City welcomes rentals as sawdust fills the air

By Vyto Starinskas published in the Verded Independent July 24, 2022 

COTTONWOOD – The aroma of freshly cut lumber was filling the hot desert air surrounding the construction site of the 192-unit Inspiration apartment project – just as another 48-unit residential development was approved for Main Street on Monday.

The new project, which is across from the former Hog Wild building, is to be known as Bungalows on Main, according to the LLC.

The site is a large vacant parcel on the south side of Main Street, at the entrance to Old Town, and will be developed as a multifamily residential rental development with a density of approximately five units per acre, according to the application submitted for design review at a meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission. The city once looked at this site for a city hall location, but deemed it too expensive.

Bungalows on Main will function more like a grouping of attached single-family buildings and is akin to a compact single-family subdivision, they explained in the agenda for the hearing.

Buildings will be grouped to create intimate courtyards, anchored by shade trees to support healthy neighborhood interaction

P&Z Commissioner Randy Garrison said the motion, which passed 5 to 1, only dealt with the design, and said the project already met the zoning requirements.

Garrison said he felt the density of the project was too high and too close to the road, but they only could discuss the architectural design. There will be a lot of open space as part of the trade-off, he said.

Garrison asked city staff to give a monthly report on all the apartments that the city has approved in the last half year. He said the city has spent a lot of time approving several apartment projects and he wanted to know how many are breaking ground.

Fain Signature Group broke ground for its 192-unit Inspiration apartments with a ceremony on Dec. 7, 2021, and the group said Phase One of the five-phase project is 50% complete.

The project is going well and it is on schedule, according to Guy Roginson, of, Fain Signature Group, on Thursday. “Leasing has not begun yet. Typically, leasing starts approximately 90 days before opening. We are hoping to begin occupancy in March of 2023.”

The multi-family residential apartment community can now be seen rising at 345 State Route 89A across the street from the Verde Valley Medical Center.

Inspiration’s apartments will have one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, the developer explained. Amenities include a clubhouse, community pool, spa, work-out room, dog park and barbecue areas.

Leasing offices will not be open until the project is near completion, but Roginson said people can submit inquiries at InspirationApts.com

City Manager Ron Corbin said the apartment construction is going along “as expected.” He was amazed by the amount of lumber being used at Inspiration.

In another housing project in the city, the developer at Mesquite Hills, which is building more new homes off Mingus Avenue near the Verde Valley Humane Society, started paving new streets last week. He said there will be hundreds of homes.

Across the street from the Human Society on Mingus Avenue ground is being prepared for a new RV park similar to the one in Camp Verde, Corbin said.

Also, he said, the development Kindra Heights is going gangbusters at the end of Old Town Cottonwood. “Beautiful homes.”

Plans are ready to be picked up for the Sixth Street Lofts apartments for about 50 units, he said. They can start once they pick up their permits.

The city staff is still in the “process” with the developer from the proposed apartment project behind Walmart and apartments on Cherry and 12th streets that have been approved by P&Z, he said.

Corvin added that some more apartments were approved behind the Post Office several months ago. “Those are still in the works.”

Houses are being built at the Vineyards, which is farther up State Route 89A towards Clarkdale, he said. The current phase is about 96 homes.

Corbin said if you ask the developers, the higher interest rates do not affect sales or construction that much.

He said instead of 20 offers, they are now getting five for a home. “There’s still more demand than there is product.”

A Phoenix developer is still moving along a proposal to develop the land across from the Verde Santa Fe development on Cornville Road and State Route 89A. They are working through water and sewer and infrastructure, the city manager added.

And “still nothing” from the developers of the Spring Creek Ranch Development, he said.

The Cottonwood City Council approved an ordinance that annexed Spring Creek Ranch, along with about 11 square miles of Coconino National Forest land in January 2021.

The Borowskys would have to present a plan to the city to develop the 282-acre Spring Creek Ranch property and have it approved by council, he said. “They have to solve water and wastewater.”