FURA Gets Hotel Update
Construction on the new 86-room Braun Hospitality hotel in Florence is moving into its final stages. Matt Braun says the building’s exterior envelope is complete, interior painting is underway, and crews will begin site concrete work, including curbs and sidewalks, next week. Braun says favorable weather has also helped keep the project on budget and allowed savings to be redirected toward additions including a mural, outdoor fire pit and locally produced artwork. Substantial construction is expected to wrap up in mid-December, with furnishings and equipment installed in January. Braun says the hotel will begin hiring late this year and expects to employ about 22 to 24 people when fully staffed.
BRAUN: “We’re on budget. We still maintain a great relationship with the contractor, with the design team, with the city.”
The hotel is currently expected to reach final completion around January 18th.
Homes For Good Planning Affordable Housing
Homes for Good is moving forward with plans for a new affordable housing development on Quince Street in Florence. Project developer Marissa Johnson says the proposed Field on Quince project would include three residential buildings with 88 units, including a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. About 70 to 73 units are currently planned for households at 50-percent of area median income, with another 15 to 18 units designated as workforce housing. The nearly seven-acre site at 505 Quince Street would also include community spaces, gardens, play areas, dog runs, bicycle storage and a connection to the estuary trail.
JOHNSON: “We are looking for a development with three residential buildings for a total of 88 units.”
Homes for Good is now preparing its application for an Oregon Housing and Community Services impact assessment, with financial closing typically taking one to two years. with construction to begin within the next 4 years
School Back in Session Monday
School will be back in session Monday, with the school year getting underway before the Labor Day holiday this year. That means school buses will once again be making their morning and afternoon rounds and more students will be walking and biking near local schools. Drivers are reminded to watch for children at intersections and crosswalks, obey reduced speeds in school zones and be prepared to stop for school buses loading or unloading students. Motorists may also want to allow a few extra minutes during the morning and afternoon commute as everyone settles back into the school-year routine.
