The Second Avenue Rowhomes project just east of the Fort Dodge Municipal Building is the latest housing development in the city.

“We’ve been working on this for a long time,” said Danny Heggen, director of development and investments for DEV Partners, the project developer. “We had a project idea on the site and two years ago, we had applied for some funding from the state.”

That funding didn’t come through, but DEV Partners, of Des Moines, came back with a new idea and brought the city of Fort Dodge into the fold.

The city entered into a development agreement with DEV to develop the mostly unused city parking lot into new, modern housing to help attract more residents to the city. Shyft Collective, DEV’s sister company, is the general contractor for the project.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
A ceremonial groundbreaking for the Second Avenue Rowhomes project was held Thursday afternoon. From left are: Brandon Foldes, SHYFT Collective CEO and managing partner of DEV Partners; Matt Dose, onsite construction manager; Dave Flattery, of Availa Bank; Danny Heggen, director of development and investment at DEV Partners; Mayor Matt Bemrich; Kim Alstott, city council member; Chad Schaeffer, chief development officer for the city; and Paige Wheeler, the city's community development manager.

“When the idea for this site, developing this housing, came along, it was a no-brainer for me,” Heggen said during Thursday’s groundbreaking. “As we think about everything that’s happening downtown with all the infrastructure work, Fareway, the (Blanden Memorial Art) Museum, the wonderful neighborhoods that surround us and we think about the walkability, this is an ideal spot to be bringing more housing density.”

The rowhomes will bring a “high design” to the area while creating 32 new housing units, Heggen previously told The Messenger. From the outside, the development will look just like 10 new rowhomes, but beyond the facade, the construction will allow for flexibility on the use of space and the units will be a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.

There will be 24 one-bedroom units and eight two-bedroom units. They will all be rental units.

Fort Dodge Mayor Matt Bemrich said the city was looking for the opportunities to add value to the community’s workforce and housing and felt this project was a “prime example” because of the use of the seldom-used city parking lot site.

“It was kind of a liability for the city being just kind of a broken up, underutilized parking lot,” he said. “And to see life brought to it and really connect a great neighborhood even more connected to the downtown, in creating that walkability and livability for somebody who wants a different type of living.”

Dave Flattery, a city council member and president of Availa Bank, one of the partners on the project, also spoke briefly.

“I think the future is bright for downtown,” he said.

The housing project is expected to be complete by May 2024.