Nearly 40,000 tons of dirt have been moved since the Engine House project broke ground last year.
Longtime local developer Rory Murphy, who is partnering with the city on Engine House, praised the progress so far during a site tour Wednesday.
“You’re seeing eight months of progress here,” Murphy said. “Eight months from now you’re going to see a heck of a lot more. You’ll see all this framing in, the drywall will be way far along if not done, and it’ll really start to shape up.”
Crews have dug up the area for the underground parking garage, which will have a single spot for each unit. Murphy said they want to lessen the traffic impact of the project by encouraging residents to walk, bike or take public transit.
Engine House, located on Homestake Road near the Kimball Art Center and Boneyard Saloon, marks a significant shift in affordable housing strategy for Park City. After years of trying to be its own developer, the city is partnering with a private company and leasing the land at a rate of $1 for 99 years. The city is also waiving building fees in exchange for the affordable housing.
Developer J. Fisher Companies is leveraging federal money, by way of low-income housing tax credits, to make the project financially viable. 99 of the 123 units at Engine House will be deed-restricted affordable across a range of incomes. The remaining 24 units will be market rate, providing more financial benefit to the developer.
Murphy emphasized Wednesday that the square-footage and amenities in affordable and market-rate units will be the same as required under federal funding rules.
“Someone can’t walk up to this building and go, ‘that’s a market unit and that’s an affordable unit,’” Murphy said. “Obviously some of these rooms are going to have spectacular views of Iron Mountain, of the ski resorts… We can’t put all the market units with the beautiful views, it has to be interspersed.”
Murphy said they're on track to cut the ribbon at Engine House next summer. Housing applications are expected to open in the spring.
