With Phase I of FORWARD at the Rock, two group homes with 24/7 staffing, opened on time, on budget, and fully occupied and running smoothly, FORWARD is now moving quickly with the development of PHASE II, 8 one-bedroom apartments for supported independent living.
Plans include a common area for recreation small gatherings, movie screenings, training and meetings. Total square footage will be approximately 6,200± square feet. Disruption of the residential neighborhood of single-family homes will be mitigated by anticipated building placement, building design, and landscaping.
Thanks to a pre-development grant of $65,000 from the Dennis Municipal Affordable Housing Trust and FORWARD’s own working capital design work is well underway
Phase II Highlights
- 8 additional bedrooms configured as 8 individual apartments
- Purpose-designed to accommodate the needs of those with autism and related disabilities
- Built on Town-owned land already secured under a 99-year lease between FORWARD and the Town of Dennis
- Utilities already brought to the site
- Phase I architect, construction consultant, Town, and Massachusetts Department of Developmental Disabilities support secured
- Apartments prepared for intensive use of Assistive Technology and remote staffing
- A site and building placement intended to minimize any impact on the local neighborhood
- A flexible common space for resident recreational and social use, training, telemedicine, storage and a small office
- Incorporation of lessons learned from impacts of Covid – on-site recreation, storage, zoom, back-up utilities
- ADA compliance, built to allow for aging-in-place
- High energy efficiency and sustainability. Every apartment has individual split system heat pump heating and cooling, and on-demand hot water unit
Phase II:
- Addresses the region’s critical need for affordable housing
- Responds to the recently updated Dennis Housing Production Plan and the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan*
- Creates new homes for adults with developmental disabilities
- Adds 8 permanent units to the Dennis Subsidized Housing Inventory
- Benefits from FORWARD’s success in building Phase I on-time and on-budget
- Leverages existing partnerships, organizational expertise and experience
Phase II Timeline:
- Land secured – Done
- Selectboard Approval – Done
- Department of Developmental Services Support – Done
- Local Site Permitting – August 1, 2022
- Construction Contractor Bids Out – October 1, 2022
- Final Capital Funding Applications Submitted – November 30, 2022
- Final Capital Funding and Mortgage Closing – March 1, 2023
- Construction Commences – March 1, 2023
- Construction Complete – February 1, 2024
- Certificate of Occupancy – March 1, 2024
- Fully Occupied – April 1, 2024