Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity Rowhouse Renovation
As neighborhoods in Baltimore improve and become redeveloped, it can be difficult to maintain affordable housing for low-income people. To ensure that there is a mix of opportunities, Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity purchased twelve vacant properties in Washington Village / Pigtown neighborhood to renovate for first-time home buyers participating in their program. This was one of the largest groupings of homes by Chesapeake Habitat in the city, and it overwhelmed their volunteer resources.
The Neighborhood Design Center was asked to help Chesapeake Habitat in developing plans that would be used by Habitat staff and volunteers to renovate the rowhouses. Bob Cauldwell, from Gensler, a member of NDC's Volunteer Hall of Fame, volunteered to lead the project with assistance from also Olya Karnatova, from Gensler, and Pam Schwab, of Pam Schwab Architect.
Because several of the rowhouses were of the same size and orientation, a set of typical plans were developed by Bob and Olya that converted a two bedroom house into a three bedroom house with an upgraded kitchen. One house, however, posed a significant challenge. Because of its location on a corner of non-perpendicular streets, the resulting floor plan was an awkward parallelogram. Pam was able to successfully develop plans that met the client's needs.
Over half of the houses have completed renovations and are now occupied by homeowners who would not have had a chance to purchase a house otherwise. Additionally, several of the houses received funding to incorporate energy conservation features that will save the homeowner money, proving that green building practices can be incorporated into affordable housing.
Project Completion: 2006
Project Location: Washington Village/Pigtown Baltimore, MD
NDC Volunteers: Bob Cauldwell, Gensler; Olya Karnatova, Gensler; Pam Schwab, Pam Schwab Architect