In the halls of Northeast Community College’s Applied Technology Building are several wall murals.
They read, “Our Success. Built from the Ground Up” and “We Gauge Success by Results,” among other things. Such slogans hit the nail on the head -- pardon the pun -- when it comes to Northeast’s student-built housing tradition.
For at least 20 years, Northeast students have built a couple of houses that are auctioned off each spring. And before that, at least for a decade, a single house was built and auctioned.
The purchased houses have ended up all over Nebraska. In more recent years, they are in such places as south of Norfolk on a county road, by Burwell, at least two by Emerson, another one north of Norfolk on a county road, another along Eisenhower Avenue north of Norfolk, and several around West Point, including one just south of West Point on Highway 275 along the east side of the road.
Three programs combine to build them. The instructors in charge of the construction are Ryan Hobza and Curtis Brandt, first-year construction instructors; Roger Walker, second-year construction instructor; Nick Wolfe, an adjunct building construction instructor; Brian Rastede, electrical construction instructor; and Bonnie Henkel, the plumbing instructor.
Each house takes two years to complete, with the same class of students building each one during their two years at Northeast. The City of Norfolk’s building inspector checks them, along with the electrical inspector.
First-year students also design the homes. They are given certain parameters, then each class votes on the they want to build. The students, who are supervised throughout, do the framing, get it weather tight for the summer, then come back their second year and complete them with everything from siding to finish work.
This year’s houses will be available for viewing during open houses on Tuesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 29, from 7 to 9 p.m. The houses are in the construction spot on the northwest corner of the campus.
Both houses are two-bedroom, 2 ¾-bath, with a double-garage. They include granite kitchen countertops, built-in custom cabinetry and more. They are built to be placed on a basement, with more than 1,600-square-feet, not including the basement or garage.
The houses will be auctioned on Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m.
Houses for Sale
Northeast Community College’s student-built houses will be auctioned on Saturday, June 7, with a pair of open houses next week for those interested. (Northeast Community College)
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