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New housing project will cater to military, veterans

Daily Star-Journal - 5/15/2019

May 14-- May 14--WARRENSBURG -- A 60-unit housing complex focused on catering to military personnel and veterans will be built on a 10-acre tract in the Hawthorne Development just north of Warrensburg with construction scheduled to begin in early June.

Greg Rodewald, acquisitions manager for Belmont Development Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, said the Missouri Housing Development Commission is providing affordable housing tax credit funding for 45 of the units, which will be income-restricted, with 15 units to be market-rate units.

"We felt it was important to have a mix of income on site," he said.

Rents will range from $425 per month to $850 per month.

The complex, called the Garden Walk at Magnolia Ridge, will consist of four duplexes, three single-story row houses, five two-story buildings and a community building. The development will contain a total of eight one-bedroom units, 22 two-bedroom units and 30 three-bedroom units.

"We did our best, architecturally speaking, to break the site up to make it more attractive and add curb appeal," Rodewald said.

Total project cost is about $10,799,220 with approximately $680,000 of the funding coming from the Federal HOME Program Funds.

The "sticks and bricks" structures will be built on site, he said, and amenities include a community garden and dog park and rehabilitation equipment and pool.

The MHDC, for the first time, made housing for military personnel and veterans a priority for issuing tax credits, he said.

Prior to applying for the tax credits, Rodewald said the company commissioned a third-party study by a national firm to determine the feasibility of the project.

The study showed "a huge need" for the housing, he said.

The application included a "service-enriched component," Rodewald said. In addition to housing, the complex will have "very extensive services on site," with 50 providers offering services.

"Any residents will have access to a vast menu of social services," he said.

A 3,500- to 4,000-square-foot clubhouse will house management and maintenance staff and the service coordinator who will administer all services on site.

"We have a specific position strictly for services," Rodewald said.

Delilah Nichols, former coordinator of the Office of Military and Veteran Services at the University of Central Missouri will fill that position, he said, adding Nichols helped identify the service needs and has been working on recruiting providers since December.

"She's done a wonderful job getting all the service providers," Rodewald said.

An email from the MHDC stated the program offers "one of the most comprehensive social service programs this state agency has ever seen," he said.

"We are very proud" of the project, Rodewald said.

Closing on the property purchase is set for the morning of June 5, he said, with a preconstruction meeting that afternoon.

"We hope by the end of the day to give notice to proceed" to the contractor, Rodewald said, with a groundbreaking ceremony tentatively set for June 6.

Completion is scheduled for July to August 2020.

Staff Writer Sue Sterling can be reached by emailing sue.sterling@dsjnow.com or by calling (660) 747-8123.

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