In Eastern Colorado, a remarkable project recently came to fruition, fundamentally changing the landscape of Kit Carson. This endeavor, born from a powerful partnership between Kit Carson Rural Development and Fading West, transformed what were once two unhabitable lots into a vibrant new community of five much-needed homes. Truly, the combined efforts of EVstudio and these two entities were instrumental in navigating every stage, from initial concept to final occupancy, bolstering the community’s infrastructure and offering new opportunities for its residents.
The project developed five homes to offer a variety of sizes to meet diverse needs, thoughtfully designed to maximize comfort and utility. Four of the residences are spacious and comfortable, each spanning approximately 1,220 square feet, providing ample living space for families or individuals. Furthermore, a fifth home, generously sized at 1,600 square feet, was thoughtfully developed to meet Universal Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) requirements, ensuring it is fully accessible and inclusive to qualify for HUD financing. This commitment to accessibility underscores the project’s dedication to serving all members of the community, thereby ensuring that everyone can find a suitable and comfortable home. This addition boosted the total home inventory in Kit Carson to 100 homes for the area’s approximately 205 residents at the time, a substantial improvement for the community.
This development utilized modular construction in partnership with Fading West. This cutting-edge approach meant that while site preparation was underway in Kit Carson, the homes themselves were being meticulously built off-site in a controlled environment. Indeed, this method not only ensured consistent quality and precision but also significantly reduced on-site disruption and overall construction time, thereby accelerating the project’s progress efficiently.
Project Timeline:
The journey to bring these homes to life began in November 2021, marking the initial planning and conceptualization phase.
The project moved swiftly into the permitting stage, with applications submitted in June 2022.
The project began coming to life in November 2022, when the modules for these five homes began construction in Fading West’s Factory over approximately 1 month having completed fabrication December 2022.
Subsequently, in February 2023, the modules were set onto their foundations in Kit Carson. It was a rapid and impressive process, as nearly finished homes were lifted and precisely placed. Following the setting of the modules, the final touches and utility connections were completed with meticulous care and the exterior covered porches, balconies and garages were constructed.
By June 2023, a mere 19 months after the project began, the 5 homes were ready for occupancy, and new tenants began moving in, bringing new life and energy to the neighborhood.
The project won an Eagle Award where the affordable housing community of Colorado voted it as a People’s Choice project in 2024.
