In a joint project, DEV Partners and Neighborhood Development Corporation are building new row houses on Forest Ave. The 18-unit property, designed and contracted by SHYFT Collective, will feature six two-bedroom apartments and 12 one-bedroom apartments at market-rate price. Construction is expected to finish in August.
Danny Heggen, chief financial officer of DEV Partners and lead developer on the project, explained that NDC had owned the land for a number of years but struggled to figure out how to develop it commercially. Commercial uses of land typically include some sort of business or store.
“It was zoned strictly for commercial use at that point in time [May 2024], and it was a mix of three different parcels. There was a housing parcel and then two commercial parcels,” Heggen said. “So we went through and rezoned it.”
The Des Moines metro area has consistently ranked as one of the fastest-growing metros in the Midwest, yet affordable housing options have not kept up. According to a recent report from Axios, Des Moines has over 45,000 “small and neglected homes,” and census estimates show Des Moines has some of the oldest housing options in the nation.
“We need to create transition areas. When you go from a high-density use area, like a university, it’s strange when a single-family home is right across the street,” Heggen said. “You need to have something that helps you scale back from the high density to the low density.”
That’s where middle-density housing comes in. Middle-density housing, like the row houses in construction on Forest Avenue, seeks to bridge the gap of affordable housing options in Des Moines with options other than high-rise apartments or single-family homes. In 2021, the City of Des Moines began offering tax abatements to developers to combat the “missing middle.”
Sarah Tracy, a senior, walks by the new development daily on her way to classes and wonders what the final rent per unit will cost.
“My rent went up recently and I wonder if this development is going to cost more to live in because it’s newer,” said Tracy. “I just hope it’s affordable and equitable for all.”
This is the fourth row house project SHYFT Collective has worked on. All units include an in-unit washer and dryer, heating, cooling and modern appliances. Leasing is expected to start in October.
“Our core belief as a landlord is that if you take care of the building and the tenants and the community, people are going to keep coming to you to help solve the real estate needs,” Heggen said.
