August 29, 2003
Elmwood and Bidwell Pkwy., Buffalo, NY

Dan Camp
"Building a Neighborhood the Old-fashioned Way"

Dan Camp was billed as a "visionary developer of the Cotton District in Starkville, Mississippi."

Starkville is the home of Mississippi U., and the Cotton District was a run-down area between the university and downtown Starkville. The neighborhood lost its appeal as the cotton industry left and college students moved in.

Camp has bought over 200 buildings in the district and reshaped them into 2-story affordable cottages, most of which are sized about 14 by 20 feet. A typical plan is a kitchen, living room and 2 bathrooms on the first floor and sleeping lofts on the second floor. Most have no front yard.

What makes the houses noteworthy are the efficient use of space and the classical details on entrances, windows, and cornice.

The results: a 99% occupancy rate for the houses; a vibrant urban neighborhood; national acclaim for Dan Camp.