Rehab Helps Address Affordable, Market Rate Housing Demand in Richfield | Kraus-Anderson Development
Tucked in just south of Minneapolis and convenient to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, Mall of America, hotels, restaurants and other amenities, Richfield has a lot to offer. And by the end of this year, it will have even more in terms of apartment housing, easing the city’s very tight housing market.
Located south of Highway 62 and west of Cedar Avenue, Chamberlain @ East Edge will offer three new three-story apartment buildings providing a total of 283 new, market-rate residence units averaging 713 square feet, along with an abundance of amenities. As the first apartment models opened in June, with occupancy slated for September 2, market interest in the new apartments is brisk.
In addition, a key component of the new development is affordable housing, addressing housing demand for residents earning below 50 percent of the median income. In total, 64 units of affordable housing will be provided at Chamberlain @ East Edge, including 31 units within the new construction; and 33 units within existing buildings on the site.
Kraus-Anderson (KA) recently completed an extensive renovation of three existing apartment buildings that will provide affordable housing within the Chamberlain @ East Edge development.
Before and After: Carpeting in a rehabbed apartment.
Working in close collaboration with the City of Richfield and Joint Venture Partner Inland Development Partners, KA provided analysis and renovation to the existing apartment buildings, which were originally constructed in 1964 and provide a total of 33 residence units.
The HUD-loan-financed rehab includes complete replacement of bath and kitchen plumbing, new LVT bathroom flooring and fixtures, new kitchen cabinets, counters and appliances; gas furnaces, air conditioning, upgraded electrical service, full roof replacement, trash enclosures, programmable thermostats and sound-insulated windows. New carpeting is being added as apartments turn over.
Before and After: Existing apartment bathrooms were renovated with updated fixtures and flooring.
In addition, residents will have full access to the new amenities at Chamberlain @ East Edge, including swimming pool, sun deck, children’s playground, grilling stations, fire pits, fitness center, party and billiards room, pet wash/dog run, and connectivity to the Three Rivers Park District trails.
Renovation was conducted so as to minimize disruption to existing occupants. Residents continued to live in their apartment units, leaving during the day and returning each evening. A shared swing apartment unit was provided for residents’ daytime use when their own apartment wasn’t available.
A rehabbed kitchen
“The City has been working to redevelop the current Chamberlain site since the early 2000s. We’re excited to see new, quality affordable and market rate housing on our east side and look forward to welcoming many new residents into our community,” explained Assistant Community Development Director Melissa Poehlman. “The city is also very pleased that Kraus-Anderson was able to rehabilitate three buildings of naturally-occurring affordable housing without displacing current residents.”
As the first multi-family apartment complex on Richfield’s east side since the 1970s, Chamberlain @ East Edge helps to address a very tight housing market in the first tier suburb city. Vacancy rates of homes in Richfield are at 1.1 percent while rental units are at 2.2 percent, well below the national average.
Completion of the development is scheduled for this fall.
Architect for the new development is UrbanWorks Architecture.
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