Affordable housing project just one of the big changes underway in southern Bend

Stillwater Crossing will be city's largest affordable housing project

BEND, Ore (KTVZ) -- The recently announced Stillwater Crossing development will be Bend’s largest affordable housing project.

And it’s a big reason why the south end of Bend is starting to look a lot different.

Lynne McConnell, Bend’s affordable housing manager, visited the site Wednesday with NewsChannel 21 and said, "This will soon be home to 240 Bend families."

Wishcamper Development partners closed a deal this week to build Stillwater Crossing.

"This is exactly the development that the city of Bend is working to bring to our community,” McConnell said.

Now affordable isn't typically how you'd describe Bend's housing. The median home price has skyrocketed to over $500,000 this year. Rents at Stillwater crossing will be considerably less, ranging from $820 a month for a single bedroom to just-over $1,100 a month for a three-bedroom unit.

But not everyone is happy.

Some people living in the area told NewsChannel 21 they have concerns with congestion in the area with an added 300 cars from the complex.

Karren Swenson, the city’s senior planner of community development, said, "We did look at those major intersections, and one of which that was impacted was Lodgepole (Drive) and Brookswood (Boulevard)."

That's why part of the development's approval process includes plans for a future roundabout at that intersection.

Stillwater Crossing is just another of the many projects going on right now at the south end of Bend.

The area is undergoing massive change, from the Alpenglow Community Park, to the new Caldera High School, to the new Easton housing development.

The city is also working with neighbors on the southeast expansion plan.
 
Damian Syrnyk, a senior planner for growth management for the city, said, "That's where there is still quite a bit of undeveloped land. Most of the area around southeast Bend right now is primarily neighborhoods."

While the Murphy Road Corridor project is under way, these new projects also mean there will be more road construction, such as to eventually put an overpass by the entrance to Stillwater Crossing.