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Work continues on the Buckeye Fields senior housing project, which is being built near the Washington County Home.
The $9.1 million project will include 64 homes on 65 acres near the Washington County Home. Approximately 25 acres will be leased for the initial project and the other acres will be used for potential project expansion.
Washington County Job and Family Services Director Flite Freimann and Rick Hindman, assistant executive director at Buckeye Hills Regional Council, decided to create a non-profit organization called Buckeye Hills Support Services to handle the project, as JFS and Buckeye Hills were both government agencies. BHSS leased the land from the Washington County Commission.
The one-story modular homes will be built to house low-income Washington County seniors.
The housing project is unique in that it will have wraparound services that other senior living centers don't have. For instance, a doctor or nutritionist could visit the community center and reach multiple seniors at once. The communal area in the housing development would give them access to social networking.
Pickering Associates is the local architect and engineering firm. Unibilt designed the duplexes that will have 750-square-feet per single bedroom apartments.
Before foundations can be poured and housing units trucked in, a lot of earth has to be moved to level the property.
"If you've been out to the county home, it could have been a ski resort in another life. It's pretty steep, so there's a substantial amount of earth that has to be moved," Freimann said. "That's our biggest plan right now. How we're going to move the earth. We need something more level and walkable."
He said there are four issues regarding moving the massive amount of earth.
¯ What is the most cost effective way to make it level?
¯ How can they make sure the commitment to the City of Marietta, the Marietta Country Club and the Washington County engineer is held up so when the dirt is moved, there are no water run-off issues?
"It's being a good steward of the land and making sure you're not causing any environmental problems," Freimann said.
¯ How to run water and sewer lines to each of the units with minimal impact?
¯ How to move the earth while still making it possible for a second development to be built?
"We want to make sure when we are moving the land, we are anticipating a spot for potential future development," he noted.
He said they are looking to start digging and leveling the property in March or April.
When the project is complete, Freimann said there will be a small mortgage on the property, which Settlers Bank has agreed to handle. Wesbanco has agreed to handle the construction loan.
"We anticipate the total construction loan to be about $6.1 million," Freimann said. "We're really pleased with where we're at."
Before construction begins, there are two things left to do, he noted.
Syndicators, who will sell the $9.1 million in tax credits to generate funds for the project, still need to be pinned down, Freimann explained.
"The syndicators we've talked to are interested, but they aren't doing anything until January," he said. "With COVID and the uncertainty around the election, it's made investors a little wary.
"In talking with professionals, they said we've got plenty of time and this is nothing to worry about. And the investors we've all spoken with are interested in our project," Freimann explained.
The 25 acres allotted to the initial Buckeye Fields project includes possible walking trails, outdoor recreation areas and a dog park for small animals.
Freimann is expecting to start construction in early spring. He said once the foundation for the duplex is finished, the Unibilt home can be connected to it and the electric and plumbing can be hooked up.
According to the plans designed by Pickering Associates, the development will be set up as a cul de sac with houses lining both sides of the road. Parking spots will be situated near the front of each one-story unit.
Freimann said in the early summer, the first residents will be able to move in. The project is to be substantially finished in the fall.
"We're trying to move quickly. We first received our money in April and we hope to have everything done within 18 to 24 months," he added.