04

Design

This project is a direct response to both the community’s urgent need for accessible, affordable rental units and a lack of starter homes for those seeking homeownership. Canal Commons is scaled for local contractor and development team capacity, and focuses on design, affordability, and accessibility. Energy efficiency and durability of materials are a key part of design; reducing monthly utility bills and maintenance costs makes a significant difference in the limited finances of low- and moderate- income (“LMI”) families and individuals in order to better ensure personal financial stability.

The housing typology selected for Canal Commons is both market selected as well as inspired by the historic, vernacular housing in town. With every historic economic boom, affordable worker housing was built in Green River, and it was typically minimal single-family detached houses. When surveyed in 2019, prospective tenants and home-owners valued outdoor space and privacy. Additionally, the single-family detached housing typology will, as all affordable housing should, integrate well into its surroundings by mirroring the adjacent housing.

Epicenter, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is the sole member of Epicenter Properties, LLC., the owner/operator of Canal Commons.

Epicenter stewards creative initiatives that honor the past, strengthen the present, and build the future that we envision with our community. Located in Green River, Utah, Epicenter is a vibrant hub for rural investment and cultural exploration of the high desert of southeastern Utah. Beyond our region, Epicenter advocates for rural communities and contributes to the dialogue on contemporary place-based work in the United States. Epicenter is a 501(c)(3) public charity nonprofit organization.