PHASE II: PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMONSTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH WASHINGTON, D.C. For sale by the Superintendent CJf Documents, U.S. Government Printin" Office WashingtCJn, D.C. 20402 Price $4.16 StCJck Number 023-000-00308-2 CataloK Number HH 1.2:B74/9/Vol. 4 The Department of Housing and Urban Development launched Operation Preface BREAKTHROUGH in 1969 to stimulate volume production of quality housing for all income levels. Factory building offered a logical means-then as it does now-for the housing industry to grow and progress. We set ambitious objectives for that growth. BREAKTHROUGH tested many techniques of industrialization. Significantly, it began to measure the effect of such traditional restraints as building codes, zoning laws, labor practices, and transportation methods. The energy and imagina­ tion shown by thousands of people who participated in the program likely will stand as a milestone in our housing history. This report, part of the Feedback series, covers an important period in that history. It describes various Phase II BREAKTHROUGH activities related to development of the nine demonstration sites, giving prominence to the role played by the Prototype Site Developers. Useful information is furnished for all profes­ sionals concerned with the future of factory building. But the book does more, giving the interested layman an appreciation of housing, of industrialized housing particularly, and of the government-private enterprise efforts to improve the hous­ ing process through Operation BREAKTHROUGH. Nowhere is the BREAK­ THROUGH endeavor more visible than at the prototype sites, where the practical­ ity of different systems has been tested, in settings that illustrate how well the land can be developed for a variety of dwellings and life styles. Much can be learned from BREAKTH ROUGH, which some have called "a unique laboratory for continuous research," By publishing this and other Feed­ back volumes, HUD seeks to bridge the gap between federally aided research and marketplace adaptation, thereby turthering the national goal ot a decent nome tor every American. ?l!h'~. Michael H. Moskow Assistant Secretary Office of Policy Development and Research ii INTRODUCTION General 3 The BREAKTHROUGH Program 4 Site Selection 5 Participants and Organization 7 PROTOTYPE SITE DEVELOPER ROLE Origin 13 Proposals 13 Contract Awards 14 Program Funding 14 The Developers and Their Tasks 14 Program Management 16 rv1aster Site Developer 17 THE PROTOTYPE SITES Synopsis 20 Kalamazoo 24 St. Louis 46 Macon 66 Sacramento 88 King County 110 Seattle 134 Memphis 152 Indianapolis 172 Jersey City 194 APPENDIX Glossary 217 Sources 219 General Bibliography 221 Table of Contents iii ::s, I ac. c r._. o ::s •••____.......... ..."_... ~~"",0" ~"._""::~~~~~ ,it_,,-~" j.~ -~<l:W''''''''",',,'''''i'''':''''t:i-;'-,''' c~",,"'''''~·"''''''',,'''''',..·m'''fteff'A-~,',,'''. Introduction Fig. l-At home with BREAKTHROUGH General Ground was broken on the first prototype sites in lating the of the industry by cracking some of late 1970. Since then, construction at all nine sites the zoning, labor, and other constraints that The purpose of this report, part of the Project has been completed and most units are occupied and traditionally restricted the acceptance of indus­ Feedback series, is to describe the nine Operation in private ownership. It may be early to draw final trialized techniques." BREAKTHROUGH prototype sites and tell how they conclusions about Operation BREAKTHROUGH, but BREAKTH ROUGH has tested industrialized hous­ were built. some results already are evident. The accelerating systems in assorted settings and a number of Operation BREAKTHROUGH is this country's trend toward factory-built housing, in the words of ways. Some designs are good and have entered suc­ first large-scale systematic housing demonstration HUD Secretary James Lynn, "is indicative of the cessfully into the marketplace; others contained flaws program, featuring the public demonstration of inno­ impact Operation BREAKTHROUGH had on stimu- exposed the prototype stage. The corrective vative house designs and site plans. The U.S. Depart­ changes will inevitably improve the product. ment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ini­ Public awarenesS and acceptance of systems build­ tiated BREAKTHROUGH to encourage more use of have increased markedly, with a new recognition industrialized methods. It put these advanced ideas on the part of government agencies, labor unions, and on trial, in prototype form, at nine locations. HUD the building industry. BREAKTHROUGH demon­ chose the sites from among many nominated by local strated alternative methods of transportation, and and state governments to represent a variety of mar· more favorable regulations and rate structures have ket conditions. Urban, peripheral, suburban, and been instituted. About 30 states have adopted laws sem i-rural neighborhoods are the settings for nearly that broaden the uses of factory-built houses and 3,000 housing units built between 1971 and 1973. components, replacing the multiplicity of local codes Development was the responsibi I ity of eight Proto­ with uniform statewide regulations. The Operation type Site Developers (PSDs), who were basically man­ BREAKTHROUGH guide criteria prepared by the agers with a wide range of tasks, from land acquisi­ National Bureau of Standards further encouraged new tion to marketing_ Developers brought to this job an materials and techniques; these technical performance unusual array of capabilities; some of the manage­ standards can be used to evaluate innovative concepts ment techniques applied in BREAKTHROUGH were that could not be considered under ordinary bu ilding new to the housing industry. Fig. 2-HUD Secretary James Lynn codes. 3 Lessons are emerging from the developer function, nine sites represent the best in land use concepts, too, particularly in the areas of project coordination architectural olannina. and development. and community relations. BREAKTHROUGH's prin­ cipal participants have gained significant cost experi­ The BREAKTHROUGH Progmm ence with site development and housing production; the information they have obtained shows that accu­ Better housing is a national goal. To fulfill the rate estimates can be made of future applications for promise made in the 1968 Housing Act of "a decent the various systems. home and a suitable living environment for every The publicity given to BREAKTHROUGH and American family," HUD estimated that 26 million the tangible fact of the prototype sites attracted more new or rehabilitated housing units would be attention to housing as a problem and to industriali· needed in the 10 years beyond 1968. This target zation as one possible solution. Because they are so seemed out of the reach of the establ ished housing visible, the sites, in their general excellence, are industry, which had peaked at 2 million new unit among the most convincing accomplishments of the "starts" in 1959 and had averaged 1.6 million units program. From design through to completion, these annually since then. Plainly, the pace of home build­ ing had to be increased (Fig. 4). Many factors-financing, labor and material short­ ages, land costs, local codes, and others-limited pro­ duction. HUD analyzed these and found that many of Fig. 4-Forecast of U.S. housing needs SEATTL.E, WASH. JERSEY CITY, N.J. the restraints were artificial, the results of overly cau­ KAL.AMAZOO, MICH. tious leadership. HUD Secretary George Romney and KING COUNTY, WASH. his staff conceived the idea of "breaking through" these barriers; Operation BREAKTHROUGH was their suggested approach for encouraging volume pro­ duction of housing. The program was outlined early in May 1969 at meetings held by HUD with members of the industry, labor unions, and state and local govern­ ments. Secretary Romney discussed the economic problems of housing production; Under Secretary Richard C. VanDusen spoke about funding, the past production record, and market aggregation; and Harold B. Finger, Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, explained the technical details of SACRAMENTO, CALIF. Operation BREAKTHROUGH. MEMPHIS, TENN. Although BREAKTHROUGH would stimulate a MACON. GA. wide range of new ideas, house designs and land use received the main emphasis. Greater standardization of housing components, including prefabricated sec­ Fig. 3-The nine prototype sites tions and modules, was expected. HUD proposed a Fig. 5-Former HUO Secretary Romney meets subcontractors 4 JAN '70 JUL '70 JAN '71 JUL '71 JAN '72 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT DIRECTION (HUD CENTRAL AND REGIONAL OFFICES) but if these housing systems reached production, PHASE I HOUSING SYSTEM DESIGN DEVELOPMENT costs should come down. Most important, the capac­ , .... f... i , ity to build housing in the United States would be significantly increased. PHASE II Site Selection PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION I n the summer of 1969, H UD invited state and local officials and private developers to propose loca­ Fig. 6-Planned phasing of the SR EA KTHROUGH program tions for BREAKTHROUGH prototype sites. Sites were to range from 5 to 30 acres, be accessible to major transportation and hotel centers, have utilities competition for innovative housing system concepts, The sequence planned for the BREAKTHROUGH -or provisions for them-near the site boundaries, the best of which would be partially funded during program was to start with a proposal preparation and be zoned