Clear Snapshots out of the Murky Downtown Vision: Rainy Days don't stop building in Downtown Mesa

While few pedestrians were on the sidewalks during the deluge today, except for office and retail store workers doing errands and having lunch, this blogger was out and about looking at the progress on two new and expanding "affordable" housing developments: Phase 1 of  El Rancho Apartments on Main Street [to be followed by Phase 2] and  Phase 2 Escobedo at Verde Vista, located on University Drive

El Rancho Apartments @ 719 E Main Street

Phase 1 

El Rancho is one of the first Form Based Zoning projects in the City of Mesa.

Financing for the project comes from the sale of Low Income Housing Tax Credits, which the project was awarded in 2013.  A construction loan from Chase Bank will finance the project through lease-up.  Arizona Department of Housing provided gap financing and the City of Mesa provided both a grant and loan through Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) funds, without which the project would not be feasible.  

Ground was broken in August of last year, after the removal of a one-story blighted motel. Perlman Architects of Arizona came up with the unique design for families with children

It will rise four stories above the Main Street light rail tracks not far from a new station. The 66 unit apartment community is the latest in a series of new housing opportunities in Mesa.

The City of Mesa has invested heavily in the pursuit of creating a local culture conducive to supporting the arts which this project fully supports.  In addition to the public art spaces, there is also a large communal gallery, a flexible studio space for children's service programming, a media room, computer lab, an outdoor eating area, a community garden (in cooperation with Mesa Urban Garden) and a pool. 

Eric Paine CEO

El Rancho will put all but two of its apartments on levels two, three and four, and the ground floor will be used for under-building parking and community facilities with a retail façade. We’re looking at a $13.6M total project,” says developer Eric Paine for Community Development Partners. “That includes land and soft costs. The construction cost is about $9M.” The project will be leased at affordable rents, although Paine says that the difference between market and affordable in that area of Mesa is pretty close. 

The property management company handling the leasing of the affordable units has just posted an announcement for information and applications with an availability date of June 15, 2015  

Go to:http://www.celticpropertymanagement.com/our-properties/multi-family-housing?view=property&id=39:el-rancho-mesa

 

                                                                                                                                                                                   From this photo taken today of the site under construction this project is well on its way to take its place "in the heart of downtown Mesa, AZ.

In the midst of all the City Center has to offer, shops, businesses, venues, with lots of city services within a short distance all with the ease of access to the Light Rail!   El Rancho will provide lots of amenities making life in the city luxurious.  Monthly activities and Art Installations, a beautiful community garden and supportive services makes El Rancho The Premier Place to Call Home! "
Quotation of wording from Celtic Managment's website

 ..update with credits and links to follow

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Phase 1 Photo Credit: Gorman Construction

 
Phase II   Escobedo @ Verde Vista 

Developers: Gorman & Co. and ARM of Save the Family Foundation
Architect: Gorman & Co.
Major Funders: Boston Capital; JPMorgan Chase; Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Arizona Department of Health Services; City of Mesa; Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago; BMO Harris Bank; Arizona Department of Housing

Groups working together on the transformation of Downtown Mesa are turning heads with their initiatives in new urban design to construct residential communities that are regenerating the physical landscape while meeting the needs for housing to improve the lives and services for a growing population.

Gorman & Co. has transformed a boarded-up public housing project in Mesa, Ariz., into a diverse community. The site housed African-American pilots during World War II in segregated barracks and then was converted into segregated public housing for African-American and Hispanic households. The Escobedo Project was finally integrated in the 1960s but was vacated in 2007 and 2008 due to its dilapidated state.

Gorman teamed with Save the Family Foundation of Arizona, which serves home­less families, and West Mesa CDC to revive the site. The first phase of Escobedo at Verde Vista, completed in November  2014, provides 70 units of housing for low-­income families, seniors, and those with special needs. It also includes a 15,000-square-foot headquarters for Save the Family.
Source for above from: article by Christine Sirline from July of last year Article from Housing Finance

Townhouse Construction

Phase II with 66 units will be some of the largest rental units in the affordable housing submarket, with six one-bedroom units containing 705 square feet, six two-bedroom units with 1,050 square feet, 43 three-bedroom units with 1,284 square feet and 10 four-bedroom units with 1,391 square feet. 
Units will have a rental range of $256 for one bedroom, $296 for two bedrooms, $331-$750 for three bedrooms and $705-$824 for four-bedroom units. A total of 49 percent of the units target households with incomes at 30 percent and below the area median income, 32 percent at 50 percent AMI and 19 percent at 60 percent AMI, according to the press release from Save The Family.

Construction showing unit configurations

Escobedo at Verde Vista is being financed with private equity through the sale of federal tax credits, with the intention of converting 100 percent of the units to tenant ownership at year 15 as a way to build financial capital of low and very low income households in this area. All of the units are in a townhome or patio home configuration for conversion to ownership in the future, according to a press release from Save The Family
information source from Newzap: here

New building to be donated by Gorman for foster families

During this blogger's walk around the construction site for Phase  II it was a pleasant surprise to meet and talk with Brian Swanton, Arizona Market President for Gorman Construction.

He took the time to step out in the middle of supervising construction while this reporter was walking around in the rain to see and photograph the expanding project.

Brian pointed out that the building pictured to the left will be the physical location for social services provided for foster families and to be generously donated by Gorman to Helen's Hope Chest, part of Mesa United Way, http://www.mesaunitedway.org/helens-hope-chest-1 much the same way that the 15,000 sq. ft. headquarters for Save The Family and Mesa United Way across the street on the south side of  University Drive was conveyed  by Gorman Construction to that organization.

Here's the website for the property management company Dunlap & McGee
http://www.dunlap-magee.com/Apartments/module/property_info/property%5Bid%5D/52899 

Features include a photo slideshow, with floor plans, pricing structures, amenities to be provided, and an application
http://www.escobedoatverdevistaapts.com/