Photo: Volunteers building a rain garden at a different CLCLT home in Kingfield about 10 years ago.

Background: The Kingfield Neighborhood Association Redevelopment Committee and Board of Directors have been in direct conversation about the development of 3916 Blaisdell for a dozen years. About one year ago, KFNA requested that the City of Lakes Community Land Trust (CLCLT) look at the site to see if they could design a home to fit on the vacant parcel since they focus on single family affordable housing creation. After many design iterations and conversations with the city and with funders, we believe that all parties are ready to move forward with construction on this site.

Project Details: The CLCLT will be developing and building a new, single-family home with an accessory dwelling unit at 3916 Blaisdell Ave. The house will be two stories and have total of 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Construction will adhere to Enterprise Green Communities and Energy Star standards. After construction is complete, the home will be available for sale through the CLCLT, which facilitates long-term affordability to individuals and households at or below 80% of Area Median Income and requires the home to be owner-occupied. KFNA has committed a $20,000 grant to this new housing, as well as a loan of $10,000 with zero percent interest if the house can be built within one year. Additionally KFNA will be setting up a fundraising campaign and asking interested neighbors to contribute directly to buy down affordability even more for this property.

Meeting Purpose: We know that the community is currently very interested in affordable housing options. A direct invite has been sent to the closest neighbors but KFNA also invites you, and the broader neighborhood, to a special KFNA Redevelopment Committee meeting via Zoom to  learn about the project and ask questions of the developer’s representative, Staci Horwitz, CLCLT Operations Director.

Meeting Reservations: Due to COVID safety procedures and a lack of meeting spaces open that will allow for social distancing at this time, this virtual meeting will need to suffice. The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 23 from 6:30-7:30 PM. To get the code to attend the meeting please email and put ‘ 3916 Blaisdell Meeting’ in the subject line. KFNA will respond and email you the link to join the meeting about 24 hours before the meeting begins. If you have emailed questions about the project as outlined above, we will be sending you the meeting link as well.

 

28 Various Amazing Outdoor Sites in Kingfield Neighborhood!

Sneak peak at some of the sites here! https://www.facebook.com/events/215613822877560/

View the Walk of Garden Descriptions!

Kingfield Walk of Gardens Descriptions 2020

Download the Walk of Gardens Map!

Kingfield Walk of Gardens Map 2020

Sliding-donation Recommended to Support the Donation Garden at MLK Park (growing food for The Aliveness Project food shelf). Just text ‘GardenTour’ to 44-321 to support this project or email on the righthand side of the page. Donation suggested at $3 per garden visit, or $15 for multiple sites

 Being home more this spring has yielded some beautiful and creative garden spaces! Save the evening and drop into a few, or two dozen!, of them on the Kingfield Walk of Gardens. Gardeners will be present in their gardeners to talk about their space and their plantings from a socially safe distance. Maps will be available to download the week of the tour, and will also be available on paper at garden sites.

All tours will be socially distanced and responsibly hosted. Masks for both guests and hosts will be required.

 

On the 38th Street Bridge over 35W.

Bring your own signs, or come hold a piece of a larger banner, reminding drivers on 35W that the work of racial justice needs to continue to take place every day. This activist-action can be your weekly reminder to keep up the daily fight for a more just and equitable society.

To keep our community safe, we ask that all participants wear masks and maintain social distance during this weekly vigil.

A new weekly event taking place on various Porches in Kingfield!

We are not producing maps or promoting a community-wide party but we are encouraging musicians to take to their porches on this Thursday, and every Thursday this summer!, to share their talents with their neighbors!  This is the evening to strap on your tennies or jump on your bike and wander locally, to hear whatever may be heard from various musicians. Just look for PorchFest signs popping around the neighborhood on Tuesday or Wednesday as musicians assess their availability and the weather–this will signify which of your neighbors are intending to take to their porch to play for you that Thursday evening.

Remember — the invitation to sing or play from your porch is open to all. We can’t wait to hear the soundtrack of Frozen sung by some 5 year olds, or some Meongyn or other YMCA camp favorites from a group of teens missing their time on the trail. If you want to sing on a Thursday–just go for it. You can request a yard sign if you want to advertise it to your neighbors, or just go impromptu.

While it is a difficult time to promote celebrating, we also know that connecting to neighbors, both who they are and what they do, is a bonding and uniting force in these trying times so we encourage you to be safely out and about in community.

We do encourage:

• All people to wear masks
• All friends not already living in family-units to maintain a 6 foot distance
• If you are considering stopping to listen bring your own blanket or folding chair
• Bring money and your phone for tipping: support our local musicians with cash or credit card tips, in whatever way they suggest, at their home-stage.