On May 13, the first green home will be built in the Alter Commons development in the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood.
The modular home will be 90 percent complete -- from paint on the walls to floor coverings -- when it is placed onto a pre-dug basement. Its effcient, quality-controlled factory construction is one way that developer Community 1st was able to ensure the home meets stringent sustainability standards. There are five floorplans, ranging from 1,300 to 2,100 square feet.
Community 1st's project captured the attention of Discovery Channel
subsidiary network Planet Green’s "Renovation Nation," and the construction will be filmed for an upcoming episode.
After factory certification, the home will again be rated by a third party to achieve Michigan Green Built and Energy Star
certifications. The goal: environmental consciousness, yes, but also long-term affordability for the homeowner via reduced utility bills, says Mark Lewis of Community 1st.
Six homes of 30 planned for the area have been pre-sold. Community 1st has two other developments planned -- one on the Near East Side called Paradise Valley Estates, expected to break ground this summer, and another in Inkster. All will be affordable and green.
Homebuyers are eligible for up to $60,000 in downpayment assistance, but must take financial literacy courses and be approved by a bank for a mortgage.
Community 1st is partnered with Detroit-native and former NBA player Willie Burton’s Roundball
Development and Jewell’s Place International, a nonprofit agency committed to sustaining viable communities.
Source: Mark Lewis, Community 1st
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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