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Ten years after the Riverview Commons development first began to take shape between Riverside Avenue and Interstate 76 on the northeast side of Fort Morgan, a new developer that has taken over that site says new homes will soon rise there. The Riverview Commons development began when Fort Morgan State Bank put up the money for bonds to put in streets, curbs and gutters at a site off of Riverview Avenue. A developer had planned to put 71 homes there but went under after building only three homes of them. After that, FMS Bank went through a client title process to acquire the property. Then, in May, Community Developers purchased the site. In September, the developer announced plans to build homes on 66 lots in two phases. The new plans for Riverview Commons call for eight different home models ranging from 1,044 to 2,220 square feet. There are five ranch-style models and three multi-story models. The lots range from 2,392 square feet to 3,900 square feet. The homes range in price from $239,900 to "a little over $300,000."

Community Developers owner Karen Johnson said the developer is partnering with an investor that is financing the construction of four show models and two speculation homes. Those homes should be ready in about four months. "Hopefully that will give us some instant inventory and Community Developers is hoping to start construction on the rest of phase one in the near future. The homes that will be built will be modular homes." Modular homes are built in a factory in sections called "modules" which are then assembled on a foundation. Johnson said the modular homes will be of the same or better quality as a site-built home.The process also cuts down on the construction time and thus the possibility of damage from vandalism and exposure to the elements. The entire modular home building process is closely regulated by the state, she said. Johnson said that Community Developers has planned out phase one of the development, which is located west of Commons Parkway and consists of 30 lots. Her developer is willing to be flexible and work with developers to provide them with the home on the lot of their choosing. However, she said it must also ensure that two or more houses of the same model are not located directly next to each other in order to preserve the community's character.She said another concern will be ensuring that each home fits onto the lot while maintaining required setbacks. Johnson said Community Developers is ready to work with buyers who know what kind of house they want to order and would "like to work with them to get them into a house sooner rather than later."

According to Johnson, Community Developers began interested in taking over the Riverview Commons project because of Fort Morgan's lack of housing inventory. She said she had learned from the city that Fort Morgan is short 425 to 450 homes and that most of the few properties that are available are older homes. Riverview Commons would also be particularly appealing to the large market of aging baby boomers, Johnson said, due to the ranch style-floor plans that are offered. She said the U.S. Department of Agriculture also offers good financing options in Fort Morgan that allow people to get into a home with no money down. "There are a lot of people who are renting that could be owning instead here as long as they have some decent credit."

Paul Albani-Burgio | 970-441-5103 | paul@fortmorgantimes.com