DES MOINES, Iowa — A new affordable housing complex is now open in Des Moines after nearly two years of work on the building.
Star Lofts on Ingersoll Ave. officially opened one week ago, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion.
Eco-friendly developers Scott and Molly Cutler of Cutler Development built the complex using mass timber, a sustainable product made by layering smaller pieces of wood and low-carbon concrete.
"We were actually able to reduce the carbon footprint of the building by 70 percent using mass timber... plus, it has a pretty cool aesthetic," Scott Cutler told Local 5.
All 20 modern and move-in ready apartment units, managed by Anawim Housing, will provide affordable housing options to special populations.
"Oftentimes affordable housing gets placed way out in places where maybe there's not a lot of amenities," said Cynthia Latcham, president of Anawim Housing. "That was a lot of the core of what we were working on in order to build this building here."
Those who are elderly, disabled, formerly incarcerated or formerly homeless are eligible to apply for the building. Star Lofts offers multiple affordable income levels, including 30%, 60%, and 80% or less of the area median income.
The building also incorporates the lot's history. A sign from Ingersoll's Star gas station, which was torn down several years ago, is mounted in the stairwell.
"We took a underutilized, sometimes crime ridden location space right here along Ingersoll, and we switched it over into a beautiful building that's going to serve the community well," Latcham said.
Tenants will be able to move-in come early December, and several have already been spoken for.
For more information on renting a unit at Star Lofts, click here.