By EMILY JONES Express Staff Writer Sep 27, 2024 0

Express photo by Roland Lane

Contractors are on track to finish installing water, sewer, gas, and electric lines this fall for a 19-unit workforce-housing development on the historic Ellsworth Inn property, pictured here over the weekend, ARCH Executive Director Michelle Griffith said.

The development calls for 10 three-bedroom, two-garage rental homes on the north and south sides of the property, six one-bedroom apartment units inside the central inn building, and another two four-bedroom duplexes. A one-bedroom cottage on the property was completed in August and is now occupied, Griffith said. The interior inn units, which have been under construction since August, should be ready by April 2025.

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The duplex units have yet to be approved by the Hailey City Council. “Once we have the infrastructure in place, we will go to the council for design review for the duplex units, the landscape [design] and the final colors for the new construction,” Griffith said. She said ARCH will reveal the name of the new workforce-housing development next summer, “together with an interpretive sign that describes the history of the property.”

The units must be rented to residents who make 80% to 140% of the area median income and are employed by Blaine County companies or organizations. Four will go to city of Sun Valley employees, Griffith said, but if there is too little interest from city employees, ARCH will revert “immediately” to its waitlist of more than 300 applicants.