Helena, MT
Rocky Mountain Development Council (RMDC), a tri-county Community Action Agency, began brainstorming an expansion to their list of affordable rental properties in 2017 when they commissioned a Housing Needs Assessment that identified the alarming rate at which housing demand was outpacing supply and an increasing affordability gap between housing prices and median income in our area. Creatively combining both 9% and 4% Low Income Tax Credit financing, HOME CHDO funds, CDBG grant, and private debt, the RMDC Housing Program Director pooled the necessary funds to begin to help meeting the affordable rental needs. Mosaic Architecture helped RMDC envision the development of a 9.6 acre open property within the Helena city limits for affordable rentals that provide a high level of accessibility and fit the scale of existing adjacent neighborhoods. With the implementation of the Red Alder Residences project, RMDC has been able to offer 85 new residential units to a blend of household incomes from 30% AMI to 60% of AMI including families and residents with physical mobility restrictions since 40% of the units meet full accessibility guidelines. Sitting adjacent to a multi-use path connecting directly to the Centennial Trail that offers East/West connectivity through town and out to nearby Spring Meadow Lake and ½ block from a high school, the property was uniquely and rightly suited for this type of development. Six different residential building types were designed to provide a visually pleasing blend of one, two, and three-bedroom units in the development with a total of 26 buildings ranging in size from duplexes to four-plex’s. The residential buildings are configured around a loop road with a community center, playground and open park space centrally located. Priority was placed on community connectivity and livability with each unit provided a front and back door along with a small covered front patio that fronts the loop road. Accessible paths throughout connect all units to each other and community amenities. A subtle and timeless palette of white and gray siding and white windows throughout is tastefully punctuated by accented entry colors on patio insets or front doors offering distinctive character to each building. A limited landscaping budget was used to provide select accent areas with dense planting of tall native bunch grass, shrubs and perennial flowers and some units have planter boxes on the front patio for resident use. The community center is centrally located and, in addition to the site manager’s office, offers a community meeting room with adjacent kitchen and outdoor patio that overlook the playground and Mt. Helena. This shared space has been used for community educational events, birthday and anniversary parties, and to help generate income for residents who offer exercise classes or create arts and crafts. It’s the only building in the development punctuated with red siding. Future plans for the development include a community garden space near the community center.
Rocky Mountain Development Council (RMDC), a tri-county Community Action Agency, began brainstorming an expansion to their list of affordable rental properties in 2017 when they commissioned a Housing Needs Assessment that identified the alarming rate at which housing demand was outpacing supply and an increasing affordability gap between housing prices and median income in our area. Creatively combining both 9% and 4% Low Income Tax Credit financing, HOME CHDO funds, CDBG grant, and private debt, the RMDC Housing Program Director pooled the necessary funds to begin to help meeting the affordable rental needs. Mosaic Architecture helped RMDC envision the development of a 9.6 acre open property within the Helena city limits for affordable rentals that provide a high level of accessibility and fit the scale of existing adjacent neighborhoods. With the implementation of the Red Alder Residences project, RMDC has been able to offer 85 new residential units to a blend of household incomes from 30% AMI to 60% of AMI including families and residents with physical mobility restrictions since 40% of the units meet full accessibility guidelines. Sitting adjacent to a multi-use path connecting directly to the Centennial Trail that offers East/West connectivity through town and out to nearby Spring Meadow Lake and ½ block from a high school, the property was uniquely and rightly suited for this type of development. Six different residential building types were designed to provide a visually pleasing blend of one, two, and three-bedroom units in the development with a total of 26 buildings ranging in size from duplexes to four-plex’s. The residential buildings are configured around a loop road with a community center, playground and open park space centrally located. Priority was placed on community connectivity and livability with each unit provided a front and back door along with a small covered front patio that fronts the loop road. Accessible paths throughout connect all units to each other and community amenities. A subtle and timeless palette of white and gray siding and white windows throughout is tastefully punctuated by accented entry colors on patio insets or front doors offering distinctive character to each building. A limited landscaping budget was used to provide select accent areas with dense planting of tall native bunch grass, shrubs and perennial flowers and some units have planter boxes on the front patio for resident use. The community center is centrally located and, in addition to the site manager’s office, offers a community meeting room with adjacent kitchen and outdoor patio that overlook the playground and Mt. Helena. This shared space has been used for community educational events, birthday and anniversary parties, and to help generate income for residents who offer exercise classes or create arts and crafts. It’s the only building in the development punctuated with red siding. Future plans for the development include a community garden space near the community center.
Mosaic Architecture
428 N Last Chance Gulch
Helena, MT 59601
(406) 449-2013
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