CHR breaks ground on new Riverview building
Celebrating “a bold vision,” Community Housing & Resources (CHR) gathered local dignitaries and supporters on Sept. 4 on Sanibel to break ground on a $7 million affordable housing apartment complex.
The new building will rise on the site of CHR’s former Riverview apartments, which were nearly destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022. CHR demolished the building and launched a $7 million capital campaign to replace it. The new Riverview will have 15 up-to-date, one-bedroom, one-bath units designed to better withstand harsh weather.
“This project will not only replace what was lost, but stand as a model of resilience,” CHR Executive Director Nicole Decker-McHale said.
“We launched a bold vision: to rebuild stronger, more resilient homes for those who make this community work and for seniors who deserve to age in place with dignity,” she added.
Decker-McHale announced that the capital campaign had raised $6.8 million so far.
“Beyond the dollars raised, what matters most is the spirit of this community,” she said. “Families who gave despite their own losses. Businesses that understood housing is the foundation of a thriving economy. Volunteers who rolled up their sleeves and said, ‘We’re in this together.'”
CHR Board Chair Roger Grogman credited the nonprofit’s staff, donors, supporters and Sanibel’s “community of doers” for the milestone.
“Sanibel is blessed with a lot of great and beneficial leadership,” he said. “The hard part isn’t getting the idea. The hard part is making it happen.”
Among those doers celebrating at the groundbreaking were donors Bill and Laurie Harkey, who gave $1 million to the effort. The local couple said they chose to support Riverview because it benefits people in the near-term, allowing them to witness the positive impact themselves.
“This (new Riverview) is going to be a great thing,” Bill Harkey said.
Sanibel Mayor Mike Miller pointed out the importance of CHR to employees across business sectors who drive the local economy. The city provides nearly $500,000 in funds to CHR to make housing accessible for those workers.
“That’s why CHR is so important — as Nicole says, providing essential homes for essential people,” he said.
Wanda McKittrick, a preschool teacher at the Children’s Education Center of the Island (CECI) on Sanibel, lived in the former Riverview building and lost her apartment due to Ian.
“Even when I was displaced, living off the island, CHR kept checking in and making sure I was OK,” she said.
McKittrick has since found new housing through CHR, and she helped reopen CECI post-storm.
During the groundbreaking, A Bit of Bailey’s provided refreshments for attendees, including chicken salad, bagels, fruit and other items, along with beverages.
Construction of the new apartment complex is expected to take about a year.
To contribute to the capital campaign or for more information, contact CHR at 239-472-1189 or visit sancapchr.org.
Riverview is at 1517 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.