MARLBOROUGH, NY - The boxes began rolling into town two weeks ago. There are 24 in this batch, enough to erect an eight-unit building at Marlboro on Hudson, a new town-house complex a short drive from Route 9W. Each box is hoisted into position by an 85-ton crane in what might pass for the world's biggest arcade game. Once they're stacked, the boxes are fastened together and the roof raised. Siding and finishing work will take a few weeks, shaving time and expense off a normal construction schedule and sparing the 1,800-square-foot town houses from exposure to the elements.
"It's a great value for the builder," said Steve Scharnhorst, CEO of Excel Homes, which built the boxes at its plant in Avis, Pa. "We more than cut the time in half from stick-building it." Despite a dramatic slowdown in the broader industry, Excel has actually seen an uptick in multifamily orders in the past year.
Marlboro on Hudson originally contracted with Chelsea Modular Homes, which was located just a couple miles away on Route 9W. When Chelsea went out of business this summer, Excel Homes agreed to finish the job. Future Marlboro on Hudson buildings will be assembled at the former Chelsea plant, which Excel is leasing. "It'll be a nice short drive for the boxes," Scharnhorst said.
Modular construction is one of several features Marlboro on Hudson is using to differentiate itself from the competition. Units come with high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, said Hal Kahn, a partner in the project and president of Kahn Inc. Realtors in Newburgh, which is selling the units.
The complex also offers to install a private elevator in each unit. So far, just one buyer has signed up, but each unit in the new building includes an enclosed shaft, so the car can easily be added later on. The elevator option is aimed at an older demographic, though Kahn hopes it will appeal to a wider audience. "The fella who's doing it for us says there's a lot of people in Westchester County who have it just for showing off," he said.
Source: RecordOnline.com