MWF, housing foundation plan Edina apartments.

Byline: William Morris

A new affordable apartment project is in the works thanks to the efforts of an Edina nonprofit.

The East Edina Housing Foundation is the driving force behind the Amundson Flats, a proposed 62-unit workforce housing project at 7075 and 7079 Amundson Ave. The group purchased the property, formerly a dry cleaning business, in July 2018.

Now Minneapolis-based MWF Properties is working on plans and applying for financing on the project. MWF Development Manager Chris Stokka confirmed in an email the company was chosen through an RFP process to develop the foundation's property. He described the project as "in the very early stages" of development.

The foundation has signed a purchase agreement with MWF for the property, board President Jeff Huggett confirmed in an email.

"They seem to be a very solid development group, and we are excited to be working with them to create some needed affordable housing in our community," he said.

Edina Affordable Housing Development Manager Stephanie Hawkinson is the city's liaison to the foundation. She said MWF, one of three companies that submitted proposals, was chosen for several reasons, including plans to include bike infrastructure to take advantage of the nearby Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail. The foundation was also impressed with the room design and amenities MWF offers to residents, she said.

"It's operating like a truly market-rate development, with washers and dryers in the units," she said in an interview. "They believe in long-term ownership, so they plan to hang on to it so they're invested in making sure it's done to high-quality standards."

The project cost is expected to exceed $17 million, Hawkinson said. Preliminary environmental...