Glennwood Townhomes mark new era for Renton Housing Authority housing

Published 6:49 pm Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The City of Renton and the Renton Housing Authority took a key step toward building new homes for low-income families and individuals and at the same time redeveloping the Sunset neighborhood.

The ribbon was cut Wednesday on the Glennwood Townhomes, eight new homes with four bedrooms that will serve the Renton Housing Authority’s largest families.

The first family has already moved in and full occupancy is expected by the end of October.

“The key to the Glennwood Townhomes is that it serves as our primary first step in our redevelopment of Sunset Terrace,” said Mark Gropper, executive director of the Renton Housing Authority.

“It puts proof to the conversations we’ve been having about the importance of quality housing in this neighborhood and what it means to the Sunset area,” he said.

The 100-unit Sunset Terrace is the aging barracks-style housing that will be replaced by new housing nearby and dispersed throughout the Sunset area. The next project is 18 townhomes on Kirkland Avenue Northeast with two- and three-bedroom apartments about a mile east of the Glennwood homes on Glennwood Avenue.

Besides the new townhomes, the wider Sunset Area Community Revitalization includes the new Highlands library, upgrades of Sunset Boulevard and the potential for 2,300 more housing units and 1.25 million square feet of service and retail space.

A number of local and regional dignitaries participated in the ribbon cutting.

“The Glennwood Townhomes is an important first step for the Sunset Terrace redevelopment and one of many enhancements envisioned for the neighborhood to create a more attractive and vibrant community for local residents and businesses,” said Mayor Denis Law.

Also Wednesday,  the partners in the Sunset redevelopment, which also includes the Renton School District, were presented with a 2012 VISION 2040 award, which recognizes innovative projects and programs that help ensure a sustainable future as the region grows.

Construction of the Glennwood Townhomes was financed through a combination of sources, including those from the King County Housing Finance Program, the Washington Community Reinvestment Association, RHA, and the city.  Bumgardner Architects designed the units, Construction Enterprises & Contractors, Inc., built the homes, and Shelter Resources, Inc., served as development consultant to RHA.

Since the late 1990s, the city has undertaken several efforts to revitalize the Sunset Area, including two citizen task force efforts and land use and zoning changes, according to a City of Renton press release. In 2009, the city, RHA, and the Renton School District completed the Sunset Community Investment Strategy that identified nine implementation strategies. The highest priority  is to support the redevelopment of RHA’s  Sunset Terrace public housing project.

Other key partners in this project include the King County Community and Human Services Department’s Housing Finance Program, which provided a grant of $1.95 million to help fund this project, and the Renton School District.

“Partnerships help make a difference for the students we serve,” said Renton School District Superintendent Mary Alice Heuschel. “This project is an example of our unique partnership with the City of Renton and the Renton Housing Authority. Together we can fulfill the mission of the school district and make Renton a great place to live, learn, work and play.”

In presenting the VISION 2040 award, Puget Sound Regional Council executive director Bob Drewel said “Renton has created a model that incorporates green infrastructure, public services, commu