Work begins on a recently purchased property to transform it into an Affordable Housing Community.

Jacob Blount and Emilee Kuschul of Ozarks First reports on the beginning of the project:

In August, Drever Atelier Partners announced the purchase of Angel Inn – by the Strip, located at 76 Country Blvd in Branson to transform the property into an affordable multi-family community, named The Penleigh – Branson Row.

The leadership team has been on site this week as demolition and construction have begun. Randall Ridd is an investor on the project.

He has worked with Maxwell Drever, the Chairman of Drever Capital Management, on hundreds of similar projects. 

He said they are excited to help a community with affordable housing issues that have only been exacerbated during the pandemic.

“He’s changed communities,” said Ridd. “He’s changed neighborhoods and I’ve watched him as he’s done that, and I’ve known he’s always had the mantra of doing well by doing good. And I think that’s what drew me to this project because I saw the need for good, affordable housing for workforce people that needed to save money, but they were spending all their money on their cost of housing, so I felt like this was a real need we could fulfill.”

With a critical shortage of workforce housing in the area, Drever Atelier Partners will begin work immediately on the multi-family community to bring an attractive, affordable, and energy-efficient apartment community to Branson. The Penleigh – Branson Row will include:

· 324 apartments

· Monthly rent rates around $600

· Incentives for early payment

· Three resident lounges

· Fitness center

· Children’s playground

· Swimming pool with two hot tubs

· Resort-style cabanas 

· Pavilion with commercial grills for residents

· On-site pet park 

· Affordable pet concierge

· Free after school tutoring

· Affordable social and fitness programs

Even with all of these amenities currently scheduled, the partnership group is working with the community to find out the needs of future residents. 

They are planning to host a charrette next month to meet with members of the Branson community. 

Jessica Koonz is the chief operating officer for Atlas Asset Management out of Chicago. 

She said her company will help manage the property once construction has finished.

“We want to customize this to meet the needs of who’s going to be moving in here, but we’re consulting with resident services specialist that can help beyond just a property management service offer a little more of that community feel,” Koonz said.

The head of this construction project is Steven McCoy with Drever Construction. He said the new apartments will be available in no time.

“We are looking to open up our first building, building-A, in February,” says McCoy