The move-in date has been pushed back at the affordable-housing community Cannery Village in Berlin, as poor weather last month interrupted construction.
Berlin’s Town Council approved a pilot agreement for the project in November 2014. At the time, developer Andrew Hanson of Osprey Property Company said construction could begin the following month. That was eventually pushed back to late May, when shovels first went into the ground.
“We’re struggling,” Hanson said during a phone interview on Monday. “The weather has not been cooperative. We had everything ready to go and then it rained the beginning of the week of Christmas, then by the time everything dried out it was Christmas Eve. Then, it happened again last week. Mother nature has not been kind to us.”
Last month, Hanson said he expected the first batch of residents would start moving in following the correction of problems with Cannery’s pump station. On Monday, however, he said some of those issues had yet to be corrected.
“We’re still trying to resolve some last-minute complications with the utilities and we’re working with the town on that,” Hanson said. “The pump station is pretty complicated, because it’s a whole little system into itself. The town reviewed it and had some comments, so it’s all there. It’s all ready to turn on and start up, but they give you what’s called a ‘punch list,’ so they want certain things done and we’re just trying to work through those different things.”
Hanson declined to give an estimate when final work would be completed.
“I don’t want to keep frustrating people,” he said. “I wish I knew when they were going to be able to move in. It’s got to be soon, or else we might end up having to bring in buckets of water and bedpans.
“I know that we’re really close,” he continued. “As soon as the pump station is accepted, I think we should be able to get water meters set, so my next call is to talk to the town to see if they can be flexible with some of their requirements so we can get folks moved in. I would love to think in the next two weeks or less – maybe even sooner – but it’s just going to depend on several different things.”
The $14 million, 44-townhome complex includes a “rent-to-own” feature after residents have lived in the community for 15 years.
In November, Hanson said more than 100 people had applied for homes at Cannery, with 10 meeting approval and another 50 pending while their paperwork is reviewed. According to Hanson, 40 had been declined outright.
Each applicant must pay a nonrefundable fee of $30 per adult, which Hanson said goes toward the cost of running criminal and credit checks. The average rent at Cannery is approximately $800.
Applications for the community, located on Flower Street in Berlin, can be obtained at the visitor’s center on 14 South Main Street, or on the web at www.habitatamerica.com/communities/cannery-village.
Berlin’s Town Council approved a pilot agreement for the project in November 2014. At the time, developer Andrew Hanson of Osprey Property Company said construction could begin the following month. That was eventually pushed back to late May, when shovels first went into the ground.
“We’re struggling,” Hanson said during a phone interview on Monday. “The weather has not been cooperative. We had everything ready to go and then it rained the beginning of the week of Christmas, then by the time everything dried out it was Christmas Eve. Then, it happened again last week. Mother nature has not been kind to us.”
Last month, Hanson said he expected the first batch of residents would start moving in following the correction of problems with Cannery’s pump station. On Monday, however, he said some of those issues had yet to be corrected.
“We’re still trying to resolve some last-minute complications with the utilities and we’re working with the town on that,” Hanson said. “The pump station is pretty complicated, because it’s a whole little system into itself. The town reviewed it and had some comments, so it’s all there. It’s all ready to turn on and start up, but they give you what’s called a ‘punch list,’ so they want certain things done and we’re just trying to work through those different things.”
Hanson declined to give an estimate when final work would be completed.
“I don’t want to keep frustrating people,” he said. “I wish I knew when they were going to be able to move in. It’s got to be soon, or else we might end up having to bring in buckets of water and bedpans.
“I know that we’re really close,” he continued. “As soon as the pump station is accepted, I think we should be able to get water meters set, so my next call is to talk to the town to see if they can be flexible with some of their requirements so we can get folks moved in. I would love to think in the next two weeks or less – maybe even sooner – but it’s just going to depend on several different things.”
The $14 million, 44-townhome complex includes a “rent-to-own” feature after residents have lived in the community for 15 years.
In November, Hanson said more than 100 people had applied for homes at Cannery, with 10 meeting approval and another 50 pending while their paperwork is reviewed. According to Hanson, 40 had been declined outright.
Each applicant must pay a nonrefundable fee of $30 per adult, which Hanson said goes toward the cost of running criminal and credit checks. The average rent at Cannery is approximately $800.
Applications for the community, located on Flower Street in Berlin, can be obtained at the visitor’s center on 14 South Main Street, or on the web at www.habitatamerica.com/communities/cannery-village.