Greene County Development Corporation is looking to bring more housing to the county.

GCDC Executive Director Ken Paxton says Kading Properties from Des Moines is interested in their 25-acre land in the east business park, south of Highway 30 near the Gallup frontage road. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio they could build 30-50 rental units, including townhomes, on that property and secondarily to that project could possibly include 3-D printed housing.

“3-D housing simply is printed outer walls for a house in cement. And they go up very quickly, and they’re economical. The cost of exterior walls through these cement 3-D printing is about half of what stick-built is, utilities costs drop about 60-percent for a cement exterior wall house. The houses are safer, you don’t have to worry about tornadoes and storms as much as you would with a normal house, and you don’t have to worry about safety rooms, and basements, and that kind of thing. So there are a lot of assets.”      

GCDC President Sid Jones mentioned at the regular December board meeting that they are in discussions about 3-D printed housing with the owner of Alquist 3-D Zach Mannheimer, who was involved in the Vision 2020 program for Greene County. 

Paxton notes that while they are waiting for a proposal from Kading Properties, he’s hoping they would start construction this upcoming spring or summer.