Families in the city of Hickory, North Carolina, are celebrating the speedy completion of new affordable homes in their community. The homes were built quickly using pre-engineered floor, wall and roof systems fabricated from steel by Steel Framing Industry Association memberย OFFSITEK.
The Charlotte-based integrated construction company uses robots, steel and offsite manufacturing to construct affordable, high-quality homes that are better for the environment, the company says.
Steel Technology Accelerates Building Schedule
Through a public-private partnership with theย city of Hickory,ย JRN Developmentย constructed the affordable steel-framed homes, called Ridgefield Place, using OFFSITEKโs state-of-the-art building technology.
OFFSITEKโs pre-engineered and assembled light-gauge steel framing systems and component kits eliminate waste while maintaining structural quality. The company combines its systems with a proprietary panel system to create a design-led process that accelerates building schedules.
โWe are very excited to provide brand new, affordable quality homes to the residents of Charlotte,โ says Rick Admani Abulhaj, managing director at OFFSITEK. โWith the assistance of local municipalities, we are bringing the latest in innovative construction technology and environmental efficiency to provide first-time buyers a home they will love and a neighborhood they will be proud to be part of.โ
The Steel Framing Advantage
Cold-formed steel (CFS) leads the way as the preferred framing material for prefabricated structures for multiple reasons. CFS is:
- Aย pre-engineeredย material that can be cut to exact lengths
- Dimensionally stableย and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content
- Lightweightย compared to wood and concrete
- Resilientย and will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements
- Sustainableย and 100% recyclable
- Durableย and has a high tensile strength
- Non-combustibleย and is a safeguard against fire accidents
A โCommitment to Our Citizens,โ Mayor Says
The cityโs housing initiative demonstrates Hickoryโs commitment to provide affordable homes for their citizens.
The homes are beingย sold for $155,000 to $168,000ย to eligible families earning up to 80% of the area median income, and will remain affordable for 15 years, even if the homeowner chooses to sell the home during that time.
โWhile we are proud that Hickory has been named one of the nationโs most affordable places to live, we know that housing is still a challenge for many working families in our community,โ says Hank Guess, Hickory mayor. โWith the completion of these affordable homes, the cityโs affordable housing initiative continues to demonstrate Hickoryโs commitment to our citizensโ ability to live in the community where they work and play.โ
JRN is in talks with the city of Hickory to create additional high-quality, low-maintenance homes for low-to-moderate income families.
โWe look forward to building on this projectโs success to provide creative housing solutions in the future,โ Guess says.
OFFSITEK and JRN Continue Partnership
OFFSITEK and JRN also haveย four other projects underwayย in Conover, Lincolnton, Mooresville and West Charlotte, all in North Carolina.
โPartnering with municipalities, local governments and their housing authority and community development partners allows us to fast-track the availability of affordable housing to own or rent,โ says Rick Admani Abulha, CEO of JRN Development. โThese critical partnerships and our high-tech construction process allow us to build quality, sustainable housing for working families.โ