COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Intel attracts thousands of new people to central Ohio, cities like Columbus are trying to find creative ways to build more houses quicker.
What You Need To Know
- For the very first time in Columbus, a 3D printer is being used to build a home on East 26th Avenue
- The city is a supportive sponsor of the project
- The project is intended to help create more affordable housing
For the very first time in Columbus, a 3D printer is being used to build a home on East 26th Avenue. The city is a supportive sponsor of the project, but Ohio contractor Mayo Makinde is the brains behind it all.
As he explained, 3D printing has its perks.
"As we have housing issues in America,” Makinde said, “we can solve them faster and easier. You have less cost, less time, less material and less manpower, so you’re cutting down everything, including prices of homes."
It’s an 850 square foot home they’re building, but instead of 30 people building for a month or two, the home can be printed in a week using four people.
This is one of many homes Makinde wants to do. He believes this new technology could help create more affordable housing, especially as Ohio prepares for the arrival Intel and other big companies that are expected to bring lots of jobs to the area.
"I'm proud of Columbus building and growing and getting bigger and people come in like until Amazon, Google, all of them...I want them to know that you can house your employees, you have housing for your employees and they will not worry about having to put all that all their payroll and paycheck into housing,” Makinde said.
He wanted to build in the Linden neighborhood in Columbus for a reason.
"Linden is an area that people often look at as an underserved area,” he said. “We have a lot of young kids in this community and I want them to see this and know that we have something good in the community too. And that they can be that guy or that girl that does it. It's to inspire as well."
The project is slated to be completed sometime in August or September.