This blog is a record of one development team in downtown Philly trying to see if they can build both a modern and “green” house for a measly $100,000.
The number
How did we come up with $100K as a target for our house. Basically $100K seems to be the “magic number” in circles of those of us seeking an affordable and modern home. Whether it’s for an affordable housing initiative or simply someone wishing they could afford to build their own home for a reasonable amount, $100K or $100 a square foot seems to be the target.
The house
The house we are planning to build is going to be a very basic 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath house with roughly 1,000 square feet of livable space. It will be two stories and easily built on any infill, urban lot (or suburban if you don’t mind being different). The 1,000 sq ft size is meant to hit both the $100K and $100 psf target construction cost at the same time while also providing a house capable of supporting a couple or small family. The house will also be designed for ease of additions in the future as the home owner’s requirements for more space change.
The location
An urban, infill lot in an up and coming neighborhood just north of center city Philadelphia know as New or East Kensington. The lot is roughly 18′ wide by 60′ deep which will share walls with a house on either side of it. How’s that for infill!
The team
The team consists of a developer (postgreen), an architect (interface studio architects) and a builder (Manor Hill) in the developing neighborhood of Kensington just north of Center City Philadelphia.
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Contributors to the Blog
Chad Ludeman
Chad is the President of Postgreen, a real estate development company focusing on modern and “green” development in Philadelphia’s urban neighborhoods.
Chad’s background is in Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering which is why he likes to research and write about geeky green building topics so much. He also loves modern architecture and entrepreneurship, which is why Postgreen and this blog exist. Chad is devoted to proving that green and modern architecture can be affordable for the average working stiff or will at least die trying.
email: chad [at] postgreen.com
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Nic Darling
Nic Darling is the “Marketing and PR Guy” for Postgreen though he occasionally claims other job titles such as “Minister of Information” or “Poet in Residence”. He has a tendency toward long-winded philosophical rambling and opinionated diatribes, but he tries to only use those powers for good. The 100k House particularly appeals to Nic in its role as an essay on our lifestyle and habits of consumption, topics that have facinated him long before Chad was kind enough to bring him on board.
email nic[at]postgreen.com
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Image Credits - John Rozier
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