Plaza Roberto Maestas Grand Opening

Posted by beacon on Tue, Oct 25, 2016 at 5:06 PM

Beacon, Family Housing, Project Openings, Urban/Mixed Use, Washington

A full plaza at the October 1 Grand Opening celebration

El Centro de la Raza celebrated the Grand Opening of their recently completed Plaza Roberto Maestas – Beloved Community on Saturday, October 1st. The 112 unit project serves a broad range of incomes in 1,
2, and 3 bedroom units adjacent to the Beacon Hill light rail station. Since 2011, Beacon has worked alongside El Centro de la Raza to realize their goal of providing a truly community inspired affordable housing and community space adjacent to their headquarters. The project includes new classroom space for El Centro de la Raza’s Jose Marti Child Development Center, a multi-cultural community center, retail space, office space, and a large public/private plaza.

The residential development cost was approximately $32 million (not including donated land); the project’s total development cost was approximately $45 million. Permanent and construction financing was provided by US Bank Community Development Corporation, the City of Seattle, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, and a private capital campaign. Pre-development funding was provided by Enterprise Community Partners and Impact Capital.

PRM’s new classrooms for El Centro de la Raza’s Jose Marti Child Development Center

The much needed housing is already 100% leased with a 5-year wait list. Two of the three retail bays are leased to the Seattle Metropolitan Credit Unit and the locally owned café The Station. El Centro de la Raza’s Business Opportunity Center will provide business development courses and micro-lending programs to local small business owners. The project will be a model for community-inspired, transited-oriented development in Seattle.

In addition, Beacon Development Group is happy to announce that we are moving into the project’s office space. We are excited to move to a new home that illustrates our commitment to our work and community. Our move is planned for the end of November – stay tuned for an official moving announcement and our new contact details!

The Grand Opening was a community inspired event attended by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, City Council members and officials, and members of the Beacon Hill neighborhood. The ribbon cutting was followed by multicultural performances from local groups to celebrate the diversity of Seattle and the mission of the El Centro de la Raza.

It has been our privilege to work in collaboration with SMR Architects, Third Place Design Co-operative, 7Directions Architects, and Walsh Construction Co. We are proud to be part of a team working to expand opportunities for working families and individuals in Seattle. Congratulations to El Centro de la Raza on creating a truly “beloved community”!

PRM Reaches 50% Complete!

Posted by beacon on Tue, Jan 26, 2016 at 1:36 PM

Construction, Family Housing, Sustainable Buildings, Urban/Mixed Use, Washington

Panoramic view looking south into the central plaza of Plaza Roberto Maestas

Plaza Roberto Maestas (PRM), El Centro de la Raza’s flagship mixed-use affordable housing development in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle, recently reached 50% construction completion during the month of December 2015! With siding going up on the West Building and framing nearly complete on the East Building, the project is on track for completion by this summer.

View of the East Building at Festival Street (S Lander) & 17th Ave S

The $45 million project consists of two buildings including 112 apartments for low-income families and 25,000 square feet of commercial space including a child care center, community center, office space and neighborhood retail space. Both buildings are oriented around a central plaza for residents and community members to enjoy and are located directly across the street from the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station. Named for Roberto Maestas, founder of El Centro de la Raza, PRM realizes a decades-long dream of the organization to build new affordable housing and community space next to their schoolhouse headquarters.

Beacon has been working with El Centro de la Raza to realize the vision of Plaza Roberto Maestas since 2011, collaborating to structure and close the project’s financing, managing design development and permitting, and now overseeing construction. Funders for PRM include U.S. Bank, City of Seattle, State of Washington, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, and El Centro de la Raza’s capital campaign. PRM is designed by SMR Architects and the General Contractor is Walsh Construction, Co.

For more information on the project including monthly construction updates and capital campaign progress, please visit the Plaza Roberto Maestas website.

Ronald Commons Breaks Ground!

Posted by beacon on Fri, Nov 27, 2015 at 9:41 AM

Family Housing, Special Needs, Sustainable Buildings, Urban/Mixed Use, Washington

Breaking Ground

On October 12^th, Compass Housing Alliance’s Compass at Ronald Commons project in Shoreline, WA broke ground and started construction. Ronald Commons is an affordable housing project with an on-site 12,000 square foot Integrated Service Center, including a food bank owned and operated by Hopelink. Slated for completion in late 2016, Ronald Commons will offer services and permanent, affordable housing to sixty formerly homeless and low-income households, including families and veterans. All apartments will be affordable to residents making between 30 percent and 50 percent of area median income.

Beacon is providing development services on the project. Other partners include Ronald United Methodist Church, Walsh Construction Co., SMR Architects, and Third Place Design Co-Operative.

View of Compass at Ronald Commons from Linden Ave.

“Compass Housing Alliance is very excited to be developing our first permanent housing facility in Shoreline to meet the need for affordable housing. Ronald Commons will be within a community where residents can access multiple supports on their path to stability as well as the schools, arts, and other amenities that make Shoreline such a wonderful place to live,” said Janet Pope, Compass Housing Alliance Executive Director.

The vision for Ronald Commons began five years ago with the Ronald United Methodist Church. Through a unique partnership between the Church, Compass Housing Alliance and Hopelink, the Ronald Commons project will be built adjacent to the Church, which will also complete a remodel that expands space for community partners and furthers its mission of community outreach.

Plaza View of Compass at Ronald Commons

To finance Ronald Commons, Compass Housing Alliance received a combination of funds and support from the City of Shoreline, King County Housing Finance Program, King County Veterans and Human Services Levy, WA State Housing Trust Fund, WA State Housing Finance Commission, Impact Capital, National Equity Fund, Bank of America, Home Depot Foundation, LISC/Met Life, McEachern Charitable Trust, WA State Department of Commerce, and the Sambataro Family Foundation.

Beacon is proud to be affiliated with Compass Housing Alliance and this exciting project!

A Commitment to Agricultural Worker Housing

Posted by beacon on Tue, Sep 22, 2015 at 4:31 PM

Agricultural Workers, Family Housing, Project Openings, Sustainable Buildings, Washington

Beacon has a long history of working with clients to develop permanent agricultural worker housing across Washington State, having developed over 950 apartments for these vital workers since 1999. As Washington continues to experience labor shortages during peak harvest times, according to the most recent annual 2013 Agricultural Workforce Report, the quality and stability of this kind of housing is absolutely essential to the health of our State’s economy.

Over the summer Beacon celebrated the opening of Varney Court, its latest agricultural worker project undertaken in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Pasco and Franklin County (HACPFC). Located at the intersection of 4^th and Pearl in Pasco, WA, the project features 38 apartments spread across seven buildings around a central courtyard, community building and playground. The two-, three- and four-bedroom apartment layouts and child-focused amenities were specifically designed for families working in the local agricultural industry.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer these new apartments to families working in the region’s agricultural industry,” stated Andy Anderson, HACPFC’s Executive Director. “Far too often these families are forced to live in unacceptable conditions. Varney Court provides families a safe and decent place to live so their children can live happy, healthy lives in our great city.”

ZBA Architects designed the community and Walker Construction served as the general contractor. Beacon Development Group provided development services and Foster Pepper PLLC provided legal services. Other engineering and design team members were: AHBL, Coffman Engineers, Fulcrum Environmental Consulting, and Baer Testing. Cascade Management is providing property management services.

The total development cost was approximately $8.5 million. Funders included the Washington State Housing Trust Fund, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, National Equity Fund, Wells Fargo and Impact Capital. The City of Pasco also provided $50,000 of Community Development Block Grants to pay for street improvements along Pearl Street.

“This community exemplifies what the State and local jurisdictions can do when they work together to support affordable housing,” said Paul Purcell, President of Beacon Development Group. “In particular, the project wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the State legislature and the Housing Trust Fund.”

Beacon congratulates the HACPFC and the Pasco community on another successful project!

Crafting Unique Solutions to Affordable Housing Preservation

Posted by beacon on Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 5:18 PM

Acquisition/Rehab, Family Housing, Occupied Rehabs, Senior Housing, Washington

Beacon has a long track record of working with clients to create more affordable housing, both in new construction and in the repositioning of older assets, thereby extending a building’s affordability and useful life. There are typically a host of financial tools available to do this in WA State – from Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) to State and local dollars such as the Seattle Housing Levy. But over the last several years many of these, especially at the State level, have been under constant threat.

Yet the need for affordable housing keeps growing. As a result, Beacon has worked hard on behalf of clients to turn over every rock for new funding. Two recent examples of projects that utilized groundbreaking “first of its kind” financing in Washington State are Yakima Family Housing in Yakima and Hilltop House in Seattle.

Yakima Family Housing with the Yakima Housing Authority (YHA) was completed in late 2014 and was the one of the first HUD Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)-funded projects in WA State. Beacon and YHA worked together to secure the award from HUD and then packaged it with 9% LIHTCs to refinance and renovate 150 units of scattered-site public housing across the City of Yakima. Beacon also served as construction manager, working with YHA to oversee the complex process of tenant relocation and renovation, while ensuring minimal disruption to families and maintaining the tight timeline for LIHTC delivery. Partners on this project include Raymond James, Walker Construction Co., and ZBA Architecture. Kantor, Taylor, Nelson, Evatt & Decina PC provided legal services.

Hilltop House Apts., Hilltop House, Inc.

In May of this year Beacon also started construction on Hilltop House Apartments in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle. On behalf of this 124-unit non-profit-owned senior project, Beacon secured one of only twelve HUD SPRAC (Senior Preservation Rental Assistance Contract) awards in the United States. Working with CBRE Group, Inc. through its FHA lending program, this unique financing was leveraged to retire existing HUD 202 and Flexible Subsidy loans so that a new permanent FHA 221(d)(4) loan could be used to extensively rehabilitate the property and prevent displacement of low-income seniors. In addition to CBRE, partners on this project include SMR Architects and Walsh Construction Company. Kantor, Taylor, Nelson, Evatt & Decina PC provided legal services.

According to Muriel Cashdollar, Board President of Hilltop House, “Beacon Development has worked tirelessly to help Hilltop House refinance our HUD mortgage, find an architect and a contractor, and manage the entire process. We could not have accomplished our goals without their significant help. Beacon’s experience has made our current construction possible!”

Together these projects represent nearly 275 affordable homes that would not have been preserved without these unique and creative approaches to affordable housing development. Together with our clients, Beacon strives to always secure the right financing for the needs of your project and your tenants.

PRM Reaches Important Construction Milestone

Posted by beacon on Tue, May 19, 2015 at 12:18 PM

Construction, Family Housing, Sustainable Buildings, Urban/Mixed Use, Washington

Concrete Footings on the East Building of PRM

As of today, all of the concrete footings for El Centro de la Raza’s Plaza Roberto Maestas (PRM) are poured! The Walsh Construction team has been fortunate to have only a few days of wet weather since work began on April 10^th. This has allowed for quick movement through demolition, excavation and concrete work. It also means we are through the dirt portion of the project with relatively few surprises – a great place to be early on in a large development like PRM!

PRM is an exciting new mixed-use transit oriented community featuring 112 units of affordable housing, a seven classroom expansion for El Centro’s Jose Marti Child Development Center, a multi-cultural community center, neighborhood retail/restaurant space, office space and a central plaza for micro-business, events and enjoyment of the surrounding campus and community. Most of the apartments at PRM will be two- or three-bedrooms to address the critical shortage of affordable family-sized rental housing in the City of Seattle.

Plaza Roberto Maestas will be complete in July 2016. Please visit the project website here for more information.

West Building Festival St Facade Web Edit

West Building Festival Street Facade – Future Neighborhood Retail/Restaurant Space(s)

Casa Kino Featured in Affordable Housing Finance Magazine

Posted by beacon on Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 1:52 PM

Agricultural Workers, Family Housing, Press, Sustainable Buildings, Washington

Washington Developer Continues to Serve Farmworkers

By, Christine Serlin

Central Washington state has a robust agriculture industry, accounting for 20 percent to 25 percent of the region’s total economy.

Farmworkers are a critical part of that economy, handpicking crops, such as asparagus, cherries, and apples. But affordable housing can be scarce in rural areas, and these needed laborers are forced to live in overcrowded or unsafe conditions.

But Yakima, Wash.–based Catholic Charities Housing Services (CCHS) is helping to provide more safe, affordable housing opportunities for farmworkers one project at a time in the seven-county area where it works.

“The need for farmworker housing is acute throughout central Washington,” says CCHS director Bryan Ketcham.

To read the whole article click here.

HACPFC’s Fourth & Pearl Family Housing Breaks Ground

Posted by beacon on Mon, Nov 3, 2014 at 2:56 PM

Agricultural Workers, Construction, Family Housing, Sustainable Buildings, Washington

Housing Authority of the City of Pasco and Franklin County’s vacant Fourth & Pearl site before construction started

Over the summer the Housing Authority of the City of Pasco and Franklin County (HACPFC) broke ground on their newest community located at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Pearl Street in Pasco, WA.

According to Andy Anderson, Executive Director of the HACPFC, “We are eager to bring quality affordable housing to Pasco. The new community, Fourth and Pearl Family Housing, is being developed on land owned by the Housing Authority for more than 60 years. It has stood vacant for more than 40 years, since the former World War II Navy housing was demolished. We are pleased to help the City of Pasco improve one of its gateways to downtown Pasco by building this new community.”

The new 40-unit community is designed to accommodate large families with 24 two-bedroom units, 12 three-bedroom units, and two four-bedroom units. Thirteen apartments will be rented to families who earn less than 40% of area median income (AMI) and twenty-five apartments will be rented to families who earn less than 50% of AMI.

The Housing Authority will market the project to agricultural workers employed in the Pasco community and surrounding areas. Far too often these hardworking families live in dilapidated and substandard housing.

ZBA Architects designed the project and Walker Construction is the general contractor. Beacon is providing development services. Cascade Management, Inc. will be the property manager.

Numerous public and private sources provided funding for the project. Wells Fargo is the construction lender. The Washington State Department of Commerce contributed $5 million from the state Housing Trust Fund. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission provided 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits that the National Equity Fund purchased in exchange for $2.9 million in equity. And the City of Pasco supplied $50,000 of Community Development Block Grant funds to support public infrastructure around the project.

As of September HACPFC was 40% complete on the construction of Fourth and Pearl Family Housing and is looking forward to opening in the spring of 2015!

Fourth & Pearl Family Housing – 40% Complete

Casa Kino Grand Opening

Posted by beacon on Wed, Jul 23, 2014 at 11:50 AM

Agricultural Workers, Family Housing, Project Openings, Sustainable Buildings, Washington

Casa Kino, Quincy, WA

We are proud to announce that Catholic Charities Housing Services recently celebrated the opening of Casa Kino in Quincy, WA. Developed together with Beacon, Casa Kino is an affordable multi-family development consisting of 51 newly constructed 2- and 3-bedroom townhomes for agricultural workers and low-income families earning up to 30%, 40% and 50% percent of the area median income. The development complies with the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard which emphasizes green building techniques. The apartments will save about 50% of the energy usage typical of standard construction through the use of structural Insulated Panels for exterior walls, increased ceiling/roof insulation, efficient windows and advanced sealing techniques in walls and openings. Water usage will also be greatly reduced by low-flow fixtures throughout the units and extensive “xeriscaping” landscaping in the development.

Beacon and CCHS staff members handing out soccer balls to the children at Casa Kino

It has been our privilege to work with Catholic Charities Housing Services of Yakima on this joint collaboration with designer, ZBA Architecture and general contractor, MC Lundgren Construction, Inc., to develop yet another quality affordable housing project for agricultural workers and their families. With a focus on comfort and safety for children on site, the community includes abundant outdoor recreational areas, a computer lab and multimedia center, classrooms and meeting rooms and a community building with centralized laundry and kitchen facilities. CCHS provides extensive services for families and children in the community building at the property.

The project cost $10.5 million and was financed with a tax credit equity investment from National Equity Fund® through the Washington State Housing Finance Commission’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, and funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce Housing Trust Fund and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Housing Enhancement Fund, administered through the City of Quincy.

In celebration of the opening of Casa Kino Beacon staff gifted a soccer, basketball or volleyball to each apartment for kids and families to enjoy together. Paul Purcell, President of Beacon, was then quickly challenged to a soccer match after the festivities wrapped up (he lost!)

Watching the joy from the kids as they received the balls was priceless, as it reminded us what our work in affordable housing is all about – creating stable, safe and happy environments for children to grow and thrive in. Congratulations to Catholic Charities Housing Services on creating another great community for families in Central Washington!

Paul Purcell, President of Beacon, playing soccer with children at Casa Kino

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