The Truth Staff
NeighborWorks Toledo and the City of Toledo joined forces to build a house at 2421 Franklin Street – a house built entirely of concrete walls that is guaranteed to save the new homeowners great sums of money on energy costs.
A ribbon cutting was held on Friday, June 9, to celebrate both the concrete structure and the opportunity the building offers to improve Toledo neighborhoods.
At slightly over 1,000 square feet, the three bedroom/two bath home occupies what would have been two lots during earlier times.
“The exterior walls are entirely concrete cast in the factory,” said Bill Farnsley, CEO of NeigborWorks Toledo. The result of the concrete structure is that heat during the winter can be retained for hours after it is turned off, as can cool air during the summer.
The City of Toledo contributed $150,000 to the project and NeighborWorks America added another $50,000. The house will be on the market for the asking price of $130,000
The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured remarks by a number of city and elected officials.
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur was among those who spoke and said: “I can see Toledo on the rise on every corner, whether the Junction neighborhood or here.” Kaptur praised the work of the national Inflation Reduction Act in bringing much needed infrastructure funds to areas such as Lucas County.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz mentioned various city projects that are underway, such as the ribbon-cutting earlier in the day at the Metroparks Glass City site but observed that: “programs that benefit neighborhoods are special – these investments where real people live really move the needle.”
“We are going to reinvest in our neighborhoods,” added Toledo City Councilwoman Cerssandra McPherson. “We are going to make this thing work and our neighborhoods are going to look like neighborhoods.”