A Colorado Developer Is 3D-Printing an Entire Neighborhood

A 55-acre development in Salida, Colorado is on track to become one of the largest 3D-printed neighborhoods in the United States. The project, called Cleora, will eventually contain 106 homes, with roughly two-thirds of them built using autonomous printing systems from RIC Robotics.

RIC Robotics is a Denver-based company that deploys mobile robotic arms for concrete 3D printing. At Cleora, two of its systems are already running, and the project has delivered seven completed homes. Buyers have already moved in, and additional units are under construction.

The developer, True North 3D Print Co, chose the location partly because of its workforce ambitions. Cleora is establishing its own metro district, which gives it control over utilities, water treatment, and recreational facilities. That structure also lets the project partner with Colorado Mountain College to train students in automated construction.

Greg Kenny, managing partner of Cleora, said the goal was never just to build a few printed houses. The aim was to prove that robotic construction can scale to an entire community. That means answering questions about scheduling, material supply, inspection, and long-term maintenance that single-home demonstrations never reach.

RIC Robotics CEO Ryan Cox put it plainly: most of the conversation about 3D-printed housing has centered on prototypes and pilot projects. Cleora is the test of whether the technology works at neighborhood scale.

The homes themselves are designed for Colorado's climate. RIC's system produces walls with integrated insulation and fire-resistant concrete, and the printing process cuts material waste compared to traditional framing. The project timeline runs through 2029, but completion speed depends more on market demand than on technical limits.

Construction 3D printing has spent years proving it could build a single house. Cleora is the argument that it can now build a town.