Van Cleve Development officially breaks ground
Van Cleve Development will feature rental housing (shown in blue) and for-sale condos (shown in yellow). Graphic courtesy of Van Cleve Development partners
In early September, development partners, city officials and neighborhood stakeholders celebrated the groundbreaking of the Van Cleve Development — a 236-unit mixed-income housing project that will bring supportive housing for homeless individuals, affordable rental units, townhouses and market-level condominiums to the 3.5-acre site surrounding the iconic “Bunge” grain elevator.
The condos will be built in the Bunge elevator itself, but more immediate construction is set to begin on one of the rental buildings (Building B), as well as five townhomes to be built by Habit for Humanity. Project for Pride in Living (PPL), the major partner in the development with Cabrini Partnership, will build another seven townhomes, as well as the other remaining rental and for-sale units.
Cabrini will provide supportive services for 20 units reserved for individuals who have experienced long-term homelessness — a fact that was celebrated at the Sept. 12 groundbreaking.
Patrick Bayle, a former resident in Cabrini Partnership transitional housing, told the crowd how the organization has helped him transform his life.
“After 31 years of alcoholism, I was given love, understanding and direction by Cabrini,” said Bayle, who now works for the Salvation Army and is studying at Augsburg College to become a social worker “to give back what was so readily given to me,” said Bayle.
“Without the compassion that I found in that facility, I don’t know if I would be here today,” he said.
Mayor R.T. Rybak, Ward Two Council Member Cam Gordon, County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) President Wendy Menken, and others joined Cabrini and PPL representatives in speaking at the event, which was opened in song by local actor and singer T. Michael Rambo.
Chris Wilson, director of real estate for PPL, said in a released statement that he was “pleased with the level of neighborhood and community involvement … their input has been helpful and has truly strengthened all aspects of this development.”
Before September’s ceremonial groundbreaking, demolition of some of the vacant grain elevators took place this summer. A preliminary timeline for the project states that “infrastructure” of buildings will be complete in December 2007, with Building B and the Habitat for Humanity townhomes completed by June and July of next year, respectively.
For more information about the project and the partners involved, visit www.vanclevedevelopment.com.
last revised: October 11, 2007