news links
Making Town Living More Affordable
The Roanoke Times, 3/4/07
Christiansburg Builder Wins National Environmental Award
The Roanoke Times, 3/1/07
Green Living: Affordable Housing in Blacksburg Historic District
The Roanoke Times Soundslide, 3/1/07
Whatever good things we build, end up building us.
- Jim Rohn
mary drummond's story
Six years ago, Mary Drummond suggested to her church that senior citizens in the Newport News, Virginia area needed a safe community to call home. However, challenges and delays kept Mary from seeing her dream come true until CHP stepped in as a partner a year ago. CHP's construction team worked tirelessly to finish Checed Warwick, the 48-unit elderly residential property, in time to meet funding deadlines. In just four months after the property opened, Checed Warwick was fully leased in part due to Mary's recruiting efforts. She was so pleased with her new home, she spread the word to many others about her new community.
“People have been so nice and encouraging, so it was worth waiting for.”
-Mary Drummond
redefining affordable housing
through sustainable construction
Initially, our volunteer crews undertook simple home repairs for elderly and disabled households. Several years later, we began providing weatherization services, utilizing our own crews to carry out this work. Construction activities continued to increase in volume and complexity as we expanded, and by the mid 1980’s we became a Class A licensed General Contractor. Today, rehabilitation and new construction projects take place throughout CHP’s footprint, which has expanded from Virginia into Kentucky and Florida. Our building projects range from historic renovations to single-family homes, focusing in particular on multi-family housing renovations. The Construction Department's methods and practices have been a model for green and sustainable building, leading us to be a premier builder in the non-profit community.
environmental sustainability
CHP’s commitment to environmental responsibility is evidenced by our focus on sustainable site development to conserve natural areas, use of green and durable building components, installation of water and energy saving appliances, and our ecological materials management system that enables us to divert construction waste by “reducing, reusing and recycling.” Often, waste material and landscape refuse is processed for use on future CHP projects.
economic sustainability
The adaptive re-use of non-residential buildings for housing and the renovation of historic structures have been important components of CHP’s construction activities. Several historic homes and buildings have been rescued from disrepair and restored into safe and affordable housing for the community.
social sustainability
CHP works with other developers and community-based organizations to build attractive, sustainable communities in Virginia, Kentucky, and Florida. Typical projects include scattered single-family construction, large-scale apartment communities, and mixed income co-housing communities and commercial projects such as the Free Clinic in Christiansburg, Virginia. Working with our in-house architect and LEED® Accredited Professional, CHPalso built the Tekoa Boys Home, an award-winning housing community for at-risk youths in Blacksburg, Virginia.
