For only the second time in nearly half a century, downtown Modesto could gain a new housing development. Two workshops were held by nonprofit affordable housing developer Visionary Home Builders of California to receive community input on a six-story building on 7th Street between I and J Streets. Downtown Modesto Partnership’s president/CEO, Josh Bridegroom attended one of the meetings to vocalize support. He also advised the group to go with a pedestrian-friendly street design rather than a fully closed street, as was being considered. The advice is informed by decades of experiments with street closures by cities nationwide, beginning in the 1950s, revealing special conditions are generally needed for their long-term viability. We are pleased that Visionary Home Builders followed that advice in the project’s final design.

The project is located next to St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, near the renovated transit center and the quickly-evolving heart of downtown. The Seventh Street Village project consists of 79 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The ground level would have 5,000 square feet for a Head Start program, community center, and leasing office, as well as retail space in the hopes of attracting a grocer to serve residents of the project and the general area.

The City Council approved applying with Visionary Home Builders of California for $50 million from California’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHCS) Program. As stated in the Modesto Bee, “the program [AHSC] funds housing that is close to bus routes, bike lanes, rail and sidewalks (and pays for that infrastructure as well) and is near jobs and amenities. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by giving people alternatives to driving.”

To read more about this project, visit https://www.modbee.com/news/local/article272936265.html#storylink=cpy

To read more about this project, visit Modesto Bee https://www.modbee.com/news/local/article272936265.html#storylink=cpy