Zion Woods Project Description
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Zion Woods Project Description Zion Woods is a 48-unit new construction affordable development for families in Deerfield, IL. The site is located on 7 acres of vacant land owned by and adjacent to Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church at 10 Deerfield Road. As part of their mission, the Church is willing to contribute this land to the project through a long-term lease for a nominal rate. The project will be marketed as workforce housing and will be targeted to people who work in the area, but cannot afford to live in Deerfield. The project is being developed by Brinshore Development, LLC in conjunction with Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC), an Illinois nonprofit. Brinshore Development, LLC has been successfully developing affordable housing for the past 20 years. Please see attached list of developments and experience information for Brinshore and HODC attached. Please also see Brinshore’s website at www.brinshore.com for descriptions and pictures of all of the developments in its portfolio. Location The project site is located in a highly desirable area, less than a mile from downtown Deerfield and approximately 2 miles from downtown Highland Park. The site has never been developed and currently consists of an open field with significant tree growth on the north, east and west borders. There is also a large community garden that serves the congregation and local residents. Amenities that are closest to the site include Deerspring Park, which has a pool and splash park run by the Park District, as well as the downtown Deerfield shopping district which includes a Whole Foods and numerous retail clothing stores, restaurants, and shops. The closest supermarket is within one mile of the site to the east on Deerfield Road. The nearest public school is less than half a mile away and the Village Hall, police department, post office, and other government services are located on Waukegan Road less than a mile west of the site. Physical Description The project will consist of three 2-story, 16-unit buildings that are clustered around a central core of landscaped parkway and parking. The remainder of the site will function as a conservation area open to public use. The unit mix will consist of 12 one-bedroom units, 24 two-bedroom units, and 12 three- bedroom units. The size of the units will ranges from 680 sf for a one-bedroom apartment to 1125 sf for a 3 bedroom apartment. Unit amenities will include vinyl plank wood flooring throughout the units, in-unit washer/dryer, hard wired internet, and energy efficient appliances. All unit interiors will have a focus on energy-efficiency, water conservation, and a healthy interior living environment. Materials will be of recycled content where possible and finishes will be low or no-VOC, and be durable and easily maintainable. The project will be designed to achieve the Enterprise Green Communities certification. The Green Communities certification includes sustainable features such as: Energy Star certification, Energy Star appliances, low-flow water fixtures, high efficiency lighting, native landscaping, environmentally preferable flooring, and operating a smoke-free building. Project amenities will include a resident community room, management office, tot lot, secure bicycle parking, community garden plots for all residents, and picnic areas with grills. Ten percent of the units will be made accessible for tenants with physical disabilities. The stormwater management areas will be naturally landscaped with appropriate vegetation to create natural wildlife habitats. The remainder of the site will be thoughtfully landscaped with drought-tolerant, native landscaping and grasses. Careful attention will be paid to screening the development from the surrounding neighbors so as to provide privacy for all residents of the community. The stormwater management areas will be open to the public and an overlook will be created off of Deerfield Road with walking and bicycle paths for community access. Access The site is directly off Deerfield Road, a major arterial street in the North Shore with PACE bus #471 connecting residents to Highland Park and the Metra UP-North line, Deerfield and the Metra MD-North line, as well as Northbrook Court, a very large upscale shopping mall with over 300 stores. The Deerfield corridor is dominated by commercial retail, including small businesses, educational facilities and financial institutions. Additionally, the site is less than a mile from Skokie Highway which provides access to the Eden’s Expressway and downtown Chicago. Deerfield Road is four-lane east-west arterial with a striped median and a posted speed limit of 30 mph. Left turn lanes are provided on Deerfield Road on both the eastbound and westbound approaches to Heather Road/Carlisle Avenue and the eastbound approach to Zion Driveway. According to the Traffic Impact Study prepared by V3 Companies which estimated traffic patterns for the Year 2020, the existing roadway system will handle the additional traffic generated by this development. Both the signalized intersection of Deerfield Road and Heather Road/Carlisle Avenue and the unsignalized intersection of Deerfield Road and the Zion Driveway will operate at an acceptable level of service with the addition of development trips. Likewise, all projected queue lengths will be accommodated by the existing storage lengths. Target Market Zion Woods will provide an attractive and affordable residential option for current housing cost- burdened residents of Deerfield and the workforce currently in Deerfield. As mentioned below, nearly half of current renters and over 35% of current owners in Deerfield pay more than they can afford for housing (based on federal guidelines). Zion Woods will allow those residents with ties to the community to remain in Deerfield in spite of changes to their financial situation, which may result as a change of career, marital status, or medical issues. This housing will also be attractive to recent college graduates in the early stages of their careers who may have grown up in Deerfield and would like to stay close to family as they finish post-college degrees or take internships to explore various career environments. Zion Woods will provide high quality housing near employment centers that is appropriately priced to meet the needs of local workers. Workforce housing is often targeted at “essential workers” in a community (e.g. service providers, retail workers, teacher assistants, and health care workers), as will be the case at Zion Woods. Strong local employers are vital to a community’s quality of life. The future economic health of a community or region relies greatly on its ability to provide a stable and competitive workforce for nearby businesses and industries. Local employers contribute to the tax base and provide needed services and products. These enterprises are more stable and economically vibrant when their employees live close to work, especially in high quality, well-located and appropriately- priced residences. Ensuring that tenants pay no more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs allows residents to maintain disposable income to be spent on local goods and services, providing workers an opportunity to pursue other important endeavors such as higher education, training that leads to higher-paying careers, and homeownership. Workforce housing also reduces lengthy commutes for workers, resulting in decreased stress and fatigue due to traffic and transportation costs, which leads to increased worker productivity and reduced absenteeism and turnover, a direct bottom line benefit to the company. Zion Woods will provide a direct benefit to the Deerfield community based on the following information that has been provided by our market analyst: Affordable Rental for Deerfield Residents . Nearly half of current renters and over 35% of current owners in Deerfield pay more than they can afford for housing (based on federal guidelines). The majority of the rents at Zion Woods will range from $760/month for a one-bedroom unit to $1,050/month for a three-bedroom unit. The majority of incomes will range from $31,920 for a one-person household to $52,920 for a six-person household. The maximum family size in each unit is two occupants per bedroom. Additionally, a tenant’s income can increase by 140 percent and they will still qualify to live in Zion Woods. The median rent in Deerfield is currently $1,683, requiring an income of $67,320 to be affordable. The weighted average rent at Zion Woods will be $888, requiring an income of approximately $35,520. The median home price in Deerfield is $494,000 and the median monthly costs of owning a home are $3,250, requiring a minimum income of $130,000 per year for homeowners in Deerfield. Average vacancy rates at area rental properties are at 2.5%, indicating demand for additional offerings. Affordable Rental for Deerfield Workforce . Approximately 27.99% of households in the Primary Market Area (12,241 households) earn the appropriate income to live in Zion Woods. Approximately 43% of the jobs in Deerfield, or 10,743 jobs, pay less than $40,000 per year. Approximately 33% of the jobs in Deerfield are in the retail trade, in industries such as restaurants, retail, and child care services at companies such as Jewel-Osco, Walgreens, and Home Depot. Additionally, the average teaching assistant in the Deerfield School District earns between $20,000 to $25,000 annually and would qualify for this development. The vast majority of workers in Deerfield, over 70%, travel more than 10 miles to commute to work, and over 25% of those workers travel 25 or more miles. Property Taxes . The development of Zion Woods will make land that was formerly tax-exempt into a taxable property by taxing the improvements that are constructed. The property will pay taxes as required by the County, including initial development impact fees to Deerfield taxing bodies.