Construction Moving Forward on Yarmouth Housing Complex

YARMOUTH – Work is progressing on a new affordable and workforce housing development in Yarmouth.

Foundations and a water treatment plant are being constructed for the 69-unit Yarmouth Green development at the site of the former Cavalier Motor Lodge on Route 28.

“In the next month or so you will start to see framing go up,” said Roberto Arista, Dakota Partners principal.

The complex, which will include market rate units, will consist of three buildings of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

Arista expects the work to pick up significantly after the summer tourist season.

“The Cape during the summer, of course, is very difficult to work in because of the traffic,” he said. “There are limitations in terms of construction activity that you can do. Once the summer passes we’ll be in full swing.”

Arista says they are aiming for a May 2019 completion date for the first building. The second and third buildings have expected completion dates in the fall of 2019.

Leases will start being signed for the first building shortly after it is completed.

“We expect the lease up to be relatively short – within six months of the completion of the last building.” Arista said.

All leases for the complex should be filled by the beginning of 2020.

“The architecture of these buildings is what we call New England vernacular,” he said. “It will fit right into the architectural style of the area. I think the neighbors in the town are pleased with what we have designed.”

The complex will also include a clubhouse with amenities for tenants, including a gym and common area.

There will also a community green in the middle of the site which will feature a playground.

The majority of the rental units will be affordable and workforce housing.

“The ones that are workforce housing and affordable housing are restricted rents,” Arista said. “So the people who rent those units have to qualify based on their income.”

Dakota Properties also operates an affordable development in Hyannis and Arista said those apartments are always full and units that open up are always immediately filled.

“Affordable housing is hard to find on the Cape and it’s very much in demand,” he said.

The development received $4.5 million in state grant funding through Low Income Housing Tax Credits and subsidy funds.

The town also supported the project with over $2 million in Community Preservation Act Funds.