January 14, 2019
Chris Askin, President, and CEO
The partners building the Village on Sage Street hoped that the workforce housing project would be open and begin accepting residents by the end of 2018. Due to construction delays, the project will be ready for move-in sometime at the end of March/early April, absent any significant weather problems. I am glad to share this information on the construction progress on the Village on Sage Street, and to relate what has transpired and what remains to be done.
There are multiple factors that have led to the 2019 date. It took significant time to get the design for the property completed and the site ready to receive the modular buildings from Wyoming and place them on the Sage Street property.
- Existing materials had to be identified, and contamination in the ground at the location needed to be properly addressed.
- The building installers, a company based in Alaska, have had to travel back and forth to do work in both locations.
- A new gas pipeline had to be installed on the property before the old pipeline could be abandoned.
- The time it has taken to get the utility connections designed, approved, and installed is another factor in the delay. Utility installation started in December and is wrapping up this month.
- Additional requirements for the buildings, including fire sprinkler systems and ADA modifications for the grounds, have been planned and are currently underway.
We understand now, that the original plans to open the Village on Sage Street by Thanksgiving were overly optimistic. With any project of this magnitude, unforeseen circumstances were bound to arise. That being said, amazing efforts and cooperation by all parties involved, primarily our local construction contractors, engineers, the City of Reno, State of Nevada, and utility companies are moving the project along as quickly as possible. The challenges of finding a safe, affordable place to live with a very limited income are top of mind and motivate dedication and hustle.
Q & D has created a schedule for the remaining tasks. Now that all plans, permits, and utility approvals are in place, this timeline will not be subject to as many potential delays. More than 160 people have a place on the rental application waiting list, all of whom were notified in December about the revised schedule. We are excited to bring the Village on Sage Street to our community! Work proceeds and progress is made every day at the site.
I can’t emphasize enough the kindness of the Reno-Sparks community, particularly the generous donors, the City of Reno, and our
amazing development partners, including engineering firms, builders, developers, designers, and contractors working on the project. I hope you can join us at the grand opening celebration where we will recognize the contributions of these altruistic people who are bringing the Village on Sage Street to Reno.
In the meantime, if I can add any additional information, or if anyone would like a site tour or a personal update, please
email me.
