Alfred State breaks ground on House 57

House 57 Foundation Digging

At a glance

heavy equipment vehiclesAs work continues to progress on House 56, Alfred State College students and faculty recently broke ground on what will become the 57th home the school has constructed for the Wellsville community.

Big Blue Ox graphic

As work continues to progress on House 56, Alfred State College students and faculty recently broke ground on what will become the 57th home the school has constructed for the Wellsville community.

According to Building Trades Department Chair Jack Jones, the site has been cleared and the driveway has been installed for House 57. Once completed, the 1,600-square-foot residence will include three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a 450-square-foot deck, a full walk-out basement, a three-car garage, and an additional 420-square-foot bonus room for future expansion.

The project involves the efforts of students in numerous programs, including building trades: building construction; heavy equipment operations; masonry; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; and electrical construction and maintenance electrician.

Jones noted that the construction of House 57 is an exciting opportunity.

“Because of a partnership on a construction project with the village of Wellsville this year, we have been able to prepare a more relaxed schedule for the construction of this house,” he said. “Doing so increases the already indispensable educational value of the project. Additionally, we have been able to partner with BuilderTrend, a software company who has granted us a subscription to their project management platform to add even more educational merit to this and other construction projects.”

The houses Alfred State students regularly build for the Wellsville community, valued at more than $200,000, take two years to complete and are then subsequently sold on the open market and occupied.

heavy equipment operations student is shown here digging the foundation of the house.
Heavy equipment operations student digging the foundation
of the house

Students build and detail the houses in a subdivision owned by the Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc., a private foundation dedicated to improving the Alfred State community through the support of educational programs. The Educational Foundation funds the construction of the houses.

Under the supervision of their instructors, tomorrow’s craftspeople prove themselves by building for discerning homeowners. For students, it’s an unmatched opportunity to put their learning into practice and gain real-world experience.

“As always, the faculty, staff, and students involved in the construction of these houses are grateful for the terrific partnership with the Ed Foundation,” Jones said.

In addition to beginning work on House 57, students and faculty are also wrapping up construction on House 56, which was delayed because of COVID-19. According to Jones, work is expected to be completed on that home in May 2021.