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March, 2005

Chaska, Minn.—Central Community Housing Trust (CCHT), a Minneapolis-based non-profit developer, will build its first suburban project in a new, traditionally designed neighborhood here called Clover Field. CCHT closed on the land acquisition in late December.

The Sinclair will consist of two buildings with 87 rental units, approximately half of which will be affordable to families of four earning $38,000 annually. The units include one- to three-bedroom apartments as well as two-story townhome-style units.

Gina Ciganik, CCHT director of special projects, said the building's design will complement the surrounding neighborhood architecture, while underground parking will allow room for a landscaped courtyard and a structured play space for younger children.

"This is a very important corner for us in the neighborhood," said Kevin Ringwald, director of planning and development for Chaska. "It's right across from the school and the community center. It really anchors the neighborhood. We'd been struggling to find a developer who had the skill set and the experience to do this missing piece."

Ringwald added that he hopes the Sinclair will become a model of affordable-housing development in an outer-ring suburb. "The Sinclair will turn some of the false impressions of what affordable housing has to be on its ear," he said.

Added Ciganik: "The possibilities for providing affordable housing in suburban communities are limitless. Like urban areas, many suburbs are seeing incomes remaining relatively flat and housing prices rising. People need affordable places to live near their workplaces, and a lot of jobs are in the suburbs."

The total development cost of the Sinclair is projected to be $13 to $15 million. Construction will begin in 2006 and be completed in 2007.