Visitors to The RiverFront will encounter something different this summer: a small house that demonstrates a different way to build and live in Omaha.
“ADU at The RiverFront” will showcase a model Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) based on Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture’s award-winning design from AARP Nebraska’s ADU for U competition.
Construction on the model ADU began this week at Heartland of America Park’s 8th Street Plaza, where it will be displayed through October.
Also known as a backyard cottage, an in-law suite, or a carriage house, an ADU is a small home located on the same property as a larger primary residence. As Omaha faces increasing housing affordability challenges, ADUs are one way that homeowners can create new housing in their own backyard.
The City of Omaha recently reformed its zoning rules to allow ADUs in more neighborhoods, and launched ADU Omaha, a web resource featuring ADU plans and a guide to building ADUs in Omaha. ADU at The RiverFront will shine a spotlight on the benefits of ADUs, and point visitors toward resources that will help them build their own.
The display will also serve as a demonstration of sustainable and efficient construction. The model ADU will be constructed out of Structural Insulated Panels that will be fabricated off-site, and then rapidly assembled in a matter of hours.
ADU at The RiverFront is the result of collaboration between a coalition of partners including Omaha by Design, Blair Freeman, Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, AARP Nebraska, Front Porch Investments, Noddle and The RiverFront. The project has also been made possible by generous material donations from suppliers that include Pella Windows, Build Your Fortress, and James Hardie Siding.
Following its display, the model ADU will be moved to a permanent location, where it will be repurposed as an affordable housing unit.
