(Photo above: The Parks at Eastlake | by CBN)
Parks at Eastlake Attracts Major Interest & Wins Top Green Accolade
An innovative 40-unit affordable housing complex playing a part in addressing Central Oregon’s pressing workforce housing needs while also winning the first leading multi-family green building designation of its type seen east of the Cascades has been unveiled on Bend’s east side.
Brought to fruition by Housing Works – the local tri-county housing authority providing affordable housing, rental assistance and new beginnings for low-and moderate-income Central Oregonians – The Parks at Eastlake affordable apartment community on 2.64 acres off Bellevue Drive has been built to serve city residents making 60 percent or less than median income.
As an affordable property operating under applicable income restrictions rents are set well below market rates, and demonstrating the huge demand for such housing options in the context of Bend’s rising rents and vacancy hovering close to zero, the project was deluged with applicants upon completion and swiftly fully leased via a lottery system, leaving over 200 on the waiting list.
The high-quality property provides 8-one bedroom, 16-two bedroom and 16-three bedroom apartment homes, with most serving households under 50 per cent of the area median income and the balance dedicated to households under 60 per cent of that threshold.
In addition, Housing Works has designated two units to formerly homeless veterans and two units of transitional housing for homeless families. Merryman Barnes Architects designed the project and R&H Construction served as the general contractor.
The groundbreaking new community was developed by Housing Works, the largest affordable housing provider in the region, in response to the critical shortage of affordable rental housing in Bend.
The design also mirrors that of award-winning nearby Eastlake Village, another successful low-income community developed by Housing Works, with residents enjoying expansive decks, private entries, windows that provide exceptional natural light and desirable interior amenities.
Built to Earth Advantage Platinum certification standards in a multi-family project first for Central Oregon, the complex also incorporates best practices and innovative construction technologies to gain efficiencies in design elements, systems and materials to improve energy efficiency, create superior indoor air quality, use natural resources responsibly, protect land and lower water usage.
R&H Senior Project Manager Brendon Warren added that exterior and interior light fixtures employed economical LED technology, while energy efficient appliances were installed in all units. Recycling of materials was a feature of construction and common areas utilized drought-tolerant landscaping.
Projects of this type are typically not feasible without support from public bodies, and Oregon Housing and Community Services provided Housing Works with tax credits worth $7.5 million to build the complex. Financial contributions were also made by the City of Bend and the Network of Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH).
Housing Works’ Executive Director Tom Kemper, who played a major role in seeing the project from concept to construction over the last several years, said: “With Central Oregon in the midst of a housing crisis, this latest project could not come at a more crucial time.
“We face a very competitive climate in trying to get projects within our non-metro jurisdiction pool approved at the state level. We worked for over three years to get funding and are excited to be able to help respond to the needs of our community.
“There is an insatiable need for affordable housing locally and we have people calling every day asking for help in finding a place to live.
“We strive to open the door to affordable housing opportunities for those who have been locked out of the market – usually young families and often with parents working two jobs in retail, service or resort industries,”
Oregon Housing and Community Services Director Margaret Van Vliet added: “Oregon Housing and Community Services is incredibly excited to see this project help more individuals and families with low incomes have a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.
“Our collective vision for the state is that all Oregonians have the opportunity to pursue prosperity and live free from poverty, and we know this project will help more families in Bend to achieve that goal and help in meeting a critical need in the Bend area where available and affordable apartments are so scarce.”
Housing Works is a public agency whose mission is “fostering dignity through housing”. It provides people with quality, safe and affordable homes and, through a number of collaborations, provides resources to help people stabilize their lives and become economically self-sufficient.
The organization’s developments in Bend, Redmond and Sisters have won numerous awards for innovation, economic impact, design, beautification, and historic preservation and enhancement, and they currently manage around 800 units in Central Oregon.
Housing Works obtains public funding from federal, state and local governments and leverages these funds with private capital from local financial institutions and foundations to provide quality housing that meets communities’ needs.
The Parks at Eastlake
680 NE Bellevue Drive, Bend, OR 97701
www.housing-works.org
Property Owner/Developer: Housing Works
Contractor: R&H Construction
Project Cost: $5.1 Million
Square Footage: 36,712 (All Buildings)
Project Manager: Brendon Warren
Supervisor: Lonnie Brant / Andy Hewes
Architect: Merryman Barnes Architects, Inc.
Principal Architect: Doug Benson, AIA
Structural Engineer: BKE Engineers, Bill Berry
Civil Engineer: Hickman Williams & Associates, Inc., Grant Hardgrave
Mechanical Engineer: Colebreit Engineering, Laura Breit
Electrical Engineer: Bend Electric, Bill Warmack
Landscaping: Botanical Developments, Ron Kidder
Subcontractors and Suppliers
7 Peaks Paving, A&E Masonry, Bend Electric, Bend Plumbing & Heating, Botanical Developments, Cascade Heating, Cascade Painting, Countertops Unlimited, Daley Construction, DE-EL Enterprises, Deschutes Window & Door, Dimar Siding, Fabulous Floors, Gale Contractor Services, GH Surveying, J Helm Enterprises, John Sanna Construction, J&R Fire, Lanz Cabinet Shop, Mid-Valley Glass, Mike’s Fence Center, North Country Building Specialties, Northwest Quality Construction, PlayPros, Quality Heating, Quality Truss Co, Sage Ridge, Stone Roofing, Sunburst Fabrications, True Line Steel, Ultra Quiet Floors, US Mailboxes, Western Protective Coatings, Whirlpool
