By: Brook D. Curtiss
Publisher
A Sioux City construction company has made some scaled progress on its part to add some housing to the community of Wakefield, with the third-floor of its first (of three) 30-unit apartment buildings being added to the southern skyline in the last few weeks.
R Perry Construction, based in Sioux City, started construction of the first, of what the company representatives says will be three, 30-unit apartment buildings in the southeast side of Wakefield, complete with garages to match most of the units.
Cory Christensen, Director of Public Relations for R Perry, said the company was excited to partner with Wakefield for the construction of the 90-unit total buildings, “the City has been great to work with, along with the Community Redevelopment Authority, and especially the efforts of Economic Development director Megan Weaver, who was “instrumental” in facilitating the project.
Weaver said that the City’s Tax-Increment Financing, as well as the Nebraska Workforce Development, and a grant from the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust were all things the community “did right” in its search for a housing developer for the community.
“We started this project idea in 2020,” said Weaver, “it’s been a long road, and I’m ready to see it come to completion for the community.” When the City received the Rural Workforce Housing Fund finances, and garnered the interest of Governor Pete Ricketts, who visited the community to celebrate the opening of the first home from the project, that’s when interest started to peak for development in Wakefield, said Weaver.
The R Perry buildings are three-story apartment buildings, with 30-apartment units in each building. The units will be available as six, 1-bedroom; 18, 2-bedroom and six 3-bedroom options, with a few Americans with Disability Accessible units, and all appliances included – full kitchen and washer and dryer.
Christensen said that the current project plan was to have the first unit completed and ready for the first wave of renters by June 1, 2023; and the second building hopefully completed by July/August of 2023 for renters as well. The third building has been planned for a 2024 completion date, with work going as quickly as possible through the winter.
R Perry Construction has near 300 units similar to this construction in South Sioux City, with more planned and has projects in multiple states around Nebraska.