After discovering long wait lists for senior residents in the rural community of Kendallville, Ind., developer Woda Cooper Cos. saw potential in a blighted site that had once housed a favorite regional ice cream factory to serve this aging population.
Like many other Midwest towns, the rural community in north central Indiana “is graying relatively quickly,” says Nick Surak, vice president of development at Woda Cooper Cos., formerly known as The Woda Group.
To help address this housing shortage, the developer created Atz Place, named in honor of the ice cream factory that closed after 90 years in 2011. The development provides 38 energy-efficient, affordable apartments for seniors at 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% of the area median income, age-in-place features, and supportive services.
The one- and two-bedroom apartments feature open-concept living space, universal design elements, and patios or balconies. Amenities include a multipurpose community room with a kitchenette, a grandchild room, a fitness center, raised gardens, and a gazebo.
The Housing Services Alliance helps to connect residents with resources, such as meals, transportation, and other supports. Residents also are encouraged to interact at the nearby elementary school through its Lunch Buddy program.
The development, which was completed in October, also recently received LEED Platinum certification. The green features, which help lower residents’ utility bills, include the installation of insulation 15% above code, a roof rainwater collection system that will be reused on site for irrigation, and more efficient appliances and lighting.
“We turned an industrial eyesore into something productive,” says Surak. “As the residents transition at this stage of their lives, they have a home they are proud to live in.”
Financing for the $6.4 million development included an allocation of low-income housing tax credits and a HOME soft loan from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. R4 Capital provided the tax credit equity.
