CHR purchases former Fish House property
Community Housing & Resources (CHR) recently acquired a new property on Sanibel and is moving through the process to develop it as additional affordable housing, with commercial space included.
Executive Director Nicole Decker-McHale reported that CHR purchased the former Fish House property on Periwinkle Way, located next to its Harkey House at Riverview project, in early February for $3.5 million. The owner donated $500,000 toward the $4 million total price, cutting the cost.
It also received a $1 million donation from Bill and Laurie Harkey to buy the property.
“CHR is part of the economic resiliency of the community,” she said, explaining that the need for workforce housing is going to increase as businesses return after the recent storms or new ones open.
“In the past year, we’re had over 100 inquires for housing,” Decker-McHale noted.
She added that if the project is approved, it will be a historic moment.
“It will enable, for the first time in 50 years, CHR and the city of Sanibel to reach the 3% goal of affordable housing that the state initiated when the city wanted to incorporate,” Decker-McHale said.
She reported that CHR had been using the Fish House property for staging for the Harkey House project — which will feature 15 residential units — when it was approached by the owner, who was willing to work with CHR on the purchase. Testing revealed that it would be an ideal acquisition.
“We identified that this property will enable CHR to have a better ingress and egress for the Harkey House at Riverview by combining them,” Decker-McHale said, noting that it would also address safety concerns for the fire district by providing more room for the large apparatuses during an emergency.
The property features over two acres of mixed use for residential and commercial.
A $17.5 million project is in the works to transform it.
“We’re going to have two buildings that are connected by a walkway and an elevator,” she said.
The plan consists of parking on the first floor, with three stories above it.
“They’re going to be raised for flooding issues,” Decker-McHale said. “Similar to the Harkey House and very similar in design, except this building will be all concrete.”
“We will be building the building resilient,” she added. “Everything will be energy efficient.”
The property will feature 39 one-bedroom, one-bathroom affordable housing apartments with almost 600 square feet for each, plus an additional 2,500 square feet dedicated for the commercial space.
“We have more single individuals applying for housing,” Decker-McHale said. “We will have commercial space on the property, as well, that will benefit the city with tax revenue.”
On Feb. 24, the Sanibel Planning Commission approved the density for the site.
She reported that if the project receives approval from the Sanibel City Council at its March 17 meeting, there is a possible $9.75 million grant from Lee County on the table for the construction.
“We have to have shovels on the ground in March for the county grant,” Decker-McHale said.
She noted that CHR will reach out to the fire district about using the commercial space for training.
“Once it is done, we will demolish the building and our project will go back in front of the (county) commissioners in May,” Decker-McHale said, adding that if CHR is on track and hitting its milestones, it should receive approval, at which point they would sign the contracts in June regarding the grant.
“Then we would start immediately,” she said of the build.
The estimated completion date is July 2028. The project must be done and occupied by 2029.
Decker-McHale extended CHR’s appreciation to city officials and staff.
“They’ve met with us to make sure that we’re hitting the milestones that we need to hit and reviewing our plans and working with us to point out any potential issues,” she said.
Decker-McHale also voiced a major thank you to Jeff Good of ForthWright Construction, the company also working on the Harkey House, for helping to move along the new project quickly and efficiently.
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank received praise, too.
“They’ve been wonderful to work with,” she said, explaining that it is providing the gap funding needed for the project and pointing out Senior Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer and Portfolio Manager Rudi Hamer in particular. “She’s really helped us work through the process.”
“And I just want to thank the community,” Decker-McHale added. “The community has been so supportive of CHR and understands the need for workforce housing.”
HARKEY HOUSE UPDATE
On Feb. 12, CHR reported that the construction workers were about one-third of the way toward finishing its new residential property. The project is on pace to wrap up by the end of the year.
“We are working the third-floor walls and the second-floor elevator shaft,” Benchmark General Contractors Senior Superintendent James Cassen shared. “Over the next few months, we will be setting the trusses on the roof, drying the building in, building out the interior framing of the units, starting the plumbing, electrical and mechanical roughs in the building, and setting the doors and windows.”
Named for the Harkeys, who gave $1.5 million to the project, the Harkey House is rising on the site of CHR’s former Riverview, which was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Ian. CHR demolished it and launched a $7 million capital campaign to replace it, with the goal met in December. Ground broke in September on the project, which will feature 15 units designed to better withstand severe weather.
“We’re thrilled to see the new Harkey House at Riverview rising up where our old Riverview once stood,” Decker-McHale shared. “It’s a powerful symbol of our community’s resilience and vision for every person to have a quality, affordable place to call home.”
The Harkey House is at 1517 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.
The Fish House property is at 1523 and 1531 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.
For more information, visit sancapchr.org.