sold five homes in the development when Neighborhood Housing Services took over the project.

Potential buyers in Mi Tierra must be first-time homeowners and make below 80 percent of the median household income of $58,500 for a family of four. Neighborhood Housing Services is also offering up to $10,000 in down-payment assistance to qualified applicants.

[CuatrodeMayo]

It's a tract home with the roof upside down.

[benman]

Does anyone know what these are going to sell for?

[warreng88]

Does anyone know what these are going to sell for?

The top article stated $90-$110K depending on size.

[Platemaker]

How a family of four making $46,800 or less can afford $90-$110K is amazing to me.

[benman]

I probably shouldnt have skimmed the article so quick...
and i agree that im not sure how a family of 4 will be able to afford that on a 46k income..

[mugofbeer]

Assuming a payment of about $700 a month, PIE, thats < 19% pmt.-to-income. That's within acceptible lending norms. However, any lender will want to also see the rest of the family bills and debts. Plus, the family may have some savings to use as a down payment or principal reduction.

[Spartan]

I am so glad someone is making something out of the southside finally. This will be HUGE.

I'll post a rational response later, I'm just glad this is finally going forward.

[Platemaker]

Assuming a payment of about $700 a month, PIE, thats < 19% pmt.-to-income. That's within acceptible lending norms. However, any lender will want to also see the rest of the family bills and debts. Plus, the family may have some savings to use as a down payment or principal reduction.

Hmmm.... My salary isn't far from that and $700 a month in mortgage/rent is not affordable... and I'm single. I couldn't imagine having 3 other mouths to feed, a reliable car (or two), AND manage to save.

Sounds like a recipe for foreclosure.

[benman]

I drove by the houses down there that have been built and theres 2 more going up. Needless to say, they are less than impressive. The sloped roofs and more "contemporary" architecture doesnt look as good as it does in the renderings. They look very cheap and theres no way I would pay $100,000+ for one. If someone is going to buy a 100k house im not sure why they wouldnt head north for a house in an established neighborhood with more amenities near by.
On a lighter note, they are much better looking than most of the houses down there that are falling apart, so thats a good thing.

[mugofbeer]

Hmmm.... My salary isn't far from that and $700 a month in mortgage/rent is not affordable... and I'm single. I couldn't imagine having 3 other mouths to feed, a reliable car (or two), AND manage to save.

Sounds like a recipe for foreclosure.

It all depends on what all you have going on besides the house payment.

[ljbab728]

It all depends on what all you have going on besides the house payment.

Exactly, my income is certainly less than the amount mentioned and that sounds very affordable to me.

[ljbab728]

I drove by the houses down there that have been built and theres 2 more going up. Needless to say, they are less than impressive. The sloped roofs and more "contemporary" architecture doesnt look as good as it does in the renderings. They look very cheap and theres no way I would pay $100,000+ for one. If someone is going to buy a 100k house im not sure why they wouldnt head north for a house in an established neighborhood with more amenities near by.
On a lighter note, they are much better looking than most of the houses down there that are falling apart, so thats a good thing.

This is another example of North Side snobbery. Nothing on the South Side is worth fixing up or redeveloping. We should just bulldoze everything and everyone should move North.

Even Spartan likes this and he's always a North Side advocate.