(La Porte, IN) - A major need for new housing in La Porte is again being addressed at a nearly shovel ready site that was once heavily wooded.
Currently, more than two miles of water and sewer lines combined are being extended to the 35 acre site annexed into the city last year at Park Street and Severs Road.
The $12 million construction plans call for 10 single family homes, nearly 100 townhomes and more than 50 apartments at the developed called “Hunter Woods.”
La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook said it’s one of the largest housing developments in the city’s recent history but just scratches the surface on the work still needed to meet demand for modern housing options in the community.
“This is a great project. We want to see more like this but we still got a long ways to go,” he said.
Cook said the first new homes could start going up late this year but more likely in the spring. It’s expected to take five to 10 years for all of the homes to be constructed but how fast they go up depends on how brisk the sales.
The homes available to purchase are expected to have a price range of somewhere from $340,000 to $405,000. Monthly rent for the two and three bedroom apartments should be anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000.
During a Wednesday groundbreaking ceremony, local government agencies working together was hailed as key to making the development possible.
The city is paying the brunt of the nearly $2 million cost of running municipal utilities to the site but county government is chipping in close to $500,000.
La Porte County Council President Randy Novak said the need for new housing is great throughout the county so helping the city is also good for the county.
He called the partnership “a no-brainer.”
La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, who’s been aggressive in his pursuit for new residential construction since taking office in 2020, said the cost not offering more housing options to prospective and current residents is much greater in the long run.
The goal is to attract more new residents
by adding homes with greater market appeal. The vision is also to draw from people that will be filling the many jobs at an Amazon data center and electric battery making plant going up outside New Carlisle and the Microsoft data center planned in La Porte.
A study in 2022 recommended over 900 homes for ownership and more than 750 rental units be added in the city to achieve balance in a housing stock with just 20 percent new construction since 1980.
Since 2020, the new housing includes 200 resort-type apartments near Clear Lake and several townhomes priced at more than $700,000 apiece beside Fish Trap Lake.
Roughly 40 affordable units inside the once-condemned Monroe Street Apartments downtown have been restored and modernized.
Low to mid-priced homes are also going up at the former Tibma Bakery site on Woodward Street and on 18th Street across from Kesling Middle School. More new housing continues to be added to the existing Whispering Meadows subdivision along Indiana 4 on the city’s southeast side.
Future construction of new homes is also planned beside Beechwood Golf Course.
“We have a lot of catching up to do to say the least,” Dermody said.
