City officials along with the leaders of Flourish Community Development Corporation and DHTC Development broke ground March 27 on the Nordic Landing apartment development project.
Nordic Landing is a 41-unit affordable housing project with eight apartments set aside for youth aging out of the foster care system.
The rents for the remaining units will average $545 and $635 respective to bedroom size. This is a mixed income project offering both workforce and market-rate rents to create socio-economic diversity.
The property is at 810 W. Catalpa St., just north of Fassnight Creek and on the Grant Avenue Parkway Redevelopment Area.
Debbie Hart and Tammy Creason, the developers, both spoke at the ground breaking.
“It’s going to be transformative,” Hart said, “not only for the people who live here, but for the entire neighborhood.”
The $25 million Grant Avenue Parkway project is a plan to create an off-street pedestrian and bicycle pathway along Grant Avenue from Sunshine Street to College Street in downtown Springfield.
The Nordic Landing Apartment Development is a public/private partnership — leveraging federal and state housing credits, a conventional loan from Great Southern Bank and a HOME funds loan from the City of Springfield — that will create a $9 million housing development on a longtime blighted nuisance property.
“This is such a great neighborhood to see this come to life,” Creason said. “The need (for affordable housing) is still really great in the city of Springfield.”
The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024, Creason said.
City officials who attended the groundbreaking included Mayor Ken McClure, city manager Jason Gage, and city council members Mike Schilling, Monica Horton and Abe McGull.
McClure described the Nordic Landing project as tying into: quality of place, economic vitality and affordable housing.
“This will help jumpstart the Grant Avenue Parkway,” McClure said. “Yes, (the construction) is inconvenient for a while. … But it will be worth it.”
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Flourish Community Development Corporation will be the nonprofit partner at Nordic Landing and provide staff to serve as the resource coordinator for all residents to assist them in accessing community services, a news release said. Flourish also will assist other service providers — including FosterAdopt Connect, I Pour Life, Jordan Valley Community Health Center, Missouri Career Center, Burrell Behavioral Health and Community Partnership of the Ozarks — that will offer services to residents.
“We are honored to be part of such a great addition to this community,” said Wayne Thompson, executive director of Flourish.
“We look forward to meeting the residents of Nordic, learning about the challenges they face, and their hopes and dreams,” Thompson said, “and helping them push through barriers, overcome obstacles and accomplish their dreams.”
