The Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship

Fellow Profile

Steven Utz

“As a Rose Architectural Fellow, I have been introduced to the non-profit housing development market in a way that could not have happened through private practice. My employment with CCCHN has allowed me to meet the challenges of good design limited by tight funds.”

— Steven Utz

Fellowship Host:
Crawford County Coalition on Housing Needs, Inc
Meadville, PA

The City of Meadville has a population of only 13,500; more than 300 of these residents are on a waiting list for apartments. A housing stock with an average age of 70 years and limited financial resources add to the pressure. To address the problem, Steven Utz has used his fellowship work with Crawford County Coalition on Housing Needs, Inc. (CCCHN) to design new, single-bedroom apartments and rehabilitate single-family homes.

“I have also been able to educate the staff, board of directors and local governments about the design process and financial challenges of housing rehabilitation in these neighborhoods,” explains Steven. Meadville certainly appreciates his efforts and has inducted Steven into its Planning and Zoning Commission. In turn, he has given design assistance for construction documents on the downtown Market Alley renovation project, and has helped create an updated comprehensive plan for the city’s business district.

Steven also credits his fellowship work with broadening the capacity of CCCHN. His host now can provide better visualization tools through photo renderings and 3-D modeling, mapping and analysis of neighborhoods.

In addition to a bachelor of architecture from the California College of the Arts, Steven has an associate’s degree in computer aided drafting and a certificate in building construction drafting, both from Sierra Community College in Rocklin, Calif.

See Related Press

Local enthusiasts of architecture combine efforts on a history book

11.30.2005 | “Meadville’s architecture celebrated in new book” | Meadville Tribune | Mary Spicer
EVENT DATE: 11.30.2005 | Meadville, PA

This was an effort to continue the education of Meadville’s community on the appreciation of historic architecture within the City and why the buildings should be respected.

Read the full press release (2.1MB) »
An Architectural history lesson of the styles found in Meadville

03.03.2005 | “Old House Fair” | Meadville Tribune | Gary Johnson
EVENT DATE: 03.05.2005 | Meadville, PA

The Old House Fair Committee, of which I am a member, made a request that I lecture on architectural styles found in Meadville. My lecture became a residential architecture history lesson as well as a discussion of styles.

Read the full press release (4.3MB) »

See all of Steven’s press »

Gallery

(hover over image to zoom)

by Harry Connolly
Steven Utz
by Richard Sayer
Rose Fellow, Steven Utz, assisted the Crawford County Historical Society on a holiday Church tour to discuss architectural history of the Churches on Meadville’s Diamond Park. The Rose Fellow wrote the program for the tour and led the community on an architectural field trip.
by Kevin Polley
The opening celebration for the Liberty House, transitional housing development owned and operated by the Crawford County Coalition on Housing Needs, Inc. Rose Fellow, Steven Utz contributed to the construction administration on this development and saw the project through the certificate of occupation.
by Joe McIntyre
Rose Fellow, Steven Utz, Diane Shafer Graham and Anne Stewart review research documents in the Crawford County Historical Society upon the release date of their new book, “Meadville’s Architectural Heritage” Arcadia Publishing.
by Carol Harrell
Steven Utz and Anne Stewart, authors of “Meadville’s Architectural Heritage” sign their book at a book festival in Meadville, PA. They hope to write a second book together on land uses and civil engineering in Crawford County, PA.
by Steven Utz
Steven Utz was commissioned by the Meadville Redevelopment Authority to work with the Crawford Area Transportation Authority on the schematic design of a new Administrative Building. This building would also serve as what was called an “Intermodal Transportation Center.” Senator Rick Santorum honored the project with a $1 million dollar gift.
by Caryl Waggett
Working with the Redevelopment Authority again, Steven Utz developed renderings for a speculation project to remodel the Talon Zipper industrial site into an office condominium. Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania honored the project with a $1.5 Million gift to promote redevelopment in the City of Meadville.
by Steven Utz
As a member of Meadville’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Steven Utz has taken part in the update of the City’s business District Action Plan which is an updated section of the Comprehensive Plan. He also is the Commissions representative for the City’s Streetscape Review Committee. Seen here, members of the Commission are surveying parts of town for potential improvements.
Rose Fellows gathered in Los Angeles to help Noel Toro on his Make A Difference Day Project in October of 2006. Seen here, Steven Utz helps a group of Vietnamese girls with the conceptualization of the “house of the future.”
by Mark LaPoint
As an occasional guest lecturer at Allegheny College, Steven Utz has advocated for better urban design in the City of Meadville. Seen here working with College Students on one of four maps targeted by the City for improvement, he shares his knowledge from the Planning and Zoning Commission to help students communicate their ideas onto paper of planning efforts they would like to see constructed.