Expansive mix of affordable housing, commercial space planned for southwest Rockford

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A nonprofit housing development group plans to build an expansive mix of affordable homes, apartments and commercial space on 15 acres of mostly vacant land on the city’s southwest side.

Rockford Housing Development Corporation is pushing forward a proposal for 116 living spaces, an early learning center and a mixed-use building with a vertical agriculture greenhouse and culinary education institute at South Avon and Cedar streets near Kent Creek.

The cornerstone of the development is a 21,600-square-foot brick building at 915 Cedar St. that will be renovated to house small storefronts, one-bedroom apartments and a market space for makers and creators. The mix of other housing types and commercial buildings would be constructed on vacant land once occupied by Rockford Gas Light and Coke Co.

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The nonprofit hopes the property can capitalize on nearby redevelopment downtown and catalyze more development in its surrounding west-side neighborhoods.

“The way we see the ability for this project to perform is to start to bridge the gap between the west side and downtown,” said Ron Clewer, vice president of the group. “Downtown is an asset to our whole community and so let’s connect, and we think this development will help connect.”

Rockford Housing Development Corporation was formed in the 1980s with the sole purpose of owning Concord Commons after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development seized the property from its original developers. The nonprofit sold that low-income housing complex to Envolve Communities, an Alabama-based property management company, for $6.4 million in June 2020. It’s now called Rockford Ridge Apartments.

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Clewer said the nonprofit has spent the last year and a half examining where to invest the revenue it got from the sale of Concord. It identified a need for about 5,000 living units for low-income residents, defined as those who make less than 30% of the area median income.

“There hasn’t really been anything built in this neighborhood for awhile,” Clewer said. “The need for so many units is a clear indicator that the project will be successful.”

A look at the plans

The project, which is expected to cost $40-$47 million, will have multiple funding sources aside from the revenue from selling Concord. Developers plan to use low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Home Investment Partnership funds and traditional debt.

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The development would have a variety of housing types available to rent or buy, most of which will be at below-market rates. There will be 64 apartments, 10 courtyard duplexes, a six-family building, an eight- to 10-family building, two side-by-side duplexes and six artist live/work spaces. Recreation paths will circle an area left as open green space.

“With this focus on housing diversity and affordability, South Avon will provide options for individuals and families with a variety of housing needs,” the developers wrote in their proposal to the city. “Increasing housing diversity is one of the most powerful tools that communities have in the fight against skyrocketing prices and displacement.”

The former Rockford Gas, Light and Coke Co. was razed in the early 1960s and subject to an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency environmental cleanup program while under ComEd’s ownership. The IEPA issued letters in 2016 saying the company’s environmental cleanup work was complete and no further remediation was required.

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Rockford Housing Development Corporation needs a special-use permit from the city before it can move forward with construction. On Tuesday, the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted 6-0 in favor of granting that permit. It still requires approval from the majority of City Council members at a future meeting.

Clewer said if the project is approved they could break ground this summer on the single-family homes. Construction on the multifamily dwellings would likely begin in 2024. The multiphase project would be built over several years completing in 2026 or 2027.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas