West Des Moines Archives - Community Housing Initiatives News
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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0227028265Phenix School is ‘internet hub’ in Valley Junction
https://www.chihousing.com/blog/2019/04/26/phenix-school-is-internet-hub-in-valley-junction/
Fri, 26 Apr 2019 14:46:00 +0000http://chihousing.reslisting.com/blog/?p=493Through an innovative partnership between the City of West Des Moines and Microsoft, Phenix School is playing a new role helping the Valley Junction neighborhood in West Des Moines access free broadband internet service. On Wednesday, the city and project partners held a press conference at Phenix School to deliver updates about the effort, which…
]]>Through an innovative partnership between the City of West Des Moines and Microsoft, Phenix School is playing a new role helping the Valley Junction neighborhood in West Des Moines access free broadband internet service.
On Wednesday, the city and project partners held a press conference at Phenix School to deliver updates about the effort, which is also providing free internet service to residents living in our apartments.
The main transmitters to supply the internet service are installed atop Phenix School’s chimney, determined by project engineers to be the best available location to reach the widest area.
Public wireless signals are now available both at Railroad Park and along historic 5th Street in Historic Valley Junction, allowing the public to connect to the internet while visiting the popular shopping and entertainment district.
Through a partnership with the West Des Moines Community Schools, low and moderate income students at nearby Hillside Elementary (WDMCS) can sign up to receive an internet signal in their home.
Aureon and Ovation Networks, Inc are among the partner companies helping provide infrastructure and internet access to make the system work.
Over time, project partners say they’ll focus on expanding the new service to even more parts of the neighborhood.
]]>493Pre-construction open house planned for West Des Moines Phenix Elementary
https://www.chihousing.com/blog/2017/05/26/preconstruction-open-house-planned-for-west-des-moines-phenix-elementary/
Fri, 26 May 2017 14:47:00 +0000http://www.chihousing.com/blog/?p=94Event offers opportunity to learn about plans for artist apartments, share memories of historic school Community Housing Initiatives, the nonprofit responsible for converting West Des Moines historic Phenix Elementary to mixed-income artist apartments, has announced an open house at the property Monday, June 12, from 4 to 7 pm. “With this event, we are also…
]]>Event offers opportunity to learn about plans for artist apartments, share memories of historic school
Community Housing Initiatives, the nonprofit responsible for converting West Des Moines historic Phenix Elementary to mixed-income artist apartments, has announced an open house at the property Monday, June 12, from 4 to 7 pm.
“With this event, we are also putting a call out to the community to share your stories about what this historic building’s past as a school has meant to the community. We want to encourage people to share photographs and memories of Phenix school as we work hard to preserve the building’s physical historic features during renovation,” said Sam Erickson, CHI’s chief operating officer.
The event is an opportunity for Valley Junction neighbors and the public to tour the building prior to the start of construction, which will begin in June. Work at the property is expected to continue for just under a year with leasing of the apartments planned for Spring of 2018.
Phenix School Apartments will uniquely cater to practicing artists across a wide variety of media, bolstering the unique artistic and creative scene already present in the Historic Valley Junction neighborhood.
“The fabulous natural light streaming through the large windows in Phenix School Apartments will be an attractive working environment for many, but additional shared studio space will be available in the building’s interior and we look forward to working with artist residents to create a unique and vibrant live-work environment at Phenix,” Erickson said.
Community Housing Initiatives will begin accepting applications for Phenix School Apartments in early 2018, but anyone who wishes to be informed when applications are accepted can call 515-223-0029 to be added to an inquiry list managed from CHI’s West Des Moines office at Crestview Terrace Apartments, 916 Ashworth Road.
Community Housing Initiatives has also announced a website for the new apartment community, www.phenixschoolwdm.com, which will feature updates on construction progress, and later, leasing information. That website also offers the public an opportunity to submit photos or other memories of Phenix school.
This information was cross-posted from www.PhenixSchoolWDM.com
]]>94When it’s about more than just preserving a building
https://www.chihousing.com/blog/2017/01/12/when-its-about-more-than-just-preserving-a-building/
Thu, 12 Jan 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://www.chihousing.com/blog/?p=50Picture it: Community leaders and neighbors gather at Phenix Elementary in West Des Moines to hail the public-private partnership that saved a historic school. A community takes pride in the fact that one of its landmark buildings is protected for another generation, and hundreds of area residents pack the building for a first look inside.…
]]>Picture it: Community leaders and neighbors gather at Phenix Elementary in West Des Moines to hail the public-private partnership that saved a historic school. A community takes pride in the fact that one of its landmark buildings is protected for another generation, and hundreds of area residents pack the building for a first look inside. Some of those gathered to see inside are looking at their new homes for the first time.
This isn’t an abstract dream. At Community Housing Initiatives, we know projects like Phenix Elementary can succeed because we just opened one to great acclaim in Clinton, Iowa, three months ago.
Built in 1888 as a striking example of the community’s willingness to invest in education, the Roosevelt building served as Clinton’s first high school, then an elementary and later school district headquarters. When those offices relocated, though, the building’s future was uncertain. Capital needs had piled up, and the list of ideas for re-purposing the property turned up few viable options. Still, the community was not willing to let go of a building it loved.
In response to an application from CHI and local partners, along with the city of Clinton, the Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded $3 million in Community Development Block Grant funds to Roosevelt School in January 2015, the same day Phenix School was awarded the same amount of funds from the same source.
Available for leasing In November, 2016, Roosevelt School is now half leased, and continues to draw strong interest from the community.
Here’s what folks in Clinton have had to say about our work:
Jessica Kinser, City Administrator, Clinton, IA on Clinton’s downtown progress over the last decade: “Community Housing Initiatives, it was their vision that started all this. They truly have been a partner with the city. We wouldn’t be where we are today if it weren’t for Community Housing Initiatives.” (6/8/2015, Quad City Times)
Quad City Times Editorial Board, Davenport, IA: “Readers…know we go ga-ga for collaboration in our government laden community. When a nonprofit takes over the heavy lifting of government, we offer a standing ovation.” (6/12/2015)
Julie Allesee, First Ward Councilperson, Clinton, IA:“I think that CHI has become the catalyst and the start of people thinking about the downtown environment, and I think that came about because of the quality of work CHI has done, the way they run the buildings, and the way they take care of them.”
Deborah Olson, Superintendent of Schools, Clinton, IA:“The building has undergone a remarkable transformation. It’s a beautiful building, but the school district didn’t have the money to restore it. Now, with CHI coming in, it’s undergone something I never thought I would see, and it will be a showcase for the whole community,” she said.
And we deliver the same quality in West Des Moines
Already, CHI has completed about $20 million in quality rental development in West Des Moines at Crestview Terrace and Valley Station.
Debi Durham, Director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority: "I specifically want to also acknowledge the developer of the Valley Station project, Community Housing Initiatives. IEDA has awarded this developer additional projects … in multifamily round six around the state because CHI delivers the goods, do they not?" (At the opening of Valley Station Apartments, shown above, in April 2014)
Des Moines Register Editorial Board, Des Moines, IA: “The city of West Des Moines hopes to buy [Phenix Elementary] and convert it to live-work spaces for artists… This would be an ideal new life for an important piece of the city’s history. The plan hinges on the city receiving a $3 million federal grant, but it seems like a winning proposal. If the grant doesn’t come through, we hope the city will continue to look for other sources.” (8/22/2014)
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50Polk County Housing Trust Fund expresses unanimous support for Phenix Elementary
https://www.chihousing.com/blog/2017/01/09/polk-county-housing-trust-fund-expresses-unanimous-support-for-phenix-elementary/
Mon, 09 Jan 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://www.chihousing.com/blog/?p=44At its regularly scheduled meeting January 6, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund's board of directors unanimously expressed its support for the conversion of the former Phenix Elementary School in West Des Moines into 17 high quality apartments for artists. In its letter, the board wrote, in part: "Overall, we firmly believe that CHI’s proposal…
]]>At its regularly scheduled meeting January 6, the Polk County Housing Trust Fund's board of directors unanimously expressed its support for the conversion of the former Phenix Elementary School in West Des Moines into 17 high quality apartments for artists.
In its letter, the board wrote, in part:
"Overall, we firmly believe that CHI’s proposal for the Phenix School Apartment project will benefit the West Des Moines community by offering safe, stable, and affordable homes and preserving a historic building important to the fabric of Historic Valley Junction. CHI is a highly reputable developer with significant experience rehabilitating historic structures and managing affordable housing properties. They will ensure that Phenix remains a building that Valley Junction residents can be proud of."
In development for over two years, the Phenix project will bring quality apartments to the Valley Junction neighborhood, preserving a landmark historic building in the process. The project will be the focus of discussion during a West Des Moines Council meeting set for January 9. Additional information about the Phenix Elementary project can be found here.
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