Tyler Paper | Casey Murphy | May 7, 2014[Updated Oct 24, 2017]
Developers hope that what will become North Tyler’s newest low-income housing community — Saige Meadows — will be a catalyst for future growth in the area.
Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for the development, which will be 92 units of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and townhomes situated on about 7 acres of land off of U.S. Highway 69 North, just south of Interstate 20.
“We hope this project will only kick start the growth on this side of town,” said Megan DeLuna, project manager.
Lisa Stephens, development team leader, said Saige Meadows will be a mixed-income community and the second development in Tyler for Anthem Builders LLC, a real estate company specializing in the development of affordable housing.
The owner of Austin-based Anthem Builders is one of the principals of The Pinnacle Housing Group, the Miami company that brought Pinnacle at North Chase to North Broadway Avenue.
Ms. Stephens said Saige Meadows is part of the North End Revitalization plan, which came out of the Tyler 1st comprehensive planning process. She gave kudos to city officials for making the development possible.
City Councilman Ed Moore said Saige Meadows is a result of the city putting in infrastructure down U.S. Highway 69 North, which began a few years ago. He said the community developing so close to Interstate 20 means a lot to the city.
“We’re building toward the interstate, a major thoroughfare through East Texas,” he said. Moore challenged other developers to look at the area.
“Let’s put some more rooftops in Tyler, Texas,” he said.
Lindsey Wolfson, spokeswoman for the project, said they began looking for land in North Tyler in the summer of 2012, applied for state funding through Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in March 2013 and were awarded the tax credits for the project last July before closing on the property.
When selecting the land, a lot of it was based on rules set out by the state. They chose the site because of a combination of things, including the school district, city services and area jobs.
“The city helped guide us here and told us where the city is growing and developing to,” Ms. Wolfson said.
Ms. DeLuna said going through the process of funding the project is competitive, and she thanked the city for supporting it. She also thanked Bob Garrett for selling them the land.
Ms. Stephens said Saige Meadows will offer residents a comfortable, safe place to live and a community they can belong to at affordable housing costs.
Ms. Wolfson said they want the look to be a mix of rustic and industrial with a modern, clean and comfortable feel. Saige Meadows will be “rich with amenities,” offering a pool, fitness center, clubhouse with a family/game room, playground and computer lab, she said, adding that they hope to complete it in December.
Beau Busby, general contractor for Saige Meadows, said the new Fort Worth-based company, Pinroc Construction, is made up of people with years of experience who are excited to work on the Tyler project.
Ms. Wolfson said that after the groundbreaking ceremony, they were hosting a meet and greet job fair for contractors and subcontractors to keep the jobs for the project local. “One of our goals is economic development of the city,” she said.
For more about Saige Meadows, at 13488 U.S. Highway 69 North in Tyler, visit PinnacleHousing.com.
