1511 - Building Affordable Homes on Cape Cod
November 22-28, 2004 | May 23-29, 2005
HI. I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN.
WE'RE STARTING
A NEW PROJECT TODAY,
AND THIS TIME, IT'S A STORY
ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I'M IN AN AREA
THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED
IN THE TOWN OF MASHPEE
IN MASSACHUSETTS.
TODAY WE'RE GONNA LOOK
AT EXCAVATION AND SERVICES
BEING
PUT INTO THE GROUND
AND LEARN WHAT THE HOUSES
WILL LOOK LIKE
AND WHAT MAKES THEM AFFORDABLE.
STICK AROUND.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE
YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
OUR NEW PROJECT
IS LOCATED IN THE TOWN
OF MASHPEE, MASSACHUSETTS,
HERE ON CAPE COD,
ONE OF THE MOST LOVELY
AND, IN SOME WAYS,
UNDEVELOPED AREAS ON THE CAPE.
MASHPEE, IN FACT,
IS THE TRADITIONAL HOME
OF THE WAMPANOAG INDIAN TRIBES.
THESE ARE THE NATIVE AMERICANS
WHO, IN FACT,
MAY HAVE WELCOMED THE PURITANS
WHEN THEY ARRIVED
ON PLYMOUTH HARBOR.
BUT, IN FACT, IT'S A TOWN
OF MANY DIFFERENT FACES,
AND SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER IT
THE NEWEST TOWN ON CAPE COD,
BECAUSE INCORPORATION
ONLY GOES BACK TO ABOUT 1870.
THE TRADITIONAL TOWN CENTER
OF MASHPEE
IS WHERE THE TOWN HALL IS,
BUT IT'S REALLY JUST
THE INTERSECTION OF TWO ROADS
WHERE YOU HAVE THE TOWN HALL,
THE COMMUNITY ARCHIVES,
A LITTLE MARKET,
AND A COFFEE SHOP.
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU
THE NEW MASHPEE,
WHICH IS A TOWN CENTER
THAT'S BEEN UNDERWAY
FOR ALMOST A DECADE,
AND IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE
OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN PLANNING
AND COMMUNITY PLANNING.
THERE'S MUCH TO SEE HERE,
SO LET'S TALK WITH THE DIRECTOR
OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS,
JIM VACCARO.
AND ALSO, WE'RE GONNA MEET
THE YOUNG FELLOW
WHO'S IN CHARGE OF
CONSTRUCTION HERE--
TOM FERONTIE.
COME ON.
Vila: HI, TOM.
HI, JIM.
HI, BOB.
HOW ARE YOU?
SO I GUESS
THE FIRST QUESTION
I'VE GOT FOR YOU IS,
HOW DID THIS
ALL GET STARTED?
WHAT WAS HERE
IN THE BEGINNING?
IT WAS
A STRIP MALL.
WAS IT REALLY?
PLAIN AND SIMPLE,
LITTLE CONVENIENCE
STORE,
COUPLE OF
LITTLE STORES,
A HAIRDRESSER.
I THINK THERE WAS
A DOCTOR'S OFFICE
A LITTLE
HARDWARE STORE.
THEN ABOUT
18 YEARS AGO,
MR. CHASE CAME ALONG
AND DECIDED
HE WANTED
TO CHANGE IT INTO
A DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO THE OWNER
OF THE LAND
THEN CONTRACTED
WITH A LAND-PLANNING,
URBAN-PLANNING COMPANY.
THAT'S CORRECT,
AND WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THAT
EVER SINCE.
WE'RE DOING IT
INCREMENTALLY.
IT'S A SLOW PROCESS.
EVERY YEAR, WE ADD
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU CAN SEE
THERE'S QUITE A BIT
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
THIS YEAR,
AND THERE'LL BE
SOME MORE NEXT YEAR.
ALL RIGHT, AND IT ISN'T
JUST ABOUT BUILDING
SHOPFRONTS, RIGHT?
THERE'S MORE
TO IT THAN THAT.
OH, YES. IT'S AN OLD
DOWNTOWN AREA,
SO WE NEED TO HAVE
PEOPLE LIVING HERE.
THAT'S WHAT
YOU'RE SEEING
UP ABOVE HERE.
THERE'S GONNA BE
APARTMENTS IN
THIS BUILDING HERE.
THERE'S APARTMENTS
IN THE BUILDING
BEHIND ME.
WE HAVE
SOME APARTMENTS
IN THE BUILDINGS
OVER
THE TALBOTS CENTER
TO OUR LEFT,
AND WE'LL
BE MOVING FORWARD
TO BUILDING
ADDITIONAL
TOWNHOUSES,
CONDOS,
APARTMENT BUILDINGS,
AND SINGLE-FAMILY
HOMES--
ALTOGETHER
ABOUT 380 UNITS.
I KNOW THE LARGEST
CATHOLIC CHURCH
ON THE CAPE
HAS BEEN BUILT HERE
ADJACENT TO THE COMMONS.
YES. CHRIST THE KING
CHURCH IS HERE.
IT'S A VERY
LARGE CHURCH;
BEAUTIFUL
ARCHITECTURE.
IT'S SOMETHING
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA
BE CONSTRUCTING,
HOPEFULLY,
A NEW LIBRARY
ON THE SITE
OF THE EXISTING
LIBRARY,
WHICH IS ACROSS
FROM THE CHURCH
RIGHT NOW.
SO EVERYTHING EXCEPT
FOR THE TOWN OFFICES
THAT ARE STILL
IN THE OLD TOWN CENTER.
LET'S TALK ABOUT
THE CONSTRUCTION,
THE PLAN.
I MEAN, THE OVERALL
THINKING IS THAT IT
COULD HAVE EVOLVED
OVER THE COURSE OF DECADES,
IF NOT CENTURIES,
IN TERMS OF
THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLES
THAT ARE MIXED TOGETHER,
BUT THE PLAN ITSELF
INCORPORATES SO MUCH ELSE.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?
HOW MUCH HAS BEEN BUILT?
Ferontie:
WELL, RIGHT NOW
WHERE WE'RE STANDING
IS RIGHT ABOUT THERE.
THE ONLY PIECES
OF THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT
THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT
UP TO THIS POINT
IN TIME
IS THIS SECTION
RIGHT IN HERE
AND THIS SECTION
RIGHT OVER HERE.
SO ALL THE REMAINDER
OF THIS PLAN
IS STILL IN
THE PLANNING PHASE.
IT'S YET TO BE BUILT.
SO THIS IS WHERE,
PREDOMINANTLY,
THE RESIDENTIAL
IS GOING TO BE.
WE HAVE A SIMILAR
COMMERCIAL CENTER
OVER IN THIS PART
OF MASHPEE COMMONS
THAT WILL BE BUILT
VERY SIMILAR
TO THE PORTION WE'RE
STANDING IN RIGHT NOW.
OK. NOW, JIM, WHAT ABOUT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN AN AREA LIKE THIS?
THAT'S THE PLAN.
OUR NEXT MOVE
IS TO GO TOWARD
ADDING HOUSING.
WE WERE
VERY CONCERNED
THAT THE CAPE
HAS A WORKFORCE
HOUSING SHORTAGE.
WE WANT TO BE PART
OF THAT SOLUTION.
WE NEED A PLACE
FOR THE FOLKS
THAT WORK HERE
TO LIVE THAT
THEY CAN AFFORD.
SO WE'RE PROPOSING
OUR NEW PROPOSAL,
A 40B PROPOSAL--
380 UNITS.
25% OF THOSE WILL BE
DEEDED AFFORDABLE.
A LOT OF
THE APARTMENT UNITS,
EVEN THOUGH
THEY'RE NOT
DEEDED AFFORDABLE,
ARE DE FACTO
AFFORDABLE.
OUR RENTS ARE
VERY REASONABLE.
AND WHAT
ABOUT RETIREES?
WILL THERE BE ANY KIND
OF HOUSING THAT
ADDRESSES THAT NEED?
YES. WE'VE GOT
ONE SECTION--
WHICH IS
RIGHT IN HERE,
WHICH IS
BEHIND THE CHURCH--
WHERE WE'RE
PLANNING ON PUTTING
WHAT WE CALL
PATIO HOMES THERE.
THEY'RE SMALL,
ONE-LEVEL HOMES--
ABOUT 1,000
SQUARE FEET
WITH A PATIO--
FOR ELDERLY.
GREAT. AND ONE
LAST QUESTION ABOUT
THE CONSTRUCTION.
THE ARCHITECTURE
LOOKS ANTIQUE,
BUT WHAT ABOUT
THE TECHNOLOGY
OF THE CONSTRUCTION?
WELL, WE'VE TRIED
TO MAINTAIN
A STRUCTURALLY SOUND
BUILDING ENVIRONMENT
WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING
THE VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
THAT YOU WOULD
FIND ON CAPE COD.
SO WE'VE TRIED
TO INCORPORATE
A LOT OF THE IDEAS
THAT YOU SEE
ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD
AND NANTUCKET--
WITH THE CORNICES,
THE WINDOWS,
THE STOREFRONTS--
WHILE MAINTAINING
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
WITH STRUCTURAL STEEL.
YOU MEAN, YOU GOT
STEEL FRAMES BEHIND
THESE VENEERS.
THAT'S CORRECT.
MOST OF OUR BUILDINGS
ARE STEEL-FRAME
CONSTRUCTION
WITH BRICK VENEER,
LIMESTONE, GRANITE,
SIMILAR MATERIALS
TO THAT.
THANK YOU,
GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
Vila: OUR PROJECT HERE
IN MASHPEE IS CALLED RIVER HILL,
AND IT WILL BE
A SMALL DEVELOPMENT
SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES.
AND WE HAVE PAT FIERO
FROM THE HOUSING
ASSISTANCE CORPORATION,
WHO IS JOINING US
TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE
ASPECTS OF IT.
NOW, HOW DOES
HOUSING ASSISTANCE
PLAY A ROLE IN ALL THIS?
WELL, IN THIS
PARTICULAR CASE,
WE'RE WORKING
WITH THE DEVELOPER
TO DO THE LOTTERY
TO SELL THE HOMES
TO QUALIFIED
LOW-INCOME BUYERS.
SO WHOEVER
WINS A LOTTERY
GETS THE CHANCE
TO BUY ONE OF THE 4
AFFORDABLE HOUSES
THAT WILL BE HERE.
YES. YES.
IT'S NOT LIKE
YOU'RE GIVING
ANYTHING AWAY.
NO. WE'RE DEFINITELY
NOT GIVING THEM AWAY.
YEAH, AND
HOUSING ASSISTANCE
ALSO PLAYS SOME
OTHER FUNCTIONS WITHIN
THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT?
YES. WE PROVIDE
A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES.
WE RUN HOMELESS SHELTERS.
WE PROVIDE
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE DO DO NEW CONSTRUCTION
AND BUILD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING OURSELVES,
AND WE DO A LOT
OF SHELTERING.
AND ONE DOESN'T THINK
ABOUT THESE NECESSITIES
AS BEING PREVALENT
ON A PLACE LIKE
OLD CAPE COD,
BUT IT HAS CHANGED,
AND IT IS A NEW PLACE,
AND IT'S
A POPULAR PLACE,
AND SO HOUSING
IN GENERAL HERE
HAS SKYROCKETED
IN VALUE.
IT REALLY HAS.
WHAT CAN YOU BUY FOR--
CAN YOU BUY ANYTHING FOR
$100,000 OR $200,000?
NO. NO.
IF YOU'RE REAL LUCKY,
YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET
A CONDO IN THE LOW TWOS,
BUT IF YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR A HOUSE,
THERE'S HARDLY ANYTHING
AVAILABLE BELOW 250,
OTHER THAN SOMETHING
THAT'S IN VERY BAD
CONDITION.
I HEARD A STATISTIC
THAT THE MAJORITY OF
HOUSES ON THE MARKET
ARE OVER A MILLION.
OH, IT'S NOT
THAT BAD.
THE AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE
IS $450,000,
BUT IN THE TOWN
OF BARNSTABLE AT
THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR,
THERE WERE 68 HOMES
PRICED AT OVER A MILLION,
AND THERE WERE MORE HOMES
PRICED AT OVER A MILLION
THAN UNDER $350,000,
AND YOU CAN TELL WHAT KIND
OF A PROBLEM THAT CREATES
FOR WORKING PEOPLE.
NOW, PAT, WE'RE IN
THE TOWN OF MASHPEE,
WHERE, FOR A LONG TIME,
THERE WAS A MORATORIUM
ON BUILDING,
AND SO THERE ISN'T
A LOT OF HOUSING STOCK.
AND THERE'S STILL SOME
LAND AVAILABLE NOW,
BUT IN OTHER TOWNS,
WE'VE HAD CONSTANT
DEVELOPMENT
OVER THE LAST
2 OR 3 DECADES,
AND WE EVEN
HAVE CROWDING,
BUT WE HAVE SITUATIONS
WHERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IS NOT VERY POPULAR.
TELL US ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED IN
DENNIS, MASSACHUSETTS,
WHERE WE WERE TRYING
TO DO A SIMILAR PROJECT
BUT WE RAN INTO
SOME TROUBLE.
WELL, DENNIS IS
AN UNUSUAL COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE BEEN
VERY FARSIGHTED.
THEY HAVE INITIATED
AND ADOPTED A ZONING BYLAW
WHICH ALLOWS THEM
TO DEVELOP UNDERSIZED LOTS
FOR AFFORDABLES,
AND THIS SOUNDS
GREAT ON PAPER
UNTIL YOU TRY
AND DO ONE.
AND AS WE WERE TRYING
TO IDENTIFY A LOT,
THE FIRST THING
THAT HAPPENED WAS,
THE REALTOR SAID TO US
AS WE WERE TRYING TO BUY
THE FIRST LOT,
"WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAVE
A DUTY TO THE NEIGHBORS,
AND I NEED
TO LET THEM KNOW,"
AND SO THE NEIGHBORS
WERE WILLING TO BUY THE LOT
FOR MORE THAN
WE WERE ABLE TO PAY
FOR AN AFFORDABLE LOT.
SO THERE WAS ONE LOT.
THE NEXT LOT THAT
WE HAD UNDER AGREEMENT,
WHEN WE GOT
TO THE PLANNING BOARD,
A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORS
TURNED OUT
AND WERE VERY UPSET
AT THE POSSIBILITY
OF CHANGING THE CHARACTER
OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AS WE BUILT ONE
AFFORDABLE HOUSE
ON ONE UNDERSIZED LOT--
BUT NOT A PARTICULARLY
UNDERSIZED LOT,
NOT DRASTICALLY UNDERSIZED--
AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT
ENOUGH OF A MONKEY WRENCH
IN THE PROCESS
THAT WE HAD TO ABANDON
THAT PARTICULAR LOT.
THIS IS CALLED NIMBY--
NOT IN MY BACK YARD--
SYNDROME.
AND IT HAPPENS
ALL THE TIME.
IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME,
AND WHAT'S SAD
IS THAT PEOPLE ARE
AFRAID OF WHO MIGHT COME
LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THEM,
AND THEY FAIL TO REALIZE
THAT IT MIGHT BE
THE POLICEMAN
OR THE TEACHER
OR THE FIREMAN--
SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN
A PART OF THE COMMUNITY
SINCE THEY WERE KIDS;
WERE BORN
AND RAISED THERE,
BUT CANNOT
AFFORD HOUSING
IN THEIR OWN TOWN
BECAUSE OF THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THESE PEOPLE
GENERALLY ARE AFRAID
THAT THEIR OWN
PROPERTY VALUES
ARE GONNA DIMINISH
BECAUSE
THEY'RE CONCERNED
THAT, IN FACT,
THE PEOPLE THAT
WILL MOVE THERE
WILL BE
UNDESIRABLE TO THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT TENDS
TO BE THE ASSUMPTION
THAT MANY NEIGHBORS
MAKE IMMEDIATELY.
I HAD A PROJECT
IN ANOTHER TOWN
THAT WAS
FOR SINGLE PEOPLE
WHO MADE LESS THAN
$33,650 A YEAR,
AND THE IMMEDIATE
ASSUMPTION WAS
THAT THESE WOULD BE
DRUG ABUSERS,
ALCOHOLICS,
CHILD ABUSERS,
MOLESTERS
OF VARIOUS KINDS.
AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY
SAID THIS OUT LOUD
AT THE ZONING BOARD
OF APPEALS HEARINGS.
AND, OF COURSE, IT
ISN'T JUST ON CAPE COD,
BUT ALMOST ANYWHERE
THAT YOU HAVE DESIRABLE
REAL ESTATE.
WHETHER IT'S ON
THE COAST OR NOT,
WHETHER IT'S
IN THE MOUNTAINS,
WHETHER IT'S A RESORT OR
A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY,
YOU'RE GONNA FACE
SIMILAR PROBLEMS
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
COMING UP AND TRYING TO
START FAMILIES.
ABSOLUTELY.
THANKS
FOR COMING ABOARD.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
Vila: NEXT,
WE'LL MEET THE CONTRACTOR
AND GET A LOOK AT
THE STYLE OF HOUSE
THAT'S BEING BUILT.
Vila: JOINING US NOW
IS JOE VALLE,
WHO'S THE DEVELOPER
ON THE PROJECT,
AND WE ARE ON
A PARCEL THAT'S, WHAT,
3 OR 4 ACRES, IS IT?
IT'S 4 1/2 ACRES, BOB.
4 1/2 ACRES.
AND WAS THERE
SOMETHING HERE?
THERE WAS A LITTLE
CAMP AT ONE TIME,
AND WE TOOK THAT OUT
MAYBE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO,
AND IT'S VIRGIN LAND,
BASICALLY.
YEAH. WE'RE IN A REGION
WHERE THERE WERE PEOPLE
COMING HERE
AND BUILDING
LITTLE SUMMER CABINS
AND SUMMER CAMPS
A GENERATION AGO,
BUT IT'S LAND THAT
DID NOT GET DEVELOPED.
IT WASN'T
THAT DESIRABLE.
NO. NOT DEVELOPED
AT ALL.
ITS ZONING WAS FOR
TWO ACRES OF HOUSE LOT.
SO A MINIMUM OF
TWO ACRES PER HOUSE.
RIGHT. SO WE HAD
THE ABILITY TO PUT
TWO HOMES HERE,
AND THE LAND REALLY
DIDN'T LEND ITSELF
VERY WELL TO THAT
BECAUSE OF SOME
TOPOGRAPHICAL
ISSUES WE HAD.
SO IF YOU HAD PUT IN
TWO TWO-ACRE LOTS,
ONE OF THEM WAS
NOT VERY DESIRABLE?
NO, NOT AT ALL.
WE HAD A SMALL
DEPRESSION
THAT WOULD HAVE MADE IT
QUITE DIFFICULT.
AND SO, REALLY,
THE LAND LENT ITSELF
SO WELL TO THIS USE
AND OUR ABILITY
TO LOOK AT IT
AS IF IT WERE
A BLANK SLATE.
HOW MANY LOTS ARE
WE TALKING ABOUT?
THERE ARE A TOTAL
OF 11 LOTS.
11 LOTS, AND YOU'VE
GOT A PLOT PLAN
THAT WE CAN STUDY
A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE'RE STANDING
RIGHT OVER HERE...
THAT'S CORRECT. YEP.
AND THIS IS THE ROAD,
WHICH IS A QUIET
COUNTRY ROAD.
YES, IT IS. YEP.
MEETING HOUSE ROAD
IS NOT VERY WELL USED,
NOT VERY HIGHLY USED.
AND SO WILL
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSES
BE IN ANY
PARTICULAR LOCATION?
YES. I CAN POINT
THEM OUT FOR YOU.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR
AFFORDABLE HOMES
ON THIS LOT.
WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE
HOME HERE,
AFFORDABLE HOME HERE,
AND AFFORDABLE HOME
IN THIS LOCATION.
AND THEN THE OTHERS
WILL BE...
THEY WILL BE
MARKET HOMES.
MARKET VALUES.
NOW, WHAT IS
A MARKET-VALUE HOME IN
THIS KIND OF LOCATION?
MARKET VALUE HERE RANGES
FROM BETWEEN $339,000
TO $359,000.
THAT'S A BIG NUMBER,
BUT, OF COURSE,
THIS IS MASSACHUSETTS,
AND THIS IS CAPE COD,
WHICH IS A VERY
DESIRABLE AREA,
AND AS WE KNOW, THAT'S
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND
TEACHERS AND POLICEMEN
TO AFFORD HOUSES.
AND SO THE HOUSES
THEMSELVES WILL LOOK
LIKE THIS, HUH?
YES, THEY ARE.
WE HAVE 3 DIFFERENT
STYLES, BOB.
WE'VE GOT A RANCH,
A CAPE, AND A COLONIAL,
AND THEY RANGE IN SIZE
FROM ABOUT 1,320 SQUARE FEET
TO ABOUT
1,600 SQUARE FEET,
AND THEY'RE
VERY TRADITIONAL HOMES,
TRADITIONAL STYLING,
TRADITIONAL PLANS.
WHAT KIND OF SIDING
WILL BE ON IT?
SIDING WILL BE
WOOD SIDING--
WHITE CEDAR SHINGLE
AND WHITE CLAPBOARD,
WHITE CEDAR CLAPBOARD.
WHICH IS RELATIVELY
UPSCALE MATERIALS,
AND I GUESS WHAT
I WANT TO GET AT
IS THAT THERE WON'T
REALLY BE ANY DIFFERENCE
IN THE APPEARANCE
OR IN THE QUALITY
OF THE HOUSES
BETWEEN
AN AFFORDABLE HOUSE AND
A MARKET-VALUE HOUSE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
ALL THE HOMES
NEED TO LOOK THE SAME,
HAVE THE SAME STYLING,
HAVE THE SAME EXTERIOR
AND INTERIOR.
THE SPECIFICATIONS
ARE ALL THE SAME,
BOTH INSIDE AND OUT,
AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY
OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND HOW IS IT
THAT IT WORKS?
IT'S BASICALLY
LEGISLATION
AND COOPERATION WITH
THE TOWN, RIGHT?
YES. MM-HMM,
AND EVERY TOWN
LOOKS AT THIS KIND OF
HOUSING A DIFFERENT WAY.
MASHPEE--FOR THEM WAS
THE FIRST TIME THAT
THEY HAD DONE THIS
AND FOR ME, THE SAME,
AND SO THEY WERE
LEARNING AS THEY WENT,
AND I WAS, AS WELL.
WHAT THE LEGISLATION DOES IS,
IT GIVES US THE ABILITY
TO CREATE A PLAN THAT
TAKES BEST USE OF THE LAND
AND ACTUALLY TO INCREASE
DENSITY SOMEWHAT.
BY DOING THAT, WE'RE ABLE
TO OFFSET THE COST OF
THE AFFORDABLE HOMES--
WHICH, REALLY,
WE'RE BUILDING
FOR LESS THAN COST--
AND THEY GET OFFSET
BY THE MARKET HOMES,
HOPEFULLY.
AND THAT'S
THE WHOLE THEORY
BEHIND THIS
KIND OF HOUSING.
AND WHAT ABOUT
THE DEVELOPER'S PROFIT?
WELL, WE'RE LIMITED
IN OUR PROFITABILITY
IN THAT WE HAVE
A 20% CAP ON COSTS.
SOMETIMES YOU REACH THAT,
ALTHOUGH IN THIS COMMUNITY,
IT'S GONNA BE A BIT
DIFFICULT TO REACH THAT 20%
SIMPLY BECAUSE
OF ALL OF THE COSTS
THAT WE WILL HAVE
AND THE ESCALATION
IN COST SINCE WE STARTED.
OUR BUILDING COSTS
HAVE GONE UP.
YEAH. THE PRICE
OF A SHEET OF PLYWOOD
HAS KIND OF DOUBLED
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
IT'S DOUBLED, AND IT
SEEMS TO KEEP GOING ON US,
AND WE'RE TRYING
TO RECONCILE THAT.
WELL, JOE, IT'S GONNA BE
EXCITING TO WATCH.
YES. YES. THANK YOU.
Vila: WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS
OF EXCAVATING AND PREPARING
THE BUILDING LOTS.
Vila: NEXT TIME ON...
WE'RE BEGINNING
AN AFFORDABLE-HOUSING STORY
IN THE TOWN OF MASHPEE
ON CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS.
FIRST, WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT
OF THE MASHPEE TOWN CENTER
ACCORDING TO A MASTER
ARCHITECTURAL PLAN.
NEXT, WE'LL MEET
WITH THE CONTRACTOR
AND LEARN ABOUT THE STYLE
OF HOUSE THAT WE'RE BUILDING.
FINALLY, WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THE EXCAVATION OF THE SITE
AND THE PREPARATION NEEDED
BEFORE WE START CONSTRUCTION.
SO DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME
ON "HOME AGAIN."
Vila: NEXT TIME ON...
WE'RE STARTING THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSE
IN THE TOWN OF MASHPEE
ON CAPE COD.
DON'T MISS IT.
Vila: BOB BEVILACQUA
IS JOINING US NOW,
AND HE STARTED HIS
HEAVY-CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
BACK IN THE EIGHTIES HERE
ON THE CAPE, RIGHT?
SO THERE'S A LOT
OF EARTHMOVING INVOLVED
IN DEVELOPING A LITTLE
4-ACRE SITE LIKE THIS.
ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT HAVE YOU
HAD TO DO?
I MEAN, HOW DID YOU
GET STARTED?
WE HAD TO CLEAR
ALL THE TREES,
REMOVE ALL THE STUMPS,
STRIP ALL THE TOPSOIL,
AS YOU SEE.
BEHIND ME OVER THERE,
WE SCREENED THAT ALL UP.
SO THAT BIG PILE
THAT'S COVERED IN THOSE
BRIGHT GREEN WEEDS
IS ACTUAL LOAM
THAT WILL BE REUSED.
THAT'S ALL LOAM.
GONNA BE REUSED ON
THE ROAD SHOULDERS
AND ON ALL
THE PROPERTIES
WHEN THEY LANDSCAPE.
WHEN THEY DO
THE FINAL LANDSCAPING.
AND WAS THAT
REALLY USEFUL?
IS IT GOOD SOIL?
ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT HAVE YOU
DONE TO IT?
WE BROUGHT IN
A SCREENING PLANT,
AND WE SCREENED IT
ALL DOWN TO 3/4 INCH
AND GOT ALL THE DEBRIS
OUT OF IT,
AND IT'S ALL
PERFECTLY SUITABLE.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT
CUTTING IN FROM THE ROAD
AND PUTTING IN
ALL THIS BLACKTOP?
WE STRIPPED ALL THE CLAY
OUT OF THE AREAS
WHERE IT
WAS PRETTY DEEP.
UP IN THIS AREA
RIGHT HERE, IT WAS
PRETTY THICK WITH CLAY.
WE STRIPPED
ALL THAT OUT,
AND WE PUT IT
DOWN IN THE RETENTION
AREA OVER HERE,
WHERE YOU SEE,
AND USED THAT
TO BUILD THESE BERMS.
YEAH. THIS IS WHAT'S
A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING.
WE KNOW WHERE ALL
THE DIFFERENT LOTS ARE,
AND THERE'S A LOT RIGHT
OVER THERE ON THE RIGHT
AND THEN TWO MORE TO
THE STREET, BUT WHAT'S
GONNA BE DOWN IN HERE?
THIS IS ALL
THE RETENTION AREA
FOR ALL THE DRAINAGE
ON THE ROAD.
SO THERE'S NO SEWERS
ON THE STREET TO TAKE--
STORM SEWERS.
THERE ARE STORM DRAINS
BEHIND US HERE AND
ALL THE WAY DOWN,
AND THEY
PICK UP THE WATER.
THE WATER RUNS
FROM THERE DOWN
INTO THIS SEDIMENT TANK.
THIS HERE?
AND THAT CATCHES
ANY GREASE OR WHAT
HAVE YOU IN THERE,
AND THEN IT FLOWS INTO
THESE DRAIN MANHOLES
AND ACTUALLY SPILLS OUT
DOWN INTO THE BOTTOM
OF THAT RETENTION AREA.
SO THAT AREA THAT
LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE
POOL OR POND BASE,
YOU'RE CREATING THAT
SO THAT IF THERE'S
EXCESS WATER,
IT'S COLLECTED THERE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THIS
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME?
THIS IS ALL GONNA BE
A HOUSE LOT RIGHT HERE
WHERE THE PILE
OF RIP RAP IS,
AND THE GRADE OF THIS
WILL ALL BE BUILT
RIGHT UP TO
THE STREET LEVEL IN HERE
AND ALL SLOPED OFF
DOWN INTO THERE.
THAT'S GOT TO BE
A HUGE AMOUNT OF FILL.
I MEAN,
HOW MANY CUBIC YARDS
ARE YOU TALKING?
THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT,
OH, 3,000 YARDS OF FILL
GOING IN THERE WHEN
WE'RE ALL SAID AND DONE.
WHEN YOU'RE ALL DONE.
AND EACH ONE OF THESE
BIG TRUCKS
THAT WE WERE JUST
LOOKING AT DUMPING--
HOW MANY YARDS
DOES THAT CARRY?
ABOUT 20 TO 25 YARDS
IN THIS TRUCK.
WOW. I DON'T WANT
TO DO THE MATH.
THAT'S A LOT OF--
THAT'S A LOT OF TRUCKS.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA BE
ABLE TO GET MOST
OF THE MATERIAL FOR FILLING
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE SITE.
WELL, SO FAR, WE'VE
GOT ALL THE MATERIAL
FOR THE SITE
FROM THE OTHER LOTS.
WE'RE CUTTING DOWN
SOME OF THE GRADES
ON THE OTHER LOTS
AND TAKING
THAT FILL MATERIAL
TO BUILD THIS AREA UP.
SO WE'RE TRYING
TO DO THIS BY USING
EVERYTHING ON SITE,
BRINGING NOT MUCH
OF ANYTHING IN.
WHAT ABOUT
THE ROAD BED?
DID YOU HAVE TO
BRING IN A BASE FOR IT?
WE BROUGHT IN A RECYCLED
CONCRETE-ASPHALT MIX
BASE FOR THE ROAD,
WHICH WE CRUSHED UP FROM
DEMOLITION PROJECTS.
AND THEN ACROSS THE STREET,
WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER
HOW MANY LOTS?
MAYBE 4?
THERE'S 3 LOTS
ON THIS SIDE.
3 ON THIS SIDE?
OK, AND THESE ARE ALL
10,000-SQUARE-FOOT LOTS.
WHAT DID YOU DO HERE,
JUST SCRAPE THEM?
WE BASICALLY
JUST STRIPPED
THE TOPSOIL OFF THESE
AND LEFT THEM
PRETTY MUCH
WHERE THEY WERE.
SO WHAT YOU SEE
IS WHAT YOU GET.
THIS IS
CAPE COD TERRAIN.
PRETTY MUCH SO.
AND SO THE WORK IS NOT
TERRIBLY DIFFICULT.
THERE'S NO BIG BOULDERS
TO DEAL WITH?
NOT IN THIS AREA,
THERE'S NOT.
NOT IN THIS AREA.
I MEAN, THIS WAS
ALL FORMED BY
THE GLACIAL MORAYING
MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,
AND SO THAT IN SOME
AREAS, YOU WILL FIND
ENORMOUS STONES.
THERE'S BIG ROCKS
AROUND.
WHAT DO YOU ALREADY
HAVE IN PLACE, BOB?
WHAT'S THIS,
FOR EXAMPLE?
THESE ARE THE ELECTRICAL
TRANSFORMER BOXES,
AND THEY'LL PULL
THE WIRE THROUGH THOSE.
SO THE WIRING WILL BE
UNDERGROUND THROUGHOUT
THE LITTLE DEVELOPMENT.
ABSOLUTELY.
AND WHAT
HAPPENS HERE?
YOU'LL SEE ONE OF
THOSE BIG GRAY BOXES
ON TOP OF HERE?
THE BIG
GREEN BOX. YEP.
AND THAT'S WHAT
DISTRIBUTES THE POWER
DOWN TO
THE INDIVIDUAL HOMES.
EXACTLY.
AND WHAT'S--
THESE ARE THE SERVICES
FOR EACH LOT.
SO YOU'LL HAVE
ELECTRICAL AND CABLE
AND PHONE
ALL IN ONE PLACE.
AND THEN THAT'S
ANOTHER LOT,
AND THEN THE THIRD LOT
IS DOWN THERE.
HOW MUCH TIME LEFT
BEFORE BUILDERS
CAN START PUTTING IN
FOUNDATIONS HERE?
THEY'LL BE PUTTING IN
FOUNDATIONS TOMORROW,
PROBABLY.
OH, THAT'S EXCELLENT.
GREAT.
Vila: WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT
WITH A PREVIEW OF OUR NEXT SHOW.
WELL, THAT'S A WRAP.
COME HOME AGAIN NEXT TIME,
WHEN WE'LL BE LEARNING MORE
ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU
HOME AGAIN.
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