Project of the Month: Dakota Partners completes 48-unit Phase 1 of Brookside Terrace in East Greenwich, RI

East Greenwich, RI Dakota Partners has completed Phase 1 of its newest affordable housing community, Brookside Terrace. Prior to this project, there was virtually no affordable housing in town. Brookside Terrace will now provide safe and comfortable homes to individuals and families who might otherwise be priced out of this neighborhood.

“The need and demand for rental housing options is strong in East Greenwich, where less than 5% of the town’s housing stock is considered affordable,” said Carol Ventura, executive director of RIHousing. “We’re excited to see Phase 1 of Brookside Terrace come to fruition, as it provides much-needed affordable homes in a highly desirable community with only limited affordable apartment options.”

Built on a formerly vacant 17.2-acre site, Brookside Terrace’s contemporary buildings and open spaces for residents to enjoy are a welcome addition to the area. The community is accessible from Rte. 2 (South County Trail) and located near the area’s downtown restaurant and shopping district.

Consisting of two phases, Phase I includes the construction of two three-story residential buildings with 48 total units and a single story community building. Phase II, currently under construction, will also include 48 affordable rental units in two additional three-story apartment buildings. All of the buildings are garden-style walk-up structures with a mix of one and two-bedroom, open-concept style apartments.

Both phases of Brookside Terrace were designed and built to Passive House standards, which utilizes super insulation, airtight building envelope and heat-recovery ventilation systems to reduce overall energy consumption. Dakota began implementing these principles into communities in 2017 and is now one of the nation’s most active Passive House developers of affordable housing.

As a real estate developer and builder, Dakota Partners develops affordable, workforce and market-rate housing communities across New England, New York and the mid-Atlantic states. According to Affordable Housing Finance, Dakota is a the 40^th largest affordable housing developer in the United States. At the core of every project is Dakota’s mission to create housing that matters – to residents, the community, and the environment.

Dakota Partners recently completed construction on Depot Village in Hanson, Mass., delivering the first family-affordable housing development to this area. Depot Village will provide much-needed, quality housing for an underserved and growing population whose household income is typically between 60% and 120% of the median area income.

Depot Village was designed to Passive House standards, a performance-based certification that focuses on dramatic reduction of energy use for heating and cooling. An early adopter, Dakota is one of the nation’s most active Passive House developers of affordable housing with close to a dozen projects currently under construction or in development.

Like many Dakota communities, Depot Village is transit-oriented – located just steps from the MBTA commuter rail stop, which is Hanson’s only available form of public transportation. The station is accessible via a lighted path and a new 25-foot footbridge built by Dakota. The community features 48 affordable rental units in a single building design in a classic New England vernacular architecture, consisting of 12 one-bedroom apartments, 31 two-bedroom apartments and 5 three-bedroom apartments. It is also within walking distance from several small retail and service amenities along Route 27.

In addition, Dakota Partners has completed construction on the first phase of Friars Court in Hudson, N.H. Friars Court brings value to the community where there is a high demand for quality, safe, and sustainable housing.

“Friars Court Apartments is being built in two phases, through financing from New Hampshire Housing. Dakota worked cooperatively with the town of Hudson in getting these 81 quality and energy efficient one- and two-bedroom general occupancy units approved,” said Jim Menihane, director of multi-family business development at New Hampshire Housing. "These new units will provide much-needed homes for our state›s workforce, which is especially needed given the low inventory of apartments and higher rent in the southern tier of New Hampshire."

The new development is nestled on an 11-acre site just a mile from Hudson’s busy central business district and within walking distance of grocery stores, banks, retail stores, post offices, and pharmacies. Commuters will enjoy direct access to State Route 3A and excellent access to public transportation; downtown Nashua’s robust shopping and entertainment area is a short three-mile drive away.

Phase 1 of Friars Court was designed to Certified Passive House standards to ensure high-energy efficiency throughout the year. There are several benefits that residents will enjoy from living in a Passive House development, including savings in monthly utility bills from reduced energy use, high indoor air quality due to excellent ventilation, and a sound-proof home from air tightness and super insulation. An early adopter, Dakota is one of the nation’s most active Passive House developers of affordable housing with close to a dozen projects currently under construction or in development.

Friars Court is made up of two separate buildings, the first of which features 47 units. Phase 2 – scheduled for completion in March of 2022 – includes the second building of 34 units and a Community Building for all residents of Friars Court to enjoy. Each of the residential buildings has a mix of one- and two-bedroom units.

Brookside Terrace project team included: Sheehan Phinney; International Framers, LLC; Ed Wojcik architect; and RJM Woodworking Inc.