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Local Housing Authorities not only are required to provide decent housing, they also have a responsibility to provide dwellings which enhance the community. This year's Good Works issue showcases homes throughout the country which represent the commitment of housing officials, residents, architects, and neighbors to improve their neighborhoods. These developments prove that with community, public, and private support, affordable housing can be a positive part of America's communities.
MER ROUGE VILLAS Owner: Marshall Planning and Development Architect: Wenzel & Associates Tunica, MS
Mer Rouge Villas, Mer Rouge, Louisiana, was a recipient of President Clinton's Presidential Design Award, presented for federally funded projects that foster the highest level of national and international standards in design. Mer Rouge also was awarded the Membership, State, and Regional Design Honor Awards by the American Institute of Architects in 1988.
The first design innovation is in the choice of the site itself. The architect was able to successfully combine the positive attributes of a well-considered design with the mandates of cost-effective construction. By relying on off-the-shelf, standardized components, the architect produced maximum effect with minimal dollars. The Mer Rouge Villas development was funded by the Farmers Home Administration.
The 33-unit development consists of 16 one-bedroom units, 12 two-bedroom units, and five two-bedroom townhouses. The plan includes a community building that serves as the design's focal point. The community building houses the manager's unit, administrative office, laundry facilities, and maintenance areas. The building forms relate to one another aesthetically, yet, each building exists as a separate entity. Mer Rouge Villas displays an uplifting design reflective of its rural neighborhood. The graceful antebellum houses of the surrounding neighborhood are in keeping with the location's rural atmosphere. The buildings also feature peaked roofs, arched windows, clapboards, columns, and front and side porches. These government-subsidized, low-income villas cost $36,000 per unit, including land, utilities, and "soft costs." The total cost of the project was $983,083. The award-winning Mer Rouge Villas is a model for American rural low-cost housing. (Photograph by Timothy Hursley, Little Rock, AR.)
WILSON STREET HOMES Owner: Lexington Housing Authority Architect/Builder: Sherman-Carter-Barnhart, Lexington, KY
The Wilson Street Homes are the latest public housing developments in Lexington, Kentucky. Located throughout Lexington, are 10 of the 96 single-family units constructed with funding from...