Construction of three of the homes along Sunrise Drive is underway.

“It is going to have a major impact,” said Kevin Black, a member of the Gowrie Development Commission’s Housing Committee.

“It’s a big deal for Gowrie,” he said.

Local leaders gathered with representatives of Origin Homes, of West Des Moines, Friday morning to give the new housing addition a ceremonial start. First the group scooped some dirt with silver-colored shovels. Then a red ribbon was snipped.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
Matt Daniels, center, director of operations for Origin Homes of West Des Moines, prepares to lead representatives of his company and the Gowrie Development Commission in breaking ground for the construction of five new homes along Sunrise Drive in Gowrie Friday morning.

Not far away, an excavator did some serious groundbreaking, digging a hole for the foundation of one of the houses.

Black said there is a “very concerted effort” under way to address the housing shortage in Gowrie.

“There’s just no supply of housing,” he said.

Nearly two years ago, the city and the Gowrie Development Commission began looking for developers who might be willing to build homes in the community. Local officials and Origin Housing began working together about 18 months ago.

According to Black, Origin Homes has a business model geared toward smaller communities, so the company was a good fit for Gowrie.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
Construction is underway on one of five new houses on Sunrise Drive in Gowrie. The houses are being built by Origin Homes, of West Des Moines. They are expected to be completed this fall.

Gowrie was able to offer space for new homes along Sunrise Drive.

“The street was there and they had shovel-ready lots,” said Matt Daniels, director of operations for Origin Homes. ‘Gowrie checked all the boxes.”

Two homes are being built on the east side of the street and three are being built on the west side

Daniels said the two on the east side of the street will be “slab on grade” with no basements. They will have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage. One of them has already been sold even though it is not close to being finished.

The three houses on the west side of the street will have basements. Daniels said they will have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with the plumbing in place to potentially add another bathroom and bedroom in the basement.

He said the houses will be finished in September or October.

He said there is room for more houses along the street.