The people behind efforts to build 120-units of affordable housing held a ceremonial groundbreaking for Whiteaker Commons Monday afternoon.
The project will sit at the corner of 5th Avenue and Adams Street in a spot that was previously a paid parking lot.
“This is one of the areas that people most want to live in the city because it’s so close to so many things and it’s so good for transit, biking, walking and rolling wherever you need to go,” said Jason Lear, advisor to developer Red Apple Square. “But you don’t see a lot of new housing being built here. There’s just not a lot of land.”
The location includes a bus stop on its north side, and sits north of the parking lot for Bruns' Apple Market.
“People want more affordable housing, and even though change can be a little difficult and it’s tough sometimes to build in an urban area, we think this is what people want and what they’ve been clamoring for,” he said.
Plans call for 66 studios, 40 one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom apartments. The complex will also have a community room with on-site resident social services.
“These are going to be very well-built and would rival many market-rate apartments,” said Gary Meili, president of Meili Construction. “They tend to be a little bit smaller but with a focus on durability and sustainability.”
The project is expected to be completed within 18 months, and apartments will be available to people making as much as 60% of the area’s median income.
Funding for the project is coming from Oregon Housing and Community Services and the City of Eugene’s Low-Income Rental Housing Property Tax Exemptions.
