What Is Urban Infill

Urban Infill is the concept whereby a builder or developer takes an empty lot or piece of land, and builds a new home or set of homes in and amongst homes or buildings that are typically from a different era.

It is rare to find a suburban builder that also builds in infill spaces. Typically, suburban builders prefer to build where the streets are wider, lots are wider, access is easier and the building permit department is more familiar with new single family construction.

It is also a challenge for the infill builder to have a consistent inventory of lots. The ability to make lots available is difficult as the pipeline is not consistent as it is in the suburban environment.

Infill builders also many times are accomplished remodelers, renovators or addition specialists.

Richmond infill building community breaks down into two basic communities:

The Non Profit/Community Grant Builders

1. The BHC

• The Better Housing Coalition both builds new and renovates existing structures in a ‘historically compatible’ fashion, employing green building techniques (EarthCraft Certified). As with all of the Community Grant builders, they employ grant funds to encourage home ownership amongst affordable segments. They are able to layer grant programs, below market interest rates and other techniques such as ‘forgivable 2nd mortgages’ to drive down the cost of ownership for the buyer to a level compatible with a home much less expensive.

2. Southside Community Development

• Akin to the BHC, SCD builds on urban lots in the city typically in communities where quality new homes are scarce and/or blighted. Both the SCD and BHC have done some incredibly important things to the landscape Richmond by giving a new face to many of the troubled blocks in some of Richmond’s most destitute neighborhoods. Elderhomes falls into this category.

Infill Builder/Developers

1. City and Guilds Builders

• David Gammino, founder of City and Guilds, has carved out a niche building on infill lots, renovating high end single family homes and has now branched into doing some commercial structures as well. C and G has built multiple structures in Oregon Hill and Jackson Ward.

2. Monument Construction

• Partners Tom Dickey and Chris Johnson are one of the premier tax credit builder/developers in the City. With multiple structures to their credit, it is hard not to drive a block in either the Fan or Museum district that does not have a structure either remodeled by or added to by Monument Construction.