By Scott Levine
Associate Editor
CLINTON — A St. Paul-Minn. developer believes citizens 55 and better need more housing options in Clinton.
Based on the response Thursday regarding a new senior housing facility in Clinton, the developer may be right.
About 120 people attended informational workshops at Wild Rose and Casino Resort showcasing a proposed village cooperative in Clinton. The turnout Thursday was larger compared to similar sessions in other cities, Project Manager Shane Wright said.
“There are not a lot of options here for people that need help maintaining their home,” Wright said.
Although Wright could not guarantee that the approximate $7-million cooperative would be housed in Clinton, he was “almost sure” Real Estate Equities Development would break ground in Clinton based on the workshop’s attendance.
Two to three different Clinton locations are still being examined, with the firm eyeing a possible spot in the northwest area of Clinton.
“We do all our work in house,” Wright said about determining a location to place the cooperatives. “We look at different markets in the Midwest that show strong demand. We look at all facets.”
Twenty of the 44 homes in the Village Cooperative of Clinton have been reserved, Wright said.
Camanche residents Louie and Pat Ronnfeldt attended the meeting and were interested in learning more information about the proposal’s cost.
“The maintenance cost and the taxes are pretty much the biggest factors,” Louie Ronnfeldt said.
Pat Ronnfeldt said she heard about the concept previously, which has been limited in Iowa and common in neighboring Minnesota. Iowa currently has three running cooperatives, with two in the planning stages — Cedar Falls and Clinton. The other locations in Iowa include Asbury, Mason City and Marshalltown.
Cooperatives have been around since 1978, with the majority of the facilities being built in Minnesota. Out of the 97 cooperatives in the country, 73 reside in Minnesota, Wright said.
“We want to branch out more in the Midwest,” Wright said. “Almost any town over 10,000 people in Minnesota has a cooperative, and we saw a big need in Iowa.”
The Clinton facility will house one, two and two-plus bedroom, single-level homes that range from 879 to 1,475 square feet. Each home is maintenance free and includes a laundry room, storage area and a private balcony or patio.
Director of Sales and Marketing Steve Jahnke said the cooperative will employ a residential service coordinator, maintenance technician and a housekeeper, who would clean the hallways and community rooms.
The proposed community includes multiple party rooms, fitness room, guest suite, elevator, woodworking shop, landscaped gardens, free wireless Internet, security cameras, heated parking garage and car wash. Members control every aspect of ownership.
Real Estate Equities Development has constructed cooperatives since 2003, and currently has a sales office in Clinton, at 415 S. Second St. For more information, log on to Villagecooperative.com or Redevelopment.com.