Wellington Management Celebrates Rivkin Grand Opening
Tuesday, June 10th at Rivkin Apartments in Minneapolis was a day of celebration, as Wellington Management and partners celebrated the grand opening of this new affordable housing community.
David Wellington was joined by Mayor Jacob Frey, Executive Director/CEO of Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Abdi Warsame, Hennepin County Housing Development and Finance Director Julia Welle Ayres (on behalf of Commissioner Angela Conley), and Commissioner of Minnesota Housing Jennifer Leimaile Ho in speaking on the significance of this project to the community.
The shared sentiment between speakers and event attendees alike was one of pride in making a significant and lasting positive contribution to the vibrant Seward Neighborhood community. This project is deeply personal to many of the investors and developers involved, with many living in the community themselves. Commissioner Ho commented on the beautiful architecture and units, and with 4,200 families on the MPHA waitlist for a home, this housing is essential.
Rivkin contains one studio apartment, 56 one-bedroom units, 48 two-bedroom units, 44 three-bedroom units and 6 four-bedroom. 62 of the units have rent/incomes restricted at 60% AMI levels, 47 of the units have rents/incomes restricted at 50% AMI, and the remaining 46 units are restricted to households earning at/below 30% AMI. 18 of the 30% AMI units are designated as supportive housing for individuals and families with children; 10 of these units are designated as High Priority Homeless units and 8 will serve People with Disabilities.
Rivkin also features ~850 SF of commercial space fronting Franklin Avenue and ample amenities for residents, including a fitness center; bike storage room; 3rd floor community room featuring a reading nook, Makerspace, and patio; a lower-level family community space; a teen center; and an outdoor play area for kids. Several sustainability initiatives have been implemented, including a solar-ready rooftop, electric vehicle charging stations, and a stormwater re-use system to supply the on-site irrigation.
Community is at the heart of this project, and as Mayor Frey commented, Rivkin is a means to help people get out of homelessness and ensuring that families who need homes can attain “forever affordable housing” and can be a part of the community. Abdi Warsame added that in the short time Rivkin has been open, it is already having a “huge impact” on the lives of residents and improving neighborhood safety. Our goal with Rivkin is to provide an enriching and stable home for families and individuals both now and in the decades to come, and we are honored to have been able to celebrate the first step toward achieving this goal with partners, project contributors, and community members yesterday.
