Construction for affordable housing in South Bend is expected to begin late this year after the common council approved plans on Monday, representing a major breakthrough for one former Irish player
Former Notre Dame forward Devereaux Peters (L) has made a major breakthrough with her affordable housing project in South Bend
Former Notre Dame women’s basketball player Devereaux Peters is one step closer to achieving her dream of building affordable housing in South Bend after construction plans were approved by the council.
The 35-year-old forward, who is a two-time WNBA champion with the Minnesota Lynx, made a huge breakthrough this week with the project, having been granted more time from the commission after the developer requested an updated environmental study report.
Peters, who watched Notre Dame defeat Stephen F. Austin at March Madness, is now firmly on course to bringing 57 new apartment units to the former “Fat Daddy’s” site at Michigan and Monroe streets, with most being considered affordable. It comes as Jas Smith is set to be hired as the new director of operations for Notre Dame’s women’s program.
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According to WNDU, construction for Peters’ affordable housing will begin late this year. Last month, the council agreed to increase funding from the city by a million dollars., taking its total share from $2.3 million to $3.3 million.
The amendment to the agreement also required Peters to commit $17.7m toward the project, which is aptly named “The Monreaux”, up from the $13.7 million agreed to in the original agreement, The South Bend Tribune reports.
Peters said the project spent the last year finding ways to save money, which involved the city removing the clause that sought the developer to incorporate masonry features similar to current buildings in the neighborhood, as well as one that formerly stood.
Peters played for Notre Dame from 2007–2012
The ex-Indiana Fever, Washington Mystics, and Phoenix Mercury star said they even changed contractors and looked at changing the exterior, eliminating a mezzanine style for the upper floors to a more straight structure.
Luckily, however, Peters managed to find ways to keep the final interior finishes. “We found a nice middle line to deliver what we said we were going to deliver,” she said.
One of the most crucial aspects of the project is that it will provide affordable housing, with the report stating that units will be divided among households earning 30%, 50%, 60% and 80% of the AMI.
The complex, which saw its apartment numbers drop from 60 to 57 as part of the latest agreement, will also offer a mix of studio apartments and 1-3 bedroom units. The project will have 36 months to be completed from the time of closing on the property.
Peters last played for the Phoenix Mercury in 2018
Elsewhere, the NCAA has reached a landmark agreement that will change the college sports landscape forever, with student-athletes now set to be paid by their institutions for the very first time.
Despite being built upon a foundation of amateurism, college sports will now become part of a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model in which schools can pay athletes up to $20.5 million a year starting in 2025-26.
Starting in the fall of 2025, athletes will now be paid directly by their schools through revenue-sharing, which will count for roughly $20 million per year, although this figure could well increase each year depending on more lucrative television deals coming through.