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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Survey will tell more about steelhead's movements, one clip at a time ... RCC selects new president: Kemper-Pelle of Texas ... Eight Abdill students stuck in elevator while smoke rises in Century Building ... Survey will tell more about steelhead's movements, one clip at a time ... RCC selects new president: Kemper-Pelle of Texas ... Eight Abdill students stuck in elevator while smoke rises in Century Building ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: What's cheaper, wood or steel construction? Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 12, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 12, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News I am curious about the new low-income housing project on Sixth Street. Which method would have been the cheapest to build: entirely brick, steel or all wood? I'm dying to know. — Rex Z., Medford We’ve gotten a few questions about the Jackson County Housing Authority’s $12.5 million project going up right behind the Mail Tribune. Like you, Rex, many workers at the Mail Tribune have wondered about the construction of the building, which looks like a very complicated jigsaw puzzle. As you noticed, the first floor is made of steel and masonry. There are also some tall columns that are about four stories tall in some areas. Workers are continuing to work on the first story, installing steel beams, and steel columns encased in concrete and surrounded by masonry block. We checked in with Tom Walker at Adroit Construction Co., which is building the four-story structure, to find out what would have been the cheapest building material. “The simple answer is wood would be the cheapest,” Walker said. But nothing in life is simple, Rex. Because of the small size of the lot for The Concord, which will have 50 residences for low-income renters, it was necessary to design the building for a number of considerations. One of the requirements is to create a parking area inside the building on the first floor. To get the kind of spans necessary to allow cars to maneuver, it was necessary to use steel on the first floor. “For the second floor up, it is all wood,” Walker said. However, some steel will be used for the elevator and stairwells. Once the first floor is completed, the wood framing on the upper three floors should go fairly quickly, Walker said. The Concord will provide homes for the disabled, elderly, veterans, working families and students on a .69-acre lot. The main portion of the building will run along Grape Street between Fifth and Sixth streets, with 50 parking spaces in the rear along an alleyway and under the building near Fifth Street. The 50-foot-tall, four-story building has been designed by Ogden Roemer Wilkerson Architecture of Medford and should be completed by the end of the year. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 12, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501