Developers of Near North affordable housing project hope to begin construction this summer
After receiving final approval from the Ann Arbor City Council and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority recently, developers of the Near North affordable housing project said they are closing on financing for the project and hope to begin construction in a few weeks.
The 39-unit Near North Apartments, which will be located at 626-724 North Main Street on 1.9 acres, first received approval from City Council with the Planned Unit Development designation in September 2009. Several amendments to the project have been approved since then.
Design plans for the Near North affordable housing project.
Avalon Housing is developing Near North with the Three Oaks Group as a mixed-use development, consisting of residential units, retail and office use. It will provide 25 affordable apartments to households with low incomes and 14 supportive housing apartments with project-based Section 8 rent subsidies.
Michael Appel, associate director of Avalon Housing, said the next step for the project is to close on financing and begin construction.
“We don’t have a set date to break ground, but we will be pulling those permits and getting going right after we close on construction financing,” Appel said.
The general contractor for the project is Spacewerks, a national design and development company. The architect is the Damian Farrell Design Group based in Ann Arbor.
Developers also filed an amendment to the existing Planned Unit Development with the city of Ann Arbor in May, which is yet to be reviewed. The changes will increase the square-footage of the building by 4.2%, bringing the total building area to 67,864 square feet. The amendment will add more vertical mechanical runs in the building.
Matthew Kowalski, city planner with the City of Ann Arbor, said he has yet to do a complete review of the amendment, but he anticipates the changes being approved.
“These are just relatively minor footprint changes,” Kowalski said. “I don’t think the review will take that long, and from what I understand from the architect, I don’t imagine any issues.”
The total cost of the Near North project is $11 million, according to a previous report. The project has received several grants, including $250,000 in federal funding for green design, $800,000 from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and $500,000 from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
Macabre Sunset
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 6:38 p.m.
It is frustrating, because it's policies like these that lead to other communities transporting their most difficult cases to Ann Arbor. And, as we've found out countless times, Section 8 vouchers give you residents who have absolutely nothing invested in their homes. The developer makes his chunk of change off the taxpayers, then when the residents render the housing uninhabitable, the developer transfers his money elsewhere and abandons the property. I'd rather see the money spent on the new underground art museum on 5th, next to the library.
ordmad
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 5:40 p.m.
It's a matter of public record that the square foot building cost is way in excess of what even the relative upscale Ashley Mews ran. Those records also make clear that it's not the actual cost of the building driving this high cost, but recouping the land acquisition costs paid by the private developer near the height of the real estate bubble. In a market unsupported by your tax dollars, that developer would have had to either build or sell at a loss. It's your tax dollars that saved its bacon, though those dollars are mostly state tax dollars (if that makes it any easier to swallow).
andralisa
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 5:39 p.m.
Let me get this straight. The city guts the police and fire department yet the DDA has half a million dollars to contribute to a private developer's project that is not even downtown but in an adjacent neighborhood. So, if there is a fire, emergency, or crime increase downtown perhaps the city is planning to call the developer? Another stellar example of not-so-brilliant leadership and total lack of fiscal responsiblity by the city. How dare the city use my tax dollars to subdize an over priced, gigantic, ill-advised project for private enterprise which happens to be located in a flood plain. Are you paying attention voters?
Dog Guy
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
Tax-supported housing increases foreclosures and homelessness: a feedback loop for social workers.
B. Jean
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 3:19 p.m.
Let me get this straight. The city guts the police and fire department yet the DDA has half a million dollars to contribute to a private developer's project that is not even downtown but in an adjacent neighborhood. So, if there is a fire, emergency, or crime increase downtown perhaps the city is planning to call the developer? Another stellar example of not-so-brilliant leadership and total lack of fiscal responsiblity by the city. How dare the city use my tax dollars to subdize an over priced, gigantic, ill-advised project for private enterprise which happens to be located in a flood plain. Are you paying attention voters?
Ala fa'ik
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 1:42 p.m.
39 units for 11 mill that mean 288K per unite!!! And you call this affordable housing?? Can you sell these units for that price in today market??
Brian Kuehn
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 3:24 p.m.
It is not clear but the $11,000,000 estimated cost may include the mixed-use retail and office structures mentioned in the article.
Tony Dearing
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 12:50 p.m.
A comment was removed while we look into allegations contained in it.
Nancy White
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 11:38 a.m.
Hopefully the developers will consider naming this Letty's Place in memory and honor of Ms Letty Wickliffe who did so much for the Near North Side of Ann Arbor in the 80s and 90s.