Townhomes in Plymouth

The mood was festive as TCHFH homeowners, friends and supporters gathered for the dedication of four new townhomes in Plymouth on the morning of June 28, 2008. It was a day of celebration that marked significant change in the lives of the four families that moved into the homes shortly after the Dedication Ceremony.

Ward 3  council member Bob Stein said he was confident that the families would find the community of Plymouth to be welcoming. He also said he appreciated TCHFH for building homes that are unique to each area. The townhomes are located just south of Medicine Lake adjacent to a wetland, and the land required extensive soil stabilization before construction could begin. Hennepin County and the City of Plymouth were helpful in assisting TCHFH with the related costs.

Hundreds of volunteers helped in the construction of the new homes. Among them were Jack Griffin and his students from Oak Grove High School. "Youth are not our future resources, they're our current assets," said Griffin at the dedication. He said the alternative high school students come out to the site to learn about construction, housing issues, volunteerism and "how to give back to their community."

Quick Facts

Type of Housing: Multi-unit housing, 4-unit townhouse
Location: South Shore Drive, adjacent to Medicine Lake
Families Served: 4
Architect: Concept by Pollock Buchanan, and design by Habitat for Humanity

Timeline

May 2007: Groundbreaking
Spring 2008: Townhomes completed
Spring 2008: Townhomes dedicated

Construction staff

Field Supervisor: Tony Beckstrom
Site Supervisors:Brent Tyler and Tony Beckstrom

Special build

In 2007, an Entrepreneurs Build took place in Plymouth. Entrepreneurs Build is an annual community service project conducted
by a group of entrepreneurial companies, investors, and advisors who sponsor the construction of a Twin Cities Habitat home.

Site history

The site in Plymouth had previously been purchased by a developer, but the company sold the land to the Plymouth HRA because it was too expensive to develop the area. The Plymouth HRA later donated the land to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (TCHFH).

The site, located near a wetland area, contained poor soils. This required extensive excavation and soil correction to provide a solid foundation for construction. TCHFH’s goal is to create a site plan that has the least impact on the natural areas that surround it. One way to preserve the wetland will be to set up on site storm water management with a rain garden to reduce and treat run-off water.

To correct the unstable soil conditions, TCHFH installed helical piers up to 70' deep that support reinforced grade beams and structural slabs.

Fun facts

• This development marked the first time that Twin Cities Habitat built in the City of Plymouth.
• One of the four units in Plymouth will be fully ADA-compliant. It will abide by uniform federal accessibility standards and allow Twin Cities Habitat to partner with a family that has special needs in regards to the physical and architectural layouts of the home. Specifics of the internal design will be finalized when a homebuyer has been selected.

Sponsors & partners

Development Sponsor: Ray and Debi Lipkin
Row Sponsor: Wells Fargo
Cornerstone Sponsor: Cargill, Inc.
Community Partners:
Hennepin County HOME
City of Plymouth HRA

For more information about the organizations, click on the sponsor or partner name.