Affordable Housing Developer to Begin on Glendale Project, Adding 605 Units

Article originally posted on AZ Central on January 12, 2024

Early construction will begin this month on an affordable housing development in Glendale to feature 605 new units across two projects.

Dominium, a national affordable housing developer with projects underway across the Valley, bought about 27 acres at 67^th and Maryland avenues for $11 million in December, according to real estate database Vizzda. The site will include two different affordable housing projects, called Juniper Square and 67 Flats, said Owen Metz, senior vice president of Dominium.

Juniper Square will be an age-restricted apartment complex for seniors, with 221 units ranging in size from one to three bedrooms, Metz said. The 67 Flats project will be traditional apartments, with 384 units also ranging from one to three bedrooms each.

Development will cost $250 million

The project will cost about $250 million to develop, including the price of the land and interest payments on the financing, Metz said. The project will take about two years to build, and full completion is expected in early 2026, but Metz said some buildings could open before the entire project is complete.

The development is planned to incorporate sustainable elements, like carports with solar panels, low-flow appliances and smart water meters, he said.

Metz said it has taken about two years of work to get to the point of closing on the land. The site already had most of the zoning needed to develop the apartments, he said, but they did go through the approval process for some minor changes.

There were some concerns from residents in the nearby single-family homes, Metz said, but not opposition like Dominium has seen in some of the other areas where it is developing.

“The city staff and the council see the need for all types of housing in the community,” Metz said.

In March 2023, Glendale voted to waive community development fees for projects that are awarded tax credits through the Arizona Department of Housing.

The amount of money due in fees varies based on the size of the project, but can range from about $300,000 to $1 million, city officials said at the time. Metz said the city also supported the development through financing through community development block grant funds and some money provided through the American Rescue Plan Act.

“There is a lot of growth in Glendale,” Metz said. “There is a need for new housing with all the new jobs and economic development.”

Developer has other projects around the Valley

Dominium has development projects in various stages around the Valley. It recently broke ground in Goodyear on a 657-unit affordable apartment complex, and is planning another development in the city, Metz said. The developer is planning a 400-unit complex adjacent to the Goodyear Ballpark and is under contract to buy the site.

Metz said the Ballpark project will be higher density, with smaller units, including more one-bedroom units.

Dominium faced considerable opposition on a project that was planned on a county island near Chandler, and Metz said the company is working with neighbors to “rethink that one entirely,” which has included adding a mix of uses, including industrial, to the site and lowering the amount of residential units.