MINNEAPOLIS — Woda Cooper Cos. Inc. has broken ground on Shelby Commons in the North Loop neighborhood of downtown Minneapolis. The development will offer 46 affordable and supportive housing units, with 12 units dedicated to those experiencing housing insecurity. Woda Cooper is co-developing the project with Project for Pride in Living. Shelby Commons marks the first community that Woda Cooper has developed in Minnesota.
Amenities at the property will include a community room, underground parking, second-floor rooftop terrace, playground and community gardens. There will also be more than 2,000 square feet of public art across two large-scale exterior murals commissioned by Juxtaposition Arts.
All of the units will be designated for households earning 30 to 80 percent of the area median income. The Minnesota Public Housing Authority is providing 12 project-based vouchers for rental assistance, and Hennepin County is providing five Housing Supports for subsidizing rents and supportive services.
Primary financing for Shelby Commons comes from Low-Income Housing Tax Credits allocated by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and the City of Minneapolis. Merchants Capital is providing equity financing. Security Bank & Trust is providing a first mortgage, and Hennepin County Accelerator is providing a second soft mortgage. Huntington National Bank is the construction lender.
CRW Architecture & Design Group and BKV Group are the project architects, and Greiner Construction is the general contractor. Woda Cooper affiliate Woda Management & Real Estate will manage and lease the property. A timeline for completion was not provided.