Jump back to late 2010. At an urban infill site on the south end of downtown Phoenix, designer and visionary Vincenz Saccento has just installed three multi-units of his shiny, silver, boxes:  called V100 Modboxes. Watch this 3-min video produced at the time. Be awed. Be inspired. Be proud of these inventive Phoenicians. Then keep reading.

Did you watch the video?

Now hear this: From Get Your PHX, I bring August 2013 news of what has not been publically known until this very moment…

In the video you saw, you learned that the V100 Modbox can be constructed in just few days by people with no technical training. Well, get this. In my conversation with designer Vincenz Saccento last week, he told me something not previously announced to the public:

A full modbox can now be constructed in just 7 hours, by a single person, with no tools, and zero prior building experience!

That’s right. Seven hours. Still with no nails, screwdrivers, or hammers required. No screws, nails, or wood.  This baby is high-tech structural, aviation and aerospace materials that a school teacher or college student could build. But wait, there’s more!

That’s right, folks. When the last article about V100 Modbox was published in 2010 by Blue Vertical Media, the 2010 material for the walls was 4″ thick.

That’s the thickness of the walls in which Vincenz lives, today. They exceed the standards for LEED Platinum certification (meaning that out of 100 possible points in categories of the sustainability of the site, water efficiency, energy & atmosphere, materials & resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in operations, the V100 Modbox far surpasses this rating).

So those 4″ walls are maybe an R35 insulation rating. He then showed me a piece of the wall for the next incarnation they’re building with today:

It’s 5/8 of one inch thick! Much less expensive. AND…

It’s like an R-zero rating. It could be 3000 degrees outside and that heat’s not getting through,” said Saccento.

The neighborhood in this hugely rundown area of town has been changing for the better since the V100 Modbox came here. Attitudes are changing. Neighbors are cleaning up outside their homes. Surprisingly, nobody has graffitied the Modboxes.

More of the same?

The “shimmery 10’x10‘x10’ boxes” are ready to go. Vincenz Saccento could have 100 of them ready in a month, if an order asked for them. But that’s not what he’s preparing to do next. He’s got his sites on a pop-up mall.

You go to an empty piece of land for 3-5 years and put in coffee, breakfast, lunch, bar, working/co-working space. Maybe it’s 40ft x 40ft x 20 ft.” ~ Vincenz

You have an established business in Phoenix and you need architectural services for a new building or rehab structure, but you can’t afford it.

What do you do?

If you’re aware that the architectural firm C&H Associates—informally known as Abraham James, Patrick Hallman and Weldon Alexander—just won (for the second year in a row, mind you) the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the City of Phoenix (in conjunction with HUD), you just might qualify within the City of Phoenix, as one of a few firms to get their architectural services they need for free.

The last time C&H Associates were awarded the CDBG was in 2011, and they were able to help Jobot Coffee, the Firehouse Gallery, and the Canvas site (Pallet restaurant and the former Scratch restaurant) on Roosevelt Row.  They also worked on an auto body shop and an electrician’s office.

When Patrick, Walden, and Abraham were originally presented with the RFP and the opportunity to work with low to moderate-income clients within the city of phoenix, they knew it was perfect for them since they were basically already doing what was required to apply for the grant.

Wow, this is what we do. We have done this before, who better to do this than us. This is our clientele. ~ Abraham James

Despite eight other firms pursuing the CDBG Grant in 2011, C&H Associates were selected by the City of Phoenix as the only architectural firm in the program. Here we are in 2013, and the architects with a passion for bringing LEED certified architectural help to those who could not otherwise afford it—and a passion for urban farming, to boot—have again been selected by the City with the honor of passing on the rewards of the CDBG Grant to a few qualifying businesses.

This year, the guys expect to help [insert the number of] businesses with the funds they’ve been provided by the grant.

We are currently in discussions with a beauty salon, a bakery, a food preparation kitchen, and doctors office about their qualifications for CDBG funding and the potential of their projects. There are so many considerations which go into a project before starting. We are looking at every material from the ground up [with the objective] in mind to have beauty, energy savings and affordability. We like to believe that by outlining a framework of those components, we are even helping those who ultimately decide to not move forward with an actual project. ~ Patrick Hallman

The CDBG program is ideal for the kind of business that is moving forward but struggling with the 5% – 10% architectural fees of their project. By example only, a $200,000 project may have architectural fees in the $10,000 to $20,000 range.

How can you take advantage of the CDBG Grant and put these community-driven architects to work for you?

• Understand:  The program is not for non-profits or churches, but small businesses.
• Now contact C&H Associates (602) 265-0660 or Abraham James (abrahamj (at) cox (dot) net)
• Give them your zip code and they’ll see if you’re in a qualified ‘HUD Red Zone’.
• Understand:  There are opportunities if you’re not in a red zone, but you must prove you’ve hired people. The program is flexible and is sincerely looking for people who really need the help.
• C&H Associates will give you a CDBG application.
• Fill it out and they’ll submit it to the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Service department.
• If approved, C&H will develop your proposal for other consultants who will be involved in your project.
• Understand:  This program provides the architectural services only. Other services, such as engineering and construction must be paid by the client.
• Once a client’s approved, C&H reviews a host of design services to help assess needs and give you a clear vision of what those needs are. This includes an understanding of what you can afford and options to lower your energy bills.

If you want to buy or sell a home, instead, please give me a call at 602-456-9388 or email me at ken@getyourphx.com.