Evergreen Real Estate Group has completed a $2 million renovation of Durand Plaza, a 72-unit affordable housing community for seniors in Racine, WI. Evergreen also secured a 20-year extension of the property's Section 8 contract.
RACINE, WI—Evergreen Real Estate Group, which specializes in the development, rehabilitation and management of both affordable and market-rate multifamily housing, has completed a $2 million renovation of Durand Plaza, a 72-unit affordable senior housing community in Racine, WI. Evergreen, which acquired the property in October 2017 and has managed it since then, also secured a 20-year extension of the property's Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments contract in conjunction with the renovation.
Evergreen Construction, the firm's full-service construction arm, managed the project, which was implemented as a phased, “in place” renovation to avoid relocation and disruption of residents.
“This project exemplifies our philosophy as a property management and construction company, since we not only improved and retained this affordable housing community for many years to come, but did so with minimum inconvenience to residents,” says Steve Rappin, president of Chicago-based Evergreen. “Our teams did a great job of coordinating the construction process while keeping tenants happy. We are pleased to report we completed the renovations to units and common areas on schedule, while retaining 100 percent of the existing residents and allowing them to remain in the community as we made updates that truly enhanced the livability of the apartments and common spaces.”
Located at 3003 Durand Ave., Durand Plaza comprises four two-story buildings originally constructed in 1970. In addition to the 72 residential units, the property includes a community room with television and shared kitchen, as well as an on-site laundry room.
During the remodel, all buildings received new roofs and windows as well as mechanical improvements. Corridors, stairwells and common areas were refreshed with new carpet, paint and lighting. Exterior improvements included repaved parking lots, repaired sidewalks, masonry updates, new perimeter fencing, landscaping, a new monument sign and a new patio with seating that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Residential units received new light fixtures, smoke/carbon monoxide detectors and window blinds throughout, while baths were remodeled with new flooring, paint, refinished tubs and new fixtures. Approximately 80 percent of the apartments were retrofitted with new kitchens, including new paint, flooring, cabinetry, countertops and appliances.
The renovation was planned and executed with residents in mind from start to finish, says Andre Pintauro, president of Evergreen Construction.
“We collaborated with the management team to arrange for residents to receive funds to get lunch, go see a movie or enjoy other activities for a few hours on days when the construction crew needed to be in individual apartments,” Pintauro says. “We really tried to make this project a case study on how to give units a makeover with minimal disturbance to the daily lives of those who live in the community.”
Durand Plaza is near a grocery store and other shops, restaurants and services, with an adjacent bus line providing easy access to these and other destinations. The community also is next to the County Bike Trail and near the Lake Michigan shoreline.
While this was Evergreen's first project in Racine, the firm also is developing Legacy Lofts, located on the site of the former Blommer Ice Cream Factory in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood of Milwaukee.
“Evergreen looks forward to continuing our expansion into the Wisconsin market through quality apartment renovation projects as well as new-construction and adaptive-reuse projects like Legacy Lofts,” says Rappin.
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Steve Lubetkin
Steve Lubetkin is the New Jersey and Philadelphia editor for GlobeSt.com. He is currently filling in covering Chicago and Midwest markets until a new permanent editor is named. He previously filled in covering Atlanta. Steve’s journalism background includes print and broadcast reporting for NJ news organizations. His audio and video work for GlobeSt.com has been honored by the Garden State Journalists Association, and he has also been recognized for video by the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He has produced audio podcasts on CRE topics for the NAR Commercial Division and the CCIM Institute. Steve has also served (from August 2017 to March 2018) as national broadcast news correspondent for CEOReport.com, a news website focused on practical advice for senior executives in small- and medium-sized companies. Steve also reports on-camera and covers conferences for NJSpotlight.com, a public policy news coverage website focused on New Jersey government and industry; and for clients of StateBroadcastNews.com, a division of The Lubetkin Media Companies LLC. Steve has been the computer columnist for the Jewish Community Voice of Southern New Jersey, since 1996. Steve is co-author, with Toronto-based podcasting pioneer Donna Papacosta, of the book, The Business of Podcasting: How to Take Your Podcasting Passion from the Personal to the Professional. You can email Steve at [email protected].
