It’s been a few short years since
Postgreen Homes made headlines with their award-winning
100K House. Since then, they’ve held true to the project’s defining principles, delivering eco-friendly new construction housing that is also affordable. The developers are now introducing a new home model to the Philly market: the Snapback Project in East Kensington.
Designed by award-winning contemporary architecture firm
Interface Studio Architects, Snapback delivers a powerful punch despite its smaller than average stature.
In Philadelphia, most new construction townhomes are three stories tall, at a minimum. The Snapback units are two stories, but with an added bonus: a basement that’s five feet higher than standard. This allows more light and air to enter and gives homebuyers more flexibility with the space.
According to Chad Ludeman, president of
Postgreen Homes, the idea is to deliver a flexible house with three floors worth of potential space for the construction cost of two. "The concept was solidified when we consulted for a developer in Chicago who brought to our attention that most new homes in the Windy City are constructed this way," says Ludeman.
With a higher-than-average ceiling height, the basements offer the homebuyer the opportunity to
customize the home. Ludeman believes families can grow into the house, leaving the space unfinished at first but, over time, finishing it out as a spare bedroom for children, a home office or guest suite.
The homes, which are currently being framed, are selling for $300-$350 thousand, a price tag Ludeman says would have been much higher had they built traditional three-story homes. "The buyer is probably saving forty to fifty thousand dollars with this two-story model," he explains.
Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about for Ludemann and Postgreen: building new construction units with price points attainable at the Area Median Income of a Philly household. For market rate homes in the city, that number is $200-$450 thousand.
With other projects like
Duplexcellence in South Kensington selling for as low as $250 thousand, Postgreen now has 14 units of affordable market rate housing under its belt. Building where land is cheap, keeping homes small and using basic finishes keeps costs low, while still allowing the projects to have a modern feel and sleek design.
"We’re not a non-profit," says Ludeman. "We still have to make money, but we’re constantly looking for ways to pass savings on to homebuyers."
Source: Chad Ludeman, Postgreen Homes
Writer:
Greg Meckstroth