La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) came together with partners to celebrate a groundbreaking event for a new housing development at Hunter Woods on Wednesday, October 30.
Bert Cook, executive director of LEAP, considers this project to open a door for the people looking for housing in this community.
“Hunter Woods is a residential development we’ve been working on for a while,” Cook said. “This will draw in a number of different types of residential projects, such as single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments. We see this development as a way to provide opportunities for people living in La Porte County.”
Cook has kept tabs on multiple housing studies that have been done in La Porte County residences, noting that most of them emphasize the need for new housing.
“Almost 80% of our housing stock was built prior to 1980,” Cook said. “Standards and expectations have changed pretty dramatically since then. It’s incredibly important to bring new products to the market with homes that are more suited to what people are looking for today.
This development will consist of 10 single-family homes, 97 townhomes, and 56 apartments.
On top of LEAP’s imprint on this project, Cook appreciates John Kavchak and his team’s partnership with helping to create quality housing in this area. Kavchak, founder and partner of Sloane Avenue Group, believes this project has been very efficient.
“Everyone from the city has shown such a high level of commitment to delivering on the promise of providing new housing,” Kavchak said. “This is one of the most complex coordination efforts because there are so many touch points and people we need to connect with. If one part of the chain breaks, it could become a domino effect. We went through approvals earlier this year and we’ve already finished most of the infrastructure work.”
Kavchak feels that this development will not only benefit the current community but also the new residents of La Porte County.
“It’s no secret that La Porte needs more housing,” Kavchak said. “The key is to build quality housing on time and enough of it that moves the needle. We’re hopeful that homes will sell quickly because we all know the demand is here. We’re here for the long-term and want to do more projects for the city.”
Randy Novak, president of the La Porte County Council, has a lot of experience when it comes to land development. He’s ecstatic to see the need for housing being addressed in La Porte County.
“Being a realtor since 1998, we need all kinds of housing in this community,” Novak said. “When the council and the City of La Porte first came together about doing this project, it was a no-brainer.”
La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody knows the demand for new housing in this community. He applauds how everybody came together to meet deadlines and create a successful development.
“This project is a difference maker for La Porte County,” Dermody said. “People from economic development said in a heartbeat that we needed to do this. This has been a great partnership for the residents here. We’re going to continue to grow and work together.”
The cooperation, partnerships, and commitment to this project have been an integral reason as to why this development has come together so seamlessly. Cook is grateful for all the helping hands along the way and can’t wait to see the future of Hunter Woods.
“Our county government has worked hand in hand with the city to make this development possible,” Cook said. “I give a lot of credit to them and every county councilman who has supported this project. I’m grateful that we’ve been able to bring this to fruition, because I believe it’s going to benefit us all.”
Cook also acknowledged Redstone Homes as the builder of this residential development space.
For more information on LEAP, you can visit its website.