FAQs
- Sustainability & Resilience
- Affordability & Cost-Effectiveness
- Accessibility & Universal Design
- Innovation & Creativity
- Aesthetics & Contextual Integration
I'm interested in entering the design competition. Where do I start?
First, read the Yes to ADUs! Design Brief to understand the inspiration for the design competition and the ADU design constraints (see page 7). Once you're ready, submission guidelines are summarized in the Request for Proposals (see here).
Make sure to submit your design package to bstarodaj@kingston-ny.gov no later than August 15, 2023.
Is there an award for the winners?
Professional entries will receive an award of $25,000 as the final payment for producing construction documents for their detached ADU design.
Non-professional/student entries will receive an award of $3,000.
All qualified submissions will be published and promoted with contact information for the architect/design professional team.
What is the evaluation criteria?
The intent of the ADU Design Competition is to catalyze the development of sustainable and affordable accessory dwelling units for the City of Kingston and Ulster County. Evaluation criteria includes:
What would be the maximum height for the ADU?
2.5 stories, please reference the design brief for full design criteria and consideration.
Does the $125,000 cost referenced include utility connection?
Utility costs and related site work are covered in the $125k threshold. Through the $125k budget is a goal, it is not a requirement. In either case, it is recommended to include an itemized budget so it’s possible to see what would and wouldn’t fit within a $125,000 budget.
For a professional entry, to be eligible, does a firm have to be based in New York or simply have a New York-licensed architect on staff?
The firm does not have to be a registered New York architecture firm or be based in New York. However, it does need to have a staff member or project partner with a New York architectural license. This staff member must participate in the project design.
The design brief mentions an 11 x 17 board. Could you have more than one board?
Yes, you can have 1-3 pages.
Should the design be for an attached or detached ADU?
This design competition is only for new detached ADUs.
Are multiple entries/designs allowed by the same team or individual team participants?
Each individual should only participate in one design team that submits one unique submission.
In Section 7.0, the Submission Document references a Time/Fee Proposal. Could you explain the purpose of this?
Although the award total is fixed at $25,000, this fee proposal is an internal reference point for the project team– i.e., we'd like to know how many hours you estimate it will take for you to produce construction documents for your design and what are your firm’s standard billing rates.