Revitalizing Baltimore Rowhomes - Collington Square Oxford House Opens Its Doors

Baltimore Area Architectural Firm - Archtech Design, LLC's unique design concept assists in the renovation of three dilapidated rowhouses and helps to rebuild an east Baltimore neighborhood while offering a fresh start for men recovering from substance abuse End Quote

Baltimore, MD (1888PressRelease) December 17, 2008 - After nearly four years in the making and with the support of a church, a neighborhood association and dedicated design/build partners, the Collington Square Oxford House welcomed its first three residents in late August, celebrating the landmark opening with an open house and dedication held on September 17.

Commissioned by the Episcopal Housing Corporation, the project called for restoring three rowhouses that were little more than piles of rubble to create an Oxford House, a democratically-run, self-supporting home for people recovering from alcohol and substance abuse. The Oxford House program began in 1975 in Silver Spring, Maryland and today boasts 1,200 homes around the world, from New York and Hawaii to Canada and Australia.

The resulting design by Baltimore-based ArchTech Design, LLC, connected the interiors of the three contiguous rowhouses to provide a single dwelling that can house up to seven residents. The home features seven bedrooms, two bathrooms and common areas including a kitchen, laundry, dining area and a living area on each level, as well as a back yard, and conforms to the stringent requirements of the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards with a handicapped accessible first level and electric platform lift that offers wheelchair access from the street.

According to ArchTech CEO/Principal Toni Scott, Associate AIA, “Over a period of several years, with the support of the Episcopal Housing Corporation and the Collington Square Neighborhood Association, the whole block has basically been renovated and this latest project really anchors that street. Even though the four-year time frame for implementation was a challenge, this project reflects what is important to ArchTech as a firm – it’s socially relevant, within Baltimore City and involves breathing new life into existing buildings and communities.”

Contractor Southway Builders, Inc. credits much of the project’s success to ArchTech, with project manager Jim Millette saying, “I believe ArchTech Design was instrumental in causing this project to come in on schedule and within budget. We have not had a better professional experience in working with an architectural firm than with ArchTech Design.”

To find out more about affordable housing development and the Collington Square Oxford House, contact the Episcopal Housing Corporation at 410-366-6200.

About ArchTech Design, LLC
Founded in 2004, ArchTech provides architecture, planning and interior design services with an emphasis on laboratory and manufacturing facilities for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Due in part to a nearly 20-fold revenue growth in 16 months, the firm was selected from more than 1,200 candidates as one of Maryland’s “Top 100 Minority Business Enterprises” in 2007.

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