Twin Cities Habitat crews have been busy in the southwest metro this summer. They've built (or are building) two homes in Jordan, four homes in Savage and four homes in Shakopee. This week members of the Shakopee Chamber of Commerce are working two of the homes on Philipp Way.
The day I visited they were building the sub-floor for a home that'll be sponsored by Delta Airlines. Across the street, electricians were wiring a home that is much further along. These homes are down the street from one that is being built by volunteers and funds supplied by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and its partner congregations. Thrivent is Twin Cities Habitat's single largest supporter. We've gotten great support from local churches, businesses and individuals - but we need even more big-hearted helpers to finish all these homes in time for the Habitat families to buy them.
A Habitat home is also going up on Morab Avenue near Shakopee High School. It's framed and waiting for more volunteers to help with the roofing and interior wall work. Site Supervisor Craig says he could use a lot more help so the project can stay on track. If you, or a group you belong to, want to volunteer for a day, a week or on an ongoing basis please click on the link below.
Twin Cities Habitat volunteers will be building a total of four homes in the coming months in one development in Shakopee. The first home of this busy summer is right on schedule thanks to Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake, which is part of Thrivent Financial's unique partnership with Habitat for Humanity known as Thrivent Builds.
The day I visited, it was the staff from Shepherd of the Lake who were the volunteers. They were hanging drywall. They did take the opportunity to sign their work with some inspirational graffiti on the inside of one of the partially built walls.
Thrivent Builds is the largest single sponsor of Twin Cities Habitat - having supplied funds and volunteers for more than 80 homes. Congregations around the metro are a part of this wonderful program.
Just down the street from where this current home is being built, the foundation is already being prepared fpr the next two Habitat homes. Twin Cities Habitat also has four homes being built in Savage and two in Jordan this summer. These projects are great for these southwest metro communities, but it also means more volunteers are needed than in years past.
Volunteering for Habitat is a great way to learn something new, meet new people, have fun, stay active and help a hardworking, low-income family realize the dream of a stable place to call home. No construction experience is required and you don't have to bring your own tools. To find out more click the banner below.
Twin Cities Habitat volunteers are pretty familiar with Philipp Avenue in Shakopee. In the past few years they've helped build six homes and now a seventh is going up - and fast. After just a few weeks it is fully framed and the garage is basically done. The roof is all set to be put on in the next day or two and the electrical work could be done this week.
This week some energetic volunteers from Sauer Danfoss, which manufactures precision machine parts in Plymouth, are on site for a couple days. They work quick. They hauled in all the insulation for the entire home in less than five minutes.
Later this summer, Volunteers from the Thrivent Builds with Habitat partnership will be on site to do all of the interior work for the home. Thrivent Builds is sponsoring six Twin Cities Habitat homes around the metro this year. Thrivent is the all-time largest contributor to Twin Cities Habitat.
A build by the Builder's Association of the Twin Cities (BATC)
August 15, 2011
This blitz build has come a long way in just a few short weeks. The entire home has already been framed, wrapped and insulated. Volunteers from BATC have most recently been hard at work putting up sheetrock inside the home. They have also moved onto mudding and taping in some parts of the house, prepping the walls to be painted. The next project to tackle will be installing siding on the exterior of the home.
Update 3- August 3, 2010
This Shakopee build is entering its final weeks of construction. Several volunteer teams are at work on the home’s front, finishing siding and installing the railings and posts on the porch. Slowly but surely, most work has moved indoors, where the team is focused on finishing the interior trim now that doors and windows are in place. Once trim is complete, the team will touch up the home’s freshly painted walls. With flooring, cabinets, and countertops already installed, small interior projects will keep the team busy for the final push towards a new, welcoming home.
Contributed by Margaret Scott (Photo by Jordan Kocak)
Update 2 - July 13, 2010
The Shakopee build is looking more and more like a home after three additional weeks of construction. This week the crew will focus on installing sheetrock in the home’s garage, finishing the newly constructed porch, and installing siding on the home’s exterior. Site Supervisor Erik Johnson hopes to finish the siding project within the week so the house will be fully waterproofed before work moves inside. The home’s interior will be the next big task with cabinets arriving any time, flooring ready to go, and painting set to start after the drywall is sanded.
Contributed by Margaret Scott (Photo by Rachel Anderson)
Update 1 - June 21, 2010
Shakopee is now entering its fourth week of construction, and site supervisor Erik Johnson and AmeriCorps member Jordan Kocak have a volunteer crew from BlueCross BlueShield. The group is working all over the house – installing windows, roofing, and preparing the basement before pouring the concrete floor. Work will continue on the exterior of the house while the crew waits for the electrical work to be finished and inspected. Erik expects that the group will begin working inside to install insulation and drywall by the end of the week.
Contributed by Margaret Scott (Photo by Rachel Anderson)