Calhoun County Land Bank and Norfolk Homes Partner on New Build in Marshall
Construction began this week on a property sold by the Calhoun County Land Bank Authority to Norfolk Homes in Marshall, Michigan. The property, 109 N Fountain St., was sold in late 2021 for $3,000 for the development of a new attainable housing unit. The 1,331-square foot bungalow style home will include an attached one-car garage and rear deck. The first floor will include a kitchen, dining room, family room, and master suite; the second story includes a second bedroom and bathroom and a loft area. If construction remains on schedule, the home will be on the market in late summer 2022.
The site is part of the Land Bank’s Develop this Lot Program, which encourages development of vacant land. “This program is unique in that it requires buyers to complete due diligence steps before purchase and results in a shovel ready project after the sale; staff assists buyers and works with local municipalities to help projects be successful” said Krista Trout-Edwards, the Land Bank’s Executive Director. For this site, the Land Bank was able to incentivize the sale with assistance from its EPA Brownfield Assessment grant which paid for the site’s environmental assessment to ensure it was feasible for residential development.
“Norfolk Homes is pleased to work with the Calhoun County Land Bank Authority to provide new homes in Marshall and Calhoun County to meet the needs of current and future residents,” said co-owner of Norfolk Homes, Jim Franke.
The home on this property is part of a new product line for Norfolk Homes that prioritizes attainable pricing, which is an important goal for the Land Bank. Norfolk Homes will use existing city infrastructure, which will also minimize construction costs.
The Norfolk Homes and Land Bank’s partnership allows for a new, reasonably-priced home to be built in Calhoun, where housing is in demand, and both hope to create additional new builds in the future. Working with organizations like Norfolk Homes, the Land Bank can leverage state, federal, and local resources to successfully revitalize neighborhoods and create valuable assets in the community.