Developer in Glendale Starts Work on ‘Attainable Housing’ for Teachers, Nurses & More

Article originally posted on AZ Central on February 2, 2024

Work has begun near Glendale’s entertainment hub to build more than 500 units of “budget-friendly” apartments for the area’s working-class residents.

In a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning, Councilmember Betty Guardado of Phoenix’s Fifth District joined the Scottsdale-based real estate developer Greenlight Communities to celebrate the recent start of the project, which will deliver two adjacent workforce housing complexes to 99th and Montebello avenues.

“Between these two, we’re going to have over 500 units of attainable housing for teachers, military, health care, hospitality and service workers,” said Dan Richards, a partner at Greenlight. “We’re really excited about that.”

Acknowledging Greenlights’ slate of similar developments around the Valley, Guardado thanked the company for helping to fulfill her desire to support workers with housing opportunities in their communities.

“Thank you, guys, so much, for helping me accomplish this goal,” she said. “From day one, your unwavering commitment to offering affordable and attainable housing solutions has made a significant impact on our community. Today, as you break ground on not just one but two multifamily projects, it is evident that your dedication knows no bounds.”

Located just west of Loop 101, near State Farm Stadium, the privately funded project comprises 539 units, split into two of Greenlight’s apartment brands, Streamliner and Cabana.

Cumulatively, there will be 194 studio apartments, 204 one-bedroom apartments, and 141 two-bedroom spaces.

Starting rent for a studio at the Streamliner Aldea complex is projected to be $1,099, and up to $1,599 for a two-bedroom, according to Richards. At the Cabana Aldea location, where units will be slightly larger, rent will run from $1,299 for a studio to $1,759 for a two-bedroom.

The Streamliner site, where Greenlight officials gathered for Thursday’s ceremony, will have units ranging from about 425 square feet to about 700 square feet. Units in the Cabana community start at about 465 square feet and will be as big as 825 square feet.

Tenants at the Streamliner complex can expect to have 4,000 square feet of amenity space, including a leasing office, pool, fitness center, a TV lounge and a community gathering area. There will also be laundry rooms and barbecue areas.

Similarly, the Cabana community will have a pool, barbecue areas, and a fitness and Zen park, Richards explained.

The Cabana complex is expected to be completed this fall, with pre-lease opportunities to open roughly 60 days before or around August and September, Richards said. Greenlight anticipates the Streamliner community to open by year’s end and will offer leases in about October.

The Streamliner and Cabana projects mark Greenlight’s third and fifth communities in Phoenix, respectively.

Development of the two communities comes as the West Valley is anticipated to see a host of new jobs created because of ongoing economic development efforts.

In Glendale, Nestlé USA is ramping up to open its coffee creamer factory this summer, employing about 350 people, and has begun hiring for numerous positions.

The city’s Westgate entertainment district is getting set to welcome the VAI Resort, the state’s soon-to-be largest resort and employer of about 2,000 people, Richards noted.

The first phase of VAI, expected to open by the end of the year, will include its first hotel tower and the Mattel Adventure Park.

“This is just a perfect combination to not only existing employment but also new employment between all the other pieces,” Richards said.

Greenlight’s plans to have one complex serving those seeking affordable rental options and the other catering to those interested in attainable housing shows the company’s “understanding of the diverse needs within our city,” Guardado said.

“This approach is crucial for ensuring that all workers have access to safe and comfortable homes with their needs,” she said, adding, “We want to make sure that our teachers, that our essential workers, that are firefighters, that are police officers, that everyone can live within the community that they work.”