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In 2007, steel will play a key role in the lives of sick and injured children in Louisiana and for one lucky family there. Cold-formed steel has just been selected as the framing material for the "Miracle Mansion," a home that will be built with donated materials and raffled off to raise funds for Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The hospital is one of 170 associated with the Children's Miracle Network. The Capital Region Builders Association (CRBA) coordinates the house raffle as part of its annual Parade of Homes event. The Parade of Homes brings together nearly 1,000 professional contractors, tradesmen and vendors to showcase a variety of homes built to the highest standards. The event draws thousands of interested buyers to tour the homes and meet with the construction professionals. The raffled house is the centerpiece of the Parade of Homes event. Organizers anticipate that 12,000-13,000 potential homebuyers will actually walk through the house, providing a tremendous opportunity to educate these consumers on the benefits that steel provides, such as resistance to high winds, termites, mold, mildew, hail and fire. Since wood is the predominant homebuilding material in the region, many consumers may be hearing about steel for the first time. The Parade of Homes will be held April 21-22 and 28-29, 2007. Larry Williams, president of the Steel Framing Alliance (SFA), initiated contact with the Capital Region Builders Association to discuss his steel-framing idea. "Steel makes perfect sense for this project," he said. "Through our participation in the Gulf Coast Steel Initiative, we are committed to rebuilding the Gulf Coast region better with steel. This means building back businesses by training the local workforce on best practices for home building and roofing, and introducing consumers to the benefits of rebuilding their homes with steel. This is a great way for us to demonstrate to both homebuilders and homebuyers how steel can provide sustainable, cost-effective housing solutions. "The Miracle Mansion project will help to launch the Gulf Coast Steel Initiative/Steel Framing Alliance Builder Partnership Program," Williams said. "Through this program, local builders who commit to building steel-framed homes receive intensive training and guidance from the SFA, along with promotional assistance to help sell the finished homes. David Richardson, the builder for the Miracle Mansion, is committed to having his crews trained in steel framing. The Miracle Mansion will be the premier showcase of the steel framing system, and we anticipate having more builders and consumers interested in framing with steel once they see the completed Miracle Mansion." Williams said that the Steel Framing Alliance will assist with project planning and will provide steel framing materials and expertise for constructing the Miracle Mansion. Ernie Casados, technical field representative for the SFA, is already evaluating the plans. Groundbreaking is scheduled for early November, with construction scheduled to begin mid month. The house will be completed by the end of March 2007. The Gulf Coast Steel Initiative is a $1.1 million effort of 12 North American steel companies. The supporting companies of the Gulf Coast Steel Initiative are: AK Steel Corporation; California Steel Industries, Inc.; Dofasco Inc.; IMSA ACERO, S.A. de C.V.; IPSCO Inc.; Mittal Steel USA; Nucor Corporation; Shenango Incorporated; Steel Dynamics, Inc.; United States Steel Corporation; USS-POSCO Industries; and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation. For more
information about GCSI, contact Debbie
Bennett or Liz
Vago. |
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