On Wednesday the bike took me to Spicer Drive, where the second phase of a farmworker housing project is planned. The first phase is being built in the far distance.
Albany city officials are doing what they can to fill vacant land east of Interstate 5 with people and housing. The city council took two steps toward that goal this week.
On Wednesday, the council agreed to seek a $2 million state infrastructure grant for 102 apartments, the second phase of “Colonia del Valle Prospero.” That hopefully named venture is a project on Spicer Drive sponsored by the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation, of Woodburn.
The first phase of 54 units is already under construction on the north side of the property.
The grant would pay for extending Goldfish Farm Road southward through the Colonia site to Spicer Drive.
The farmworker project is financed mainly through various state programs to build housing for people making less than 60 percent of the average local wage. Some $20 million in state funds are committed for the first phase now under construction. For the second phase, the farmworkers corporation plans to seek about $38 million in state loans or grants.
On Wednesday, the council also voted 4-1 to approve an agreement to cooperate with East Albany Town Center LLC, a private developer, in the construction of more than 900 dwelling units and related facilities on 30 acres bounded by Spicer Drive on one side and Walmart on the other.
Michael Thomson voted against the deal. His comments suggested he is worried about the effects of too much growth, including the rising cost of government.
The East Albany Town Center agreement doesn’t commit the city to spending any money except for staff time to process annexations and various land use actions.
That area east of the freeway is one of the parts of town designated as “climate friendly” under a state mandate intended to slow global warming. People living there and in the rest of Albany will see how that works out in the years to come. (hh)
This is a sketch of the second phase of the 102-unit Colonia del Valle Prospero, with the extension of Goldfish Farm Road to Spicer Drive.
The developers’ vision of the East Albany Town Center, which the council voted to help bring about.
Really? 900 more dwelling units? Has the city council performed a study of how many units we have in our city and how many are full vs empty? It seems the city has a build it and they will come mentality! I think it’s only fair for the city to share this information.
The East Albany Development is promoted as “over 1,000 units”. At market-rate.
Thank you Michael Thomson. Council idiots continue to bow to greedy developers and remake our pleasant town into a California strip city.
If these Units are completed during the Trump Administration don’t be surprised to see it become an ICE magnet. Will these Units be sitting empty? Was there any discussion concerning this possibility?
CLIMATE FRIENDLY THEY SAY………TO BAD THE 22 MILLION DIDN’T COUNT.. …GAS TAX.& FUTURE SCHOOL BOND…IT’S ONLY MONEY…OH MY..
There’s no place else to build except East Albany. The world is in such a mess (global warming plus sky high prices….even though Trump says prices are fine, but he has never even been in a grocery store, and he has just now learned the word, groceries). I don’t think a bunch of apartments is going to solve anything, and it will add to already terrible road congestion in East Albany.
Not as many kids are being born (which is good), and school enrollment is down, and yet Albany wants to build apartments! Those apartments will no doubt be rented, but it won’t be homeless people who will rent them. They have no means of earning an income and that is not going to change in this world beset with an AI revolution.
“There’s no place else to build except East Albany. ”
I disagree. Take a drive down Ellingson in South Albany. Huge amount of development happening and going forward..
To me, Southeast Albany and East Albany are practically the same thing. Isn’t Ellingson you speak of Southeast? To me, it is East if it is East of Pacific Blvd. That is, unless an area is Northeast, and we aren’t talking about North.
SE Albany plan was adopted ~12 years ago. It’s at the “bottom” end of Albany on city map. Only in the past several years has it started to be built-out.
https://news.albanyoregon.gov/planning/codes-and-plans/south-albany-area-plan
Hasso’s post is about proposed growth much farther.north:
https://albanyoregon.gov/planning/codes-and-plans/east-albany-plan
East of I -5 is less prone to flooding and may just be the best option for the incessant pressure to build, build, build.
I desire to see respect for wildlife and birds included in these things as well as maintaining historic trees and such.
I agree that wildlife-particularly birds – and heritage trees should be respected in these decisions.
The city council should focus on good paying job growth rather than helping people that can work stay impoverished. How can Albany support all the growth they are planning to have without money going to the city in property taxes or our local economy. Low income housing should be for the elderly or disabled. Low paying and/or unhealthy jobs, lack of positive self employment and lack of skills training is what is ailing our economy. Many people that I do work for cannot afford to pay me what it costs me to do work for them even with 2 wages! I stopped donating to the church and do 10% or more discounted to people who need it. My wife donates 10% of her wages to cover more if needed. People living pay check to pay check cannot support all the city’s improvements. This is a city of people stuck in indentured servitude.
Thank you for keeping the “farm workers” concentrated in one place. It makes it so much easier for ICE.
This comment is so out of pocket. Keep that to yourself.
Your response is so anti American you should leave because you don’t deserve to live in a free country. Who the hell are you to try to curb my 1st amendment rights?
I am excited to see more affordable housing being built in Albany and being a desirable location so close to the highway will be nice.