Urban Reserve Lot "Green Modernist Community"

A great wooded lot in the Urban Reserve development just went on the market and is the least expensive lot in the development.  This lot has a premium location and the price of $135K includes plans for a modernist home.  Pictures and more info can be found at www.midcenturymoderndallashomes.com.

Is CCM the builder of all of the homes? From the AIA tour, it seemed as though there was a very large "quality" span on the construction. Unfortunately, some of it was worse than even what your typical tract homebuilder would slap together, very disappointing. The Criss-Cross house was nice though which is why I question if the same builder is doing all of the homes.

Jonathan - CCM is the exclusive builder on all the Urba Reserve homes. I went to the AIA tour several weeks ago. I like the fact that some of the homes (the wood exterior one) were of less expensive construction and very viable for afforadble modern housing. I wish I knew what the sales price would be.

I have to balance all this with the statement Diane Cheatum said at the AIA event back in the spring at Buchanon's office - "I can't build any house (construction only) for under $200 a foot" and this is her $200 a foot product I am scared, very scared.

Not impressed with the Chris Craft house. The finishes are extremely basic for a $1.4 million house. Pine floors and ceramic tile? The staircase felt like a paper towel tube.

For the costs in UR, they are all a disappointment, from a relative standpoint the CC house is better than the others are but still overpriced. What shocked me was that the little "crap" box across the street from the CC House is listed for $699K, are you kidding me! $699,000 for a 1200sqft box that looks like it is fastened with bailing wire and duct tape. I am not being critical of the design, just how poorly it is constructed. I find it all ironic that Diane stated at the original concept premier a few years ago at DWR that the goal was "affordable modern" with lots starting at $100K and out the door house and land for $250K. Now the cheapest is the previously mentioned “box” I feel the Kessler Woods development to have much nicer houses but they too are far more than the average fan of modern architecture can afford.

Yeah - the cube house is not good. That house should be $400k - maximum. The most annoying thing about is the 3 foot wide staircase. Every house of Buchanon's I have been in has a 3 foot wide staircase. I don't know how people even get furniture in them.

My guess is that CCM is using their market power to increase their margins. Alternatively, it may take them a lot of extra time to put together houses that have such different structures and details and finishes. The Dallas residential construction market is all focused on traditional details and a level of rational apathy regarding quality by all involved that leads to screw-ups that most buyers do not notice. Time is money and if building these houses takes time, then they will be a lot more expensive.

 

So the big question is whether the market for modernism in Dallas is deep enough that someone else could do a development of $115/SF modern houses with all the quality of a typical builder's custom house.

Jeff, I think we all agree it is difficult to do "affordable" modern housing. Custom design work is going to set you back an additional 10-15% due to design fees. I do not really consider the McMansions as custom homes because typically, they are builder designed and not architect designed (and I would argue it shows.) I think you could do the $115/sf if land is not included, in fact I know that I could (I agree modernism at its root is not expensive.) However, once you add in land it is a new ball game, now site selection and negotiation become paramount and is usually the deal breaker. In our neighborhood, we looked at purchasing that double lot (now home to a McMansion) but the numbers would just not work. Even with a sale price of 200k, 100k per lot, the comps in the neighborhood would not allow a decent profit margin, especially given the risk of two modern homes set in a sea of 1700sqft 1950s ranch homes. It probably does take CCM a bit more time to construct the homes, but the quality should reflect this. IMHO, the quality shown on the cube house would be unacceptable even for a $100k tract house in Murphy.

I'll agree with that. That cube house is just weird. I am absolutely sure it could be done for less than $200k, add in a $125k lot and $325 should do it (with basic but nice finish out). But beyond that...

The math you described for the double lot will never change. Over in Preston Hollow, the same lot would have sold for $600kand the math for a modern house would have looked just as unfavorable. Until the architect designed modern house is worth 20% more than what builders like Texas-Anderson can produce, that market will always preempt moderist spec houses. The only situation where it might work is to find lots that the Texas-Andersons of the world believe are unbuildable (the Jonathan Segal model).

I think the best answer going is the modern stock plan like LaVardera is doing. Design one house and the design cost adds 15%, use the same plan for 15 houses and the design cost becomes 1% on average. But I know the idea is, by and large, not favored by architects.

 

 

Jeffrey,

$115 per foot is totally possible on a simple house. This assumes only above ground construction and no soft costs (interest, arch, fees, etc.) I think a house like this is possible.

http://www.urbanreserve.net/forum/showthread.php?t=478

The difficulty for a builder is doing one house. It is not a effective way to do construction, unless you have 3 or 4 houses in the same neighborhood that you can build at the same time and spread the CM fees around.

The other factor is square footage and configuration. A 2,500 square foot 3 bed / 2.5 bath house is more difficult to build at $115 per foot than a 3,000 square foot 3 bed / 2.5 bath with a study. The extra 500 square feet might only cost $50 a foot to build and therefore helps bring down the overall number.

 

I agree on all counts. I am sure a volume builder could do a bunch of houses this simple for $90/SF. The issue is how to get up to a larger scale. The only examples we have in Dallas UR and KW are all $200/SF+. So why hasn't anyone tried a small neighborhood in the suburbs (infill on a leftover 4-8 acres) with houses selling for $110/SF? I cannot answer that question. Before UR started up, I actually emailled Dianne with this question and... she blew me off. 18 months later I went to DWR to see teh UR presentation and thought thier $100/SF goal was off.

Jeffrey - I was at an AIA event back in the summer with all the AIA and high end builder snobs. Diane said she can't build a house for under $200 per foot regardless of how simple it is.

We had a contract on urban fill lot back with lots of trees and creek to do a modern community of 23 homes priced at $550,000 (2,500 to 2,650 square feet) to $700,000 (3,000 to 3,200 square feet). This was January 2008 and we decided to walk because of the lending climate. Loved to have done the project, but we would never would have got construction financing.

I think UR has the right construction finish going on some of the houses (like the simple one on the last AIA tour) but I haven't seen any of the simple ones on the market. All their stuff (and Kessler Woods for that matter) is $350 a foot. We were going to target $225.

Maybe one day, we will get out of this financial mess and things will get back to normal.

Previously Jason wrote:

Jonathan - CCM is the exclusive builder on all the Urba Reserve homes. I went to the AIA tour several weeks ago. I like the fact that some of the homes (the wood exterior one) were of less expensive construction and very viable for afforadble modern housing. I wish I knew what the sales price would be.

I have to balance all this with the statement Diane Cheatum said at the AIA event back in the spring at Buchanon's office - "I can't build any house (construction only) for under $200 a foot" and this is her $200 a foot product I am scared, very scared.

Not impressed with the Chris Craft house. The finishes are extremely basic for a $1.4 million house. Pine floors and ceramic tile? The staircase felt like a paper towel tube.

Jason, you are incorrect.  CCM is NOT the exclusive builder for those lots outside the Option Period (which is the case for the lot listed for sale by Ed Murchison).  According to Section 7.16 of the UR Covenants and Restrictions (available on the UR website at: http://www.urbanreserve.net/guidelines/declarations.pdf), the builder must only be approved by the Architectural Review Committee prior to construction in order to be deemed an "Approved Builder." 

Previously Nic wrote:

Previously Jason wrote:

Jonathan - CCM is the exclusive builder on all the Urba Reserve homes. I went to the AIA tour several weeks ago. I like the fact that some of the homes (the wood exterior one) were of less expensive construction and very viable for afforadble modern housing. I wish I knew what the sales price would be.

I have to balance all this with the statement Diane Cheatum said at the AIA event back in the spring at Buchanon's office - "I can't build any house (construction only) for under $200 a foot" and this is her $200 a foot product I am scared, very scared.

Not impressed with the Chris Craft house. The finishes are extremely basic for a $1.4 million house. Pine floors and ceramic tile? The staircase felt like a paper towel tube.

Jason, you are incorrect.  CCM is NOT the exclusive builder for those lots outside the Option Period (which is the case for the lot listed for sale by Ed Murchison).  According to Section 7.16 of the UR Covenants and Restrictions (available on the UR website at: http://www.urbanreserve.net/guidelines/declarations.pdf), the builder must only be approved by the Architectural Review Committee prior to construction in order to be deemed an "Approved Builder." 

 

Previously Jason wrote:

It seems that even Diane Cheatham underestimated the cost of custom construction with basic finishes, and maybe the UR has not fully decided exactly what it wants to be, which is not necessarily a negative.  But, delays in construction usually means price increases.

Design is first, quality construction second, setting is third and the number of high-end finishes-for-the-price is a distant fourth for me.

I think the best effort yet at good and affordable design at around $250/sf with lot is going on the market soon, a powder-coated low-luster steel-clad home with over 2100 sf.  It's sleek, basic, roomy, open, understated, a little edgy on the outside and unpretentious inside--the kind of house I look for in new modern.  More info to follow.

 

I do like the cube house in the urban reserve. However, I'm also puzzled about the price? I ride my bicycle through the Urban Reserve almost daily and followed the construction of that house. The foundation was really basic (small concrete pier/beam). The garage(?) portion stacked up with CMUs in a day or two. Framing of the main structure was done in a couple of days (stick-built). When I saw the finished product during the AIA tour, I didn't notice any expensive finishes (to the contrary, the cheap plastic siding next to the staircase would be the first thing I'd replace with frosted glass, if I'd own this place).

 

@Galore - I think the huge steel house at the entrance was/is going to be Diane Cheatum's personal residence. As of the last AIA tour she was living in the "Chris Craft" house which is for sale. I am guess in this economy, she is taking it slow.

 

The steel and concrete home at the entrance will be Diane Cheatham's personal residence.  It is designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.  I don't know her construction timeline.  If I remember correctly, it is on two lots and is significantly larger than the other homes in the Reserve.  Based on the size and quality of William and Tsien's previous work, I would presume it would be worth more.

The house at 45 Vanguard is a small home (around 1600 sf) and a lot of labor on the house was done by the owner using as many recycled or reclaimed materials as possible. By comparison, the Criss Craft house was 3900 sf and had many green features that added to the cost, including LEED Gold certification. 

I would not assume that the Urban Reserve is a community for the "every man". New modern construction, especially the details, takes more time and depend on the quality of the architect's drawings, the particular subs on the job, and the owner and architect's attention to the details as the house is built.  I would love to see more modern homes in the $200-400k price range, one which more middle class families could afford, but sadly these are few and far inbetween and are difficult for builders to make a profit from.   

I can understand frowning on Diane's statement that she will not build anything under $200/sf, but isn't that her prerogative to run her business as she feels suitable?  This is America, right? 

 

 

I don’t think anyone here is questioning her business plan or what she is “able” to charge. I fully believe in charging what the market will bear. If she can charge 2, 3 even $500 a square foot more power to her, I am glad the market for modern is so starved people are willing to pay these types of prices. Not to speak for others, but I think the issue is two fold. One, the community was first advertised as “affordable” modern housing, and we can argue what “affordable means.” However, million dollar homes are not affordable. Nevertheless, the real beef is that these homes are not constructed to a level that would justify the cost. From what has been open to the public to review and critique the build quality is that of $100K starter homes, not $300+ a square foot artisan work. The homes would probably be fine for half or a third of the cost, just not for the asking price.

I'll agree. I was at a public announcement/explanation of UR at DWR before they ever broke ground and there was definitely a claim that sub $100/SF was feasible. But more than that, we just moved in to our modern house (lots of steel and glass) and it cost us (hard construction costs) about $130-$135/SF. Take out the probably $10/SF it cost me to fix builder and sub contractor screw- ups, the structural steel and SIP construction and I am sure $125/SF is possible. So if the market will bear $200/SF, more power to her, but she shouldn't make it sound like <$200 is impossible.

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We don't usually think about door hardware, but once installed you realize the value that these stainless steel door hardware added to any home or office.
It is a great thing to change before selling a home; home buyers pay attention to details, so with these modern hardware, the details will be here.

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^ The spamming in every thread is getting old. Moderators is there a way to control this?

Previously Jonathan Oltmann wrote:

^ The spamming in every thread is getting old. Moderators is there a way to control this?

J.O. - I agree the spamming is bad and should be eradicated but I will say the site our illustrious do-badder(sp) that bastard,  noted has some quite tasty  product  (remnants of college speak) which may prove to be very useful to my projects in the future. - TG

 

Case in Point - the wall panel system - haven't been able to locate it anywhere and poof there it was. (like a gift from God) very cool.

 

BTW: Have you checked out the most recent additions to my design collection? www.greicohomes.com (shameless plug)

Double Post

Tom, Yep, seen a few of your signs up around over in my part of town. I hope that this down economy is not hitting your business too hard. I agree people should be able to get their products out there, and the point of the forum is for new ideas and products to get out to those who may want them. However, when the same post is put into five different threads all on the same day it seems a bit excessive. I would suggest that the individual start a thread just dealing with the subject matter, if named correctly it will be easy for others to find if they use the "search" function. Alternatively, if the product must be pushing in individual threads without provocation at least do not post five on one day at one time.

Can someone tell me where to get that bamboo they have as landscaping that seems to stop growing around 4 feet tall??????

The plant is called Horsetail Reed. I am sure North Haven Gardens has it but you can also buy it online

http://www.buyplantsonline.com/horsetail-reed-plant.html

Cool Stuff

 

Previously Tom Greico wrote:

The plant is called Horsetail Reed. I am sure North Haven Gardens has it but you can also buy it online

http://www.buyplantsonline.com/horsetail-reed-plant.html

Cool Stuff

 Horsetail Reed is a very cool architectural plant.  When planting it, you should take containment into consideration since it does spread similar to bamboo.