July 18, 2008, Columbia, MD – Columbia Builders has announced it will build a new group home in Columbia for The Arc of Howard County.

Originally slated to be a remodeling project, the home at 9359 Torrent Row was deemed not suitable for the special needs of its inhabitants, four men with cognitive and developmental disabilities who require round-the-clock care, and the project became a tear-down and rebuild.

With this change in direction, Columbia Builders founder Jim Greenfield hit upon the idea of encouraging the home's subcontractors to join his company in donating their services in order to keep costs down on the project.

Plans call for a house constructed with universal design, which employs features suitable for physically handicapped or elderly residents.

On top of building a customized home, the collaborators plan to participate in a program offered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Upon completion, the house will be entered for certification as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Home and will be awarded a rating based on features incorporated into the house.

Don Taylor, principal at D.W. Taylor Associates of Ellicott City, will handle architectural plans and development. Jay Raksin, facilities coordinator at The Arc, will also join the project.

Funding for the project will be provided by the Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development. For more information, contact Kari Ebeling at kebeling@archoward.org or Jay Raksin at jraksin@archoward.org

About Columbia Builders, Inc.
For nearly 35 years, Columbia Builders has been building homes and communities in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Columbia Builders has built more than 3,000 homes in more than 50 communities and is recognized for superior craftsmanship and innovation by national, regional and local industry associations. The company was the first homebuilder in Maryland to receive the prestigious Energy Value Award from the National Association of Home Builders.

About The Arc of Howard County
The Arc of Howard County was started by a group of parents in 1961 as an advocacy and support group. From its grassroots beginnings, it has grown to become a respected member of the nonprofit community and one of Howard County's largest employers. It provides housing, job placement, vocational training and a wide variety of individual and family support services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.