Show Students Contribute to Community i Through Local Housing Deve Development tit When construction begins earl early earl August for 16 apartments on a narrow narrow narrow nar nar- row strip of land in south Salt Sal Lake several low-income low people who are in the recovering stages o ol of tuberculosis and AIDS will be thankful to three Salt Lake Community Community Community Com Com- College students In a partnership effort between the city of South Salt Lake SL County Community Development Develop Develop- ment Utah State Department of Community and Economic Development and four four were designed as affordable affordable affordable af af- fordable housing for people with special needs Several other businesses businesses businesses busi busi- nesses contributed financial assis assis- tance This is a partnership program and it doesn't come together with just one group group said Doug executive director of the Salt Lake County Housing Authority to people attending the ceremonial ground groundbreaking groundbreaking groundbreaking breaking of the Gregson Apartments last week contribution to the apartments apartments apartments apart apart- ments was honored when city county county county coun coun- ty and state officials shook hands and presented each of the three architectural architectural architectural ar ar- technology students who drew up the plans and their professor sor with certificates I feel good about helping out this is s wh what t i 1 want to do student Tom Richey said His fellow student student student stu stu- dent architects Stan and Kelly Vail nodded adding that the challenge and learning experience were invaluable Not only have I felt successful helping low-income low housing residents residents resi resi- dents but I also helped me Vail said I feel I have learned a lot more and this will help when I go out looking for a job involvement in the project came around Thanksgiving 1994 when Dick Welch of the SL County Housing Authority approached approached approached ap ap- the College seeking architectural architectural architectural ar ar- drawing assistance Having previously worked with in other community ventures Welch said was a clear choice since is concerned with the community and the housing authority was familiar with cooperative and efficient style I immediately had a lot of faith in the gentlemen who were working on the project Welch said We met several times discussed rough proposals and modifications They were very cooperative From the rough drafts that Welch produced the students who volunteered volunteered volunteered volun volun- for the assignment began developing plans for the units learning learning learning learn learn- ing Auto CAD Release as they were using it it to design floor plans They included units that would work for people in wheelchairs as well as used materials to keep the apartments apartments apartments apart apart- ments as maintenance-free maintenance as pos pos- sible We used brick for durability and vinyl siding which could be wiped off to keep the four low e n c m P L I 1 x t g i I 4 li k w t. t 1 C 1 t I mi f I J i p b I 1 t tp tb 1 t Iii students and instructor were recognized at a ceremonial ground breaking Pictured R L-R Stan Tom Richey Dick Welch Instructor Steve Mansfield and Kelly Vail maintenance said However However However How ever some of our other ideas had to tobe tobe tobe be altered because of financial restraints and ADA Americans with Disability Act When the students couldn't puzzle puzzle puzzle out a plan such as raising a wheelchair ramp one inch per foot in limited space or what to do with ex ex- ex- ex cess room in the upstairs apartments since a common area for the laundry facilities occupied the space on the lower level they received assistance from Architectural Technology In Instructor Instructor Instructor In- In Steve Mansfield Because of so many restrictions restrictions it was like a jigsaw puzzle to figure out Mansfield said However these students received real world experience including running into problems city and and keeping construCtion the of the Co dents credit Mansfield for their suc cess See Housing on page 2 Housing continued rom continued from page 1 He was generous with his time always making an effort to be available available avail avail- able Richey said All the instructors are great and make this environment comfortable The group completed the design of the complex by the December holidays but then the construction drawing took another four months It was reviewed about three times by housing officials as well as a structural structural structural tural engineer The students each married enrolled enrolled enrolled en en- rolled in a normal class load during the six-month six project and Richey also worked time full-time jobs while Vail a veteran who has children did work at home so he could provide care for his kids However each remain committed to the project putting in an estimated three hours per weekday Vail worked on site plans and Richey on section detail drawings and handicap dimensions while wis- wis comb who designed the complex would oversee the arrangements The students learned that the apartments ts ere earmarked for TB and AIDS once they were already in in- in Housing is something Ive I've always al always always al- al ways been concerned about Richey said When I had a career in North Carolina in social sciences researching researching researching re re- re- re searching family and child development development develop develop- ment I always noticed that low in come poorly educated families had poor housing Everyone has a right to safe affordable housing For Richey this design has been special as he continues his studies to become an architect who will work on similar projects in the SL Valley plans to graduate from this spring with his associate of applied science degree and then continue his studies to receive a masters master's in architectural technology Vail will graduate this summer and plans to return to the Midwest to design homes Stephanie Peterson director o 0 community service office said that the students as well as the housing authority benefited from the students student's service The st students uden ts really pro profit fi t from service learning she said It broadened their perspective of the community where they live and work By giving of themselves ves they learned the val value ue and responsibility of being citizens in their community |