Work to begin in mid-May on housing rehabilitation project in Jamestown
May 1—JAMESTOWN — Work is expected to begin in mid-May on a housing rehabilitation project on Gardenette Drive in Jamestown, according to Brent Ekstrom, executive director of the Lewis and Clark Development Group.
"I think it's gonna be a great project for the city of Jamestown and for the surrounding area," Ekstrom said.
The Riverside Cottages project is a multiphase rehabilitation project of Gardenette Homes, which was initially constructed in 1972. The project comprises three phases to rehabilitate the 168-single-bedroom unit development of 42 single-level walk-up buildings into 150 units providing one-, two- and three-bedroom options.
"There's going to be some more options for larger families or other folks that want to be having that two- and three-bedroom option instead of just the one bedroom," Ekstrom said.
The Riverside Cottages Project is a continuance of reviving the southeast corridor in Jamestown, said David Klein, executive director of the Great Plains Housing Authority. He said Cash Wise Foods completed a large project and Jamestown Parks and Recreation District is expected to complete the first phase of the McElroy Park Field renovations this year.
"And then now having the Renaissance Zone in some of those areas should help to be able to revive that corridor there," he said.
Klein said there is a need in Jamestown for more rehabilitation projects but they aren't easy to do. He said a lot of state and federal requirements have to be met.
"The housing needs within Jamestown are still great," Klein said. "We still see under a 2% vacancy rate. ... We still are hearing from employers that their employees and staff are residing in other communities."
Ekstrom said the three-phase Riverside Cottages project will be completed over the next two years.
Phase one will be the renovation of 40 units across 12 buildings that will turn into 32 one-bedroom and eight three-bedroom units.
The second phase will result in the renovation of 40 one-bedroom units in 10 buildings.
The final phase will result in 70 units across 20 buildings, featuring 50 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom units.
CommunityWorks North Dakota has acquired Gardenette Homes and will help spearhead the complete property rehabilitation.
The project involves partners Stride Development PBC, co-developer and co-general partner, and Lewis & Clark Development Group out of Mandan, North Dakota. Lewis & Clark Development Group is a collaboration of three separate nonprofit organizations — Lewis & Clark Regional Development Council, the Lewis & Clark Certified Development Company and CommunityWorks North Dakota.
CommunityWorks is leveraging its expertise to advance the project as North Dakota's only charged national NeighborWorks America network member, Ekstrom said.
NeighborWorks America is a congressionally chartered, national nonprofit that creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities, according to its website.
Ekstrom said the Riverside Cottages project includes the central redevelopment goal to provide net-zero carbon homes. He said the project will utilize federal energy tax credits and rebates and incorporate energy-efficient features — solar panels and high-performance HVAC systems — to reduce utility costs and improve indoor air quality for residents.
"We're using the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program as well as the North Dakota Housing Incentive Fund," Ekstrom said. "We're also using energy tax rebates and energy tax credits to finance that as well as traditional debt to fill the gap."
The total cost of the project is still being calculated, Ekstrom said. He said there are solid cost estimates for the first two phases. He said the first two phases will use 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits while the third phase will use 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
"Just in the first phase, I think we're right around that $7 million just in construction costs," he said. "Then, of course, there's the soft costs that doesn't include solar and asbestos abatement."
The Jamestown Sun reported in August that the total cost of the project is $48 million.
Ekstrom said tenants will be relocated while their units are being rehabilitated.
"Then all those tenants that got moved will get moved back into their brand new refurbished apartments," he said. " ... We try not to disrupt people as much as possible, but we do keep them on-site. We just move them into a different unit, rehab their units, put all the energy efficiency stuff in there, and then put them back in their units."
Ekstrom said the project's partners are working with Great Plains Housing Authority with vouchers. He said there will be a mix of tenant- and project-based vouchers.
"This is very similar to what we did with Eagle Flats," Klein said, referring to the three-story apartment complex at 211 2nd Ave. SW in Jamestown. "It's (project-based vouchers) done with a lot of other projects but that assistance stays with that building rather than being mobile with the person."
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