Hallmark House Apartments — September 2019 Update
Important affordable housing project is updating its construction plans to meet requirements
In February, the City provided an update on Hallmark House Apartments, located at 531 Woodside Road, a 72-unit affordable housing complex damaged in a fire in 2013 and rendered uninhabitable. This blog provides a brief update on new efforts underway to rebuild.
Over the past several months, the developer has been working with the City’s building and fire officials to submit and review plans for the rebuild. The original rebuild permits lapsed in 2017, triggering new state Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Adaptability Standards Codes, delaying the project. Over the last four months, the property owner has decided to redesign the entire building to meet the new ADA code requirements.
As part of its review process, the City hired a structural engineering firm to evaluate the condition of the apartment complex and to provide the City with a structural report. Concurrently, the developer hired a Certified Access Specialist to ensure accessibility and compliance with the ADA. The developer is now updating the construction plans to meet those requirements. The City expects to receive revised plans from the developer by the end of October, and expects the project to start construction in January or February of 2020.
Looking forward to the anticipated construction, the affordability of the apartments will continue as before the fire: 30% of the units would be affordable to very low-income households. The reconstruction plans will include 71 one-bedroom units and one studio. Rent for one-bedroom apartments would range between $1,330 and $1,605.
For more details about the City’s affordable housing initiatives, go here.
