Open Door Community breaks ground for Fairview Townhomes, a critically needed new residential housing development
by Eric Bucey, Director of Marketing and Communications
Open Door Community, a leader in the preservation and development of workforce housing, broke ground on Fairview Townhomes at 1:00 pm, Thursday, April 4, 2024.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the 700 block of Fairview Road in Wytheville, Virginia. Attending dignitaries and guests included Open Door Community Executive Director, Jordan Stidham, Wytheville Town Manager Brian Freeman and Mayor Dr. Beth Taylor alongside other town representatives, key Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development staff members, and key Virginia Housing executives.
The $2.37 million, 12-unit Fairview Townhomes development is located on an approximate 1-acre, formerly vacant site near Fairview Industrial Park, between Route 52 and Ager Drive. The new units are adjacent to an existing Open Door Community developed group home. On one side of the property is a three-unit multi-family dwelling. A single-family residence is located on the other side. The site is near a walking trail and Ager Park, which features a large playground facility.
“Open Door Community, along with its funding partners, have carefully planned this critically needed new rental housing development. The new community is served by Mountain Lynx Public Transit and is less than 2 miles from retail shopping centers and grocery stores as well as local medical providers and employers,” said Open Door Community Executive Director Jordan Stidham. “This project has been in development for nearly five years, and we are excited to welcome its first new residents within the next 18 months.”
Fairview Townhomes is a green certified, multi-family townhouse development. It is the result of a strategic partnership between Open Door Community and the Town of Wytheville working alongside state government and quasi-governmental agencies. This project helps address the shortage of critical needs housing by creating a high-quality, professionally managed rental community designed to meet the needs of people with intellectual disabilities, domestic violence survivors, individuals, and families.”
“With close collaboration between town staff members and Open Door Community, we assisted a private nonprofit developer leverage resources and address barriers to residential housing development,” said Brian Freeman, Wytheville Town Manager. “This is a great example of how local government and the private sector must collaborate to meet our critical housing shortage.”
The development includes twelve, two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath units featuring Housing Innovations in Energy Efficiency (HIEE) compliant upgrades throughout its construction and systems design. A minimum of one-third of units are reserved as permanent supportive housing for critical needs populations. The remaining units will be available to mixed-income renters. At an estimated construction cost of $190,00 per unit, project financing and funding was secured using a mix of owner equity, Virginia Housing REACH financing, Virginia Department of Housing and Development (DHCD) Virginia Housing Trust Fund combined with HIEE funds (made possible through the Regional Green House Gas Initiative), and Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Healthy Housing. Construction loan financing has been secured through First Bank & Trust Company.
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Hi Everyone,
March was memorable here at Open Door. On Saturday, March 16th, we hosted a beautiful and meaningful celebration of life for our dearly departed friend and colleague Rita Kelley. Twenty-seven family members traveled in from out of town and joined with Kelley’s Wytheville area friends, celebrating and honoring her life. We were so fortunate that we had the chance to know her. We were blessed to have Kelley’s family as part of our community, and I know those relationships will continue.
In March we were privileged to host a group of University of Maryland students on their alternative spring break (ASB) service project. Instead of going to the beach, they chose to visit us here at Open Door, volunteering to make our community better. It was a group of eight students, and they never stopped working. They spread 32,000 pounds of topsoil, tilled forty rows of seedlings, planted fruit trees, and applied a layer of mulch. That was only what they accomplished in the garden! They also spent a day in the Jefferson National Forest clearing a trail from dead fall and other debris so that it will be passable for bicyclists during our annual housing first charity bike ride. Finally, they helped with Hope Packs on Wednesday morning, packing 950 weekend meal packs. They smiled, worked, were happy, and gave with their hearts. The only thing I didn't understand was that stayed up all night watching scary movies. We thank them so much for being here, and they are welcome back anytime.
Thanks to Wythe County Community Hospital, Wytheville Baptist Church, the “A” Team, Sunny Hills Church, Wytheville Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Wythe County Department of Social Services, Crockett Chapel UMC, and others for packing in March.
I feel overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation writing all of this. We are so fortunate to do these wonderful things and work with such great people continuously.
