Barrington Hills, NH - Site Demonstration

PATH - A Public Private Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology

Project Chronology

March 2002 - New Hampshire Community Loan Fund (NHCLF) maked initial contact with Steven Winter Asociates (SWA). SWA expressed keen interest.

April 2002 - SWA visited NHCLF to meet Project Manager Rick Keller, Paul Bradley, Julie Eads; site visit with Kate Hartnett, The Jordan Institute; visit to SPNHF solar HQ. SWA sent "Plan of Action" detailing necessary steps. SWA agreed to send proposed layout of homes for help in site planning. NHCLF requests clarification of PATH funding for SWA from state legislators. HUD approved Level 1 PATH involvement for SWA. SWA reported on builder contacts and home costs to NHCLF; sent two-story design. NHCLF omnibus site planning and coordination meeting was held; SWA's Gordon Tully participated by telephone; resulted in detailed site plan.

May 2002 - PATH sent pricing and builders' stock plans to NHCLF, as well as conceptual site plan with homes solar-oriented. PATH responded to questions on site planning and design.

June 2002 - PATH sent specifications for setup so NHCLF can obtain prices. NHCLF talked to Kris Jensen about slabs; PATH resolved some questions on foundations for NHCLF pricing.

July 2002 - PATH prepared and sent conceptual rendering for use in planning review. NHCLF filed plans for review, alerting abutters. PATH responded to questions about substitute for vinyl siding.

August 2002 - NHCLF held Design Phase Hearing with the Barrington Planning Board with OK to proceed; minor concerns about hammerhead turnaround, number of children added to school, play space, and whether old variance was still running; pleased with environmentally responsible approach; no abutter objections. New Hampshire was newly citing over-height home sections, which may impact costs. SWA funded to continue PATH work for another year. HUD OKed continuing work on project; requested Level 2 involvement proposal from SWA. NHCLF forwarded letters of support for PATH and project from NH Federal legislators.

September 2002 - Project received first stage approval from the planning board. Work continued for the full approval submittal.

October 2002 - SWA submitted the Media Plan along with a request for Level 2 funding.

November 2002 - Media Plan submitted. October meeting of the Barrington Planning Board did not draw local opposition; however, due to full agenda, Board postponed consideration of the project until November.

December 2002 - Project met final site plan approval. There was pressure to use an exterior finish other than vinyl siding, possibly fiber-cement siding.

January 2003 - Gordon Tully made a site visit to review project requirements. In response to the interest in passive solar design, PATH developed two plans for 28' x 48' homes with their living spaces oriented away from the road, one end-on and one side-on. NHCLF solicited interest of Titan Homes and New Era, two companies that offer Hardie siding.

February 2003 - NHCLF approved the passive solar home plans; plans were sent to Titan, New Era and Burlington.

March 2003 - Titan Industries and New Era were both on board with no word from Burlington. At least one test well achieved the minimum flow. A teleconference took place with HUD, NHCLF, PATH, and Senator Gregg regarding plans for groundbreaking in August.

April 2003 - PATH received prices from Burlington, and submitted a bid package to Titan Homes, Ritz-Craft Homes, and New Era. Only Titan and New Era could respond with a Cape design. The 48-hour flow test of wells was satisfactorily completed. The water test was delayed due to a backlog in the lab. PATH prepared a standard foundation design and specifications for pricing with a design featuring gravel trench footings and a slab.

May 2003 - The first home was scheduled for late July. PATH prepared a rendering for local promotion. NHCLF had prices from Burlington, Ritz-Craft and Titan, though they were still unable to get a quote from New Era.

June 2003 - The first home was delayed due to well approvals. PATH continued to help NHCLF compare prices between manufacturers.

July 2003 - Gary Spaulding prepared site engineering drawings. PATH made changes, and prepared fully detailed plans for typical basement and slab foundations. Unable to secure a logger to clear the site, and finding all quotes for home septic systems, foundations and site work to exceed the budget, NHCLF decided to delay the project. Plans were for building roads in early fall, marketing during the winter, and setting the first home in the spring. Alternative lower priced septic system was under consideration. Gary Spaulding, site engineer for the project, started to work for NHCLF.

August 2003 - The logger was scheduled for early September, with road work soon thereafter. After a delay, NHCLF and PATH were working on an alternative foundation design that abandons the slab in favor of trench footings with a short CMU frostwall and individual pads (or strip footings) under the home's piers. New Era was exhibiting intense renewed interest, and offered to fly Rick Keller to Pennsylvania to see their plants.

September 2003 - Rick Keller was impressed with the New Era and Castle plants on his visit to Pennsylvania. The logger came onto the site in mid-September. Bids were received for the roadwork, with contractor selection to be made at the end of the month.

Content updated on 9/13/2005

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