HERKIMER — Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Building Construction students have been building a house each school year dating back to 1982, and the recipient of the next one will be determined in a drawing this May. The selected homeowner pays the cost of materials and transportation of the house from Herkimer BOCES to its location. The labor is provided for free by high school juniors and seniors under the supervision of Building Construction instructor John Martin and teaching assistant Shelby Creater.

The Herkimer BOCES Building Construction program is the only BOCES program in the state that constructs a full house every school year.

“Students learn hands-on skills through our Building Construction curriculum that will prepare them for a career in the industry,” Martin said. “To be able to professionally build a house every year during their education is a unique opportunity – for both our students and for the homeowner who receives the house.”

Anyone interested in receiving the house can attend an informational meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, in the Building Construction classroom at the Herkimer BOCES William E. Busacker Complex, 352 Gros Blvd. They can enter the classroom directly by going around to the back parking lot, where the current house the class is building can be seen.

For more information, contact Martin at 315-867-2600 or jmartin@herkimer-boces.org.

A lottery drawing Wednesday, May 24 will determine who will receive the house. If multiple people apply and attend the lottery, runners-up can be selected for subsequent years.

Building Construction students are currently working on the program’s 42nd house, which is accounted for already. The lottery drawing will be for the 43rd house, which will be built during the 2023-24 school year for completion in June 2024.

At the May 10 meeting, information discussed will include procedures, house styles, the purchasing of materials, the construction date, criteria for applying, moving the house and other owners’ responsibilities. 

The house can be up to 1,590 square feet and can be a single-story ranch style or cape style house. The house could be delivered to many locations in and surrounding the Herkimer BOCES region. Previous houses have gone to various locations such as the Thousand Islands, Lake George and south of Cooperstown. After a client is selected, meetings will be scheduled with the future homeowner to discuss the floor plan and the basic design of the house.

The design must meet approval of the Building Construction program curriculum. It must be a single story house and can have up to three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The dimensions can be up to 26.5 feet by 60 feet.