An affordable, multifamily development is planned for the former Econo Lodge site in Urbandale, a project city leaders say will help fill a gap in housing in the community.

The Urbandale City Council approved a development agreement with Volker Development, which will operate the development as The Enclave Apartments, at 10841 Douglas Ave.

According to the development agreement, the project will feature about 50 units that will lease at 50% and 40% of the area median income. There will be one-, two- and three-bedroom units in the four-story building.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $17.5 million.

Amenities include a supportive service office, community lounge, a gathering area with a kitchenette, fitness center, indoor and outdoor bike storage, a community garden, garden beds, a dog run, a rooftop solar energy system, native plantings, water conservation fixtures, LED lights, a rain garden and surface bioretention.

According to the development agreement, tax increment finance incentives of up to $200,000 will be used to ensure tenant support services are included in the project for at least 15 years. The agreement specifies that Volker Development will provide tenant service coordination of services to improve the quality of life of tenants and support long-term housing stability by addressing the social service needs of tenants.

The agreement specifies that the services offered on site will be reported annually, and that services or events will occur on a regular basis with a minimum of twice a month. 

The Urbandale City Council approved the development agreement in February to “remediate blight” to help achieve the city’s goal and objectives in its Comprehensive Plan, which addresses the need to diversify the city’s housing stock.

Aaron DeJong said one of the city’s focuses is to encourage development and reinvestment along the Douglas Avenue corridor.

“Urbandale has not seen as much multifamily development as others in the metro have, and there’s a desire in the community to have housing options for those that don’t necessarily want to live in a single-family house, and to be able to have those housing types that people would like to have in Urbandale,” DeJong said. “That takes effort in looking at our western neighborhoods, looking at our existing corridors, as well as our redevelopment areas to be able to infuse that product into our existing fabric.”