In Houston’s tight housing market, where the affordability gap has climbed to nearly $176,000, a new neighborhood rising near Hobby Airport is drawing attention for how it’s being built. Instead of lumber and drywall, the walls are being printed.
The development, called Zuri Gardens, will be the city’s first large-scale affordable housing project made with 3D-printed concrete. Backed by builder Cole Klein and startup HiveASMBLD, the 80-home community is designed to withstand floods, mold, and extreme heat — problems Houston residents know all too well.
Homes will sell in the mid-to-high $200,000s, with up to $125,000 in down payment assistance from the city. Each unit will be about 1,360 square feet, with two bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a covered patio.
“Homebuyers are ready for something they can afford, that’s also built well,” said Robert Spiegel, HiveASMBLD’s chief development officer.
Unlike many affordable housing projects that cut corners on materials, Zuri Gardens will use the same proprietary reinforced concrete system HiveASMBLD employs across its portfolio. Spiegel said the goal is to ensure a starter home gets the same durability and efficiency as a luxury property.
“At first people thought they’d be cartoon houses,” Spiegel said. “Then they walked through one and said, ‘These are actually really cool.’”
The printing process involves robotic machines on tracks laying down mortar layer by layer. Once the walls are complete, crews add electrical, plumbing, and finishes just as they would in a traditional build. The result is a “mass wall” structure that regulates indoor temperature naturally and lowers heating and cooling costs.
That resilience has caught the attention of insurers, who see the homes as lower risk in a city where premiums are already some of the highest in the country. “Insurance carriers love them,” Spiegel said.
Printing also means speed. A job that might take weeks with wood and labor can be done in days. Fewer subcontractors are needed, delays are minimized, and waste is cut dramatically.
And durability matters. “If your kid crashes a skateboard into the wall, it’s not sheetrock. He’s not going through it,” Spiegel joked.
If the project succeeds, it could serve as a model for other cities grappling with affordability and climate risk. “The buyers are coming. And the communities will follow,” Spiegel said.
For Houston families shut out of traditional homeownership, Zuri Gardens may not just offer a roof over their heads but a chance at stability built one printed layer at a time.
Source: Realtor.com