EAST LANSING, Mich. — Avondale Square has won a platinum award in the In-Fill Category of the 2015 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The City of East Lansing, Mayberry Homes and Capital Area Housing Partnership (CAHP) have worked together to develop Avondale Square in an effort to strengthen the City’s appeal to homeowners and provide opportunities for young families to live in East Lansing. The Evans Group was the architect for the project.
Avondale Square is a small, quaint, family-friendly neighborhood that will consist of 26 single-family detached homes at completion. Currently, 21 of the 26 homes have been built, including 10 income-qualified homes and 11 market rate homes. There are five market rate homes yet to be built.
Each home in this mixed-income neighborhood has a distinct elevation, complementary color palette and classic style, complete with a front porch and lane-oriented garage. The neighborhood also features two pocket parks and is located in a prime location, within walking distance of several schools, parks, community amenities and the City’s downtown.
The Avondale Square project has been identified as part of the City of East Lansing’s Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA), which allowed the City to receive $1.5 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address street, sewer and sidewalk improvements; housing rehabilitation; and down payment assistance for the income qualified households.
Now in its 32nd year, BALA recognizes outstanding achievement by builders and design professionals in all sectors of the residential housing industry, including single-family production, custom, rental, affordable, interiors, remodeling, community and international, based on the principle that good design is not, and should not be, limited to high-priced and/or custom homes. Even the simplest, most affordable homes can receive an award if they showcase good design.
“The BALAs are the most prestigious awards of their kind, recognizing the very best in residential home design,” said Heather McCune, 2015 BALA subcommittee co-chair and director of marketing at the Southern California-based design firm Bassenian | Lagoni. “Those who become BALA recipients join an esteemed group of the most talented home building professionals, many of whom are continually driving our industry toward new heights of creativity and ingenuity.”
Award winners were announced during the annual NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.
Additional Information about the BALA program can be found at www.nahb.org/BALA, including the 2015 BALA Portfolio, featuring a review of design trends and project photographs.
There is one market rate home and one income-qualified home currently for sale in Avondale Square. Prospective home buyers can contact Mayberry Homes at (517) 371-5000 to learn more. Home buyers interested in the income-qualified buyer incentives available through Capital Area Housing Partnership, http://www.capitalareahousing.org, can contact Mikki Droste at (517) 332-4663 or mdroste@capitalareahousing.org.