At its third meeting of 2024, the Watertown Planning Commission will review sketch plans Thursday for a project that the city doesn’t typically see: a nearly 100-unit multifamily development.
Axys Construction, a Watertown-based developer and contractor, proposed a 96-unit apartment complex, according to public documents. The 96 units would be spread out among eight buildings, each with three floors and 12 units.
The development, Spring Mill, is to the south of the intersection of County Road 20 and Forest Hills Lane, according to planning documents. The property is in Watertown Township, which will require the city to annex the property and pass a comprehensive plan amendment for the project to go forward.
Jeff Muonio, president of Axys Construction, said he has lived in Watertown since 2000 and originally intended to build a single-family subdivision in the area. Muonio said that an increase in other single-family developments made him rethink what the property could be used for and decided that rental housing would be an effective use.
The city has also been having trouble recruiting younger teachers who may not want to purchase a home in the city but rent in the area, Muonio said. When he approached the city about the development, someone mentioned to Muonio that some teachers go to Winsted a county over to find rental housing.
Watertown City Administrator Jake Foster told Finance & Commerce the city hasn’t built a new market-rate apartment building in 30 years.
“This has been something the city’s actually needed for a number of years,” he said. “This Spring Mill project with Axys Construction would be much needed for the city of Watertown.”
The apartments will be mostly two-bedrooms, according to Muonio, though there will be “a few” one- and three-bedroom units. All units, he said, will be equipped with a washer and dryer. There will be 190 parking stalls and the parking lots will be compatible for potential electric vehicle chargers.
Muonio said he doesn’t recall exactly when the last multifamily project was brought to Watertown but said it’s been “a long, long time” and that most of the current inventory is older and outdated.
Watertown is an exurban city on the northwestern edge of Carver County, about a 40-minute drive from Minneapolis. It has a population of 4,659 according to the 2020 census.
Muonio said he believes the apartment will help the area start to retain residents more easily and keep jobs filled.
“it’s getting harder and harder for people to afford housing,” he said. “So you have people that need housing obviously and they’re going further and further out to be able to afford to live but they’re all still working toward the city so I think it’ll help for Carver County just to keep residents within the county and also in the professional world. For teachers that work in the area, they can live closer to the schools.”
Foster said the city has plans for some large construction projects including a $25 million wastewater facility expansion and a second water tower.
“We need some building and some folks to help support the construction and payment for both of those projects,” Foster said. “This would really help the tax base a lot too. Not only is it something that the city needs in terms of housing but it’s also something that we would need to help support those two major infrastructure projects.”
If the project gets the go-ahead from the Planning Commission and the City Council, Muonio said the plan is to start construction in Spring 2025.
RELATED:
Rare apartment projects advance in Farmington
Rochester housing projects to get $12 million from DMC
Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.
Most Popular
Comments / 0