Live on 1st
Live on 1st is a row of three modular detached all-electric "smart houses" on 1st Street South at 4th Avenue South, near Washington Elementary School in North Titusville. They were developed in 2022 by Navigate Affordable Housing Partners.
Beginning in 2018, Navigate partnered with the Housing Affordability Trust, Design Initiative, and Alabama Power's "Smart Neighborhood" initiative to develop the houses, which are named "Rayfield I" and "Rayfield II" in honor of noted Black architect Wallace Rayfield.
The 1,300 square-foot houses are built of pre-fabricated modules manufactured by Franklin Homes of Russellville, pieced together on-site by general contractor Drake Homes of Homewood. They feature energy-efficient equipment and lighting, along with electric vehicle charging stations and smart-home features such as programmable thermostats and doorbell security cameras. The developers estimated that residents would save approximately $900 per year on utility bills relative to comparable houses.
Part of the intent of the development was to support homeownership in a neighborhood where renters predominate, which was a goal set forth in the Titusville Community Framework Plan. The houses were marketed to new homebuyers in the middle-income range, earning between $40,000 and $60,000 a year. They sold for an estimated $150,000 each.
References
- Shirley, Chris (May 12, 2021) "Modular Building Smarter: Live on 1st" Navigatehousing.com
- Parker, Illyshia (February 17, 2022) "Navigate Affordable Housing Partners, Alabama Power bring smart homes to Titusville." Birmingham Business Journal
- "Live on 1st, new Smart Neighborhood in Birmingham’s historic North Titusville" (April 28, 2022) WBRC.com
- Short, Cody (December 12, 2022) "Smart Homes Made Affordable for Birmingham Residents" WBHM.org / BirminghamWatch
External links
- Live on 1st website