LEED Certified Affordable Housing Breaks Ground in Turlock
EAH Housing and the City of Turlock to build Avena Bella – 80 units of housing for working families
Turlock, CA – On Wednesday, March 28th, EAH Housing and the City of Turlock will break ground on Avena Bella, an 80 unit affordable housing property designed for working families, which features some of the latest innovations in green building. The groundbreaking event will be held at 12 pm at the property’s future location: 500 West Linwood Avenue, Turlock, CA.
Developing Avena Bella will be a public/private joint-venture between the City of Turlock and the nonprofit developer EAH Housing. The two organizations came together to address a dire need for more affordable housing in the region.
“Avena Bella is the type of development our city needs. Turlock and the entire San Joaquin Valley were hit hard by the recession. Avena Bella will strengthen the community of Turlock by creating local jobs and providing working families with a stable place to call home,” said John Lazar, the Mayor of Turlock.
Avena Bella will consist of 8 Mediterranean-themed buildings on a 4.3 acre site. The property has 80 garden-style apartment homes with a mix of two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Residents will have access to a community center, communal kitchen, swimming pool, tot-lot, and community garden. Green space, landscaping, and paved walk ways will fill out the open space between buildings. Construction is expected to run from March 2012 to June 2013.
When completed, Avena Bella is expected to receive LEED Platinum certification. The property features solar power, and ventilation systems that utilize continuous energy recovery. Additionally, the property features strategically planted large trees to shade and cool living spaces. A storm water retention system will provide most of the water for the property’s lush native-plant landscaping.
“The cutting-edge technologies and common-sense innovations applied to Avena Bella exemplify many of the best practices in sustainable building for multi-family housing. The whole-systems design approach ensures the project will enhance residents’ quality of life while minimizing operations costs and supporting a healthy planet.” said Katy Hollbacher, Principal and Founder of Beyond Efficiency, a San Francisco based green building consulting firm which was hired to work on Avena Bella.
Residents of Avena Bella will enjoy the property’s convenient location, next to Cunningham Elementary School and close to many amenities including the Lander Marketplace Shopping Center, Sam’s Food City, and public transportation corridors.
Total project costs for the development are estimated to be $19,000,000. Financial participants included JP Morgan Chase Bank, the City of Turlock Redevelopment Agency, the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program, at the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.
“Avena Bella supports the working families that make up the fabric of our communities. This development gives families a quality place to call home in Turlock, allowing them to live close to their jobs, friends, and relatives. At JP Morgan Chase, we are proud to take part in this important investment in the future of Turlock,” said Andy Madeira, Senior Banker, Community Development Banking, JPMorgan Chase Bank.
“Avena Bella creates a healthy and sustainable environment for families. The property addresses the housing shortage in the region while also taking care to have a minimal impact on the environment. We are looking forward to seeing the growth of this vibrant community,” said Maryn Pitt, Housing Program Services Manager, City of Turlock.
Established in 1968, EAH Housing is one of the oldest and most respected nonprofit housing developers and managers in the western United States. EAH has developed 83 properties with an estimated aggregate development cost of $1 billion (current dollars) and oversees a management portfolio of more than 9,000 unit leases. For more information on EAH Housing visit www.eahhousing.org.
###
