CLEVELAND — 3D-printed homes are inching closer towards becoming reality in Cleveland, as two new renderings of the homes are released.
Two 3D-printed homes are scheduled to be built within 18 months. The city of Cleveland is giving half a million dollars to assist the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry with the project.
Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry’s Michael Sering said they had been thinking about pursuing 3D-printed homes in Cleveland for roughly five years, but he noted this was the right time for everyone involved in the project.
The exact location of the homes has yet to be made official, but there are some clues into how it may play out.
“We don’t have the exact sites yet for the homes,” said Sering. “We do a lot of work in the St. Clair/Superior area. That’s where our offices are. That’s where our other housing initiatives are, so it’s possible that it would be near there, but, ultimately, we would love to have homes all over the city.
This project is being explored by city leaders as a possible way to provide affordable housing.
“Working families absolutely need pathways to begin to create some type of wealth. For many people, that is a home,” said Cleveland City Council Member Stephanie Howse-Jones. “But, if you do not have an affordable home—that people can actually afford, then that reality will never be. So, I think it is very pressing on leaders like myself to be able to bring forth solutions that can help to at least see if this is a viable option.
As the project moves forward in its early stages, those involved said they want the community to be involved at every step.
“We want to show people different styles, looks, textures and see what people resonate with,” said Sering. “We want people to think about do they want a cool, modern look or do houses that can fit into their existing community look. You can really make a 3d house to look like anything, so we want their input all along the way.”