Every year, Architecture Advantage hosts a summer team outing which brings our two offices together for the day. We make it a priority to spend part of our time together volunteering in the community, and this year was no different.
In 2017, Ecolibrium3 acquired the Legacy House in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Duluth and have been working to restore it in order to provide affordable housing to members of the AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Program. The VISTA program has AmeriCorps members in supporting roles with local organizations throughout the U.S. These organizations are typically working “to make sustainable change in areas that effect poverty, including education, public health, climate, access to benefits, and more.”
Eco3 shared, “A VISTA member’s living allowance is the equivalent of $36 a day…Based on the average rental costs in Duluth, most VISTA members pay upwards of 30% of their income in housing, which, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, means that most of our volunteers are housing cost burdened.”
Once finished, the house will accommodate four VISTA members per year. In a 2019 blog post, Ecolibrium3 stated, “The Legacy House will showcase a universal design for full accessibility and model sustainable energy practices that can make old buildings more eco-friendly.”
During Architecture Advantage’s time volunteering at the Legacy House, we cleaned up the yard in preparation for the changing seasons, stained the new deck that was added to the back of the house, and installed drywall on the upper level.
Over the years, we’ve strengthened our relationships within Eco3 and seek out ways to bring awareness to and support the work their organization is doing. Lora Wedge, Ecolibrium3’s COO, graciously participated on a panel our annual design expo this past spring, and as we look ahead, we’ll be teaming up with Eco3 again to bring a new grocery store to the Lincoln Park neighborhood, a USDA recognized food desert. We’re excited to share more on this upcoming project, but for now, you can stay up-to-date on the Legacy House renovations and all of the other exciting projects Eco3 is working on through their website.
