Latest Riverland project house revealed

Published 6:20 pm Friday, May 5, 2023

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Located at 901 24th Avenue NW in Austin is the latest example of a long-ranging program by Riverland Community College.

The college’s project house, a split-level affair complete with a deck on the back, is a part of the education for carpentry and electrical students that completed will go on the market in Austin, adding to housing opportunities.

“Any time you’re adding housing stock it’s a good thing,” said Austin’s Housing & Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Taggert Medgaarden. “It also helps bring people to the trades. I think it goes hand-in-hand.”

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Medgaarden said the home could go on the market sometime in June after a price is set on the property.

For years, the project house has been a major and important part of the curriculum at the college because it’s hands-on and not only contributes to the community, but to the real life skills of the students.

This year, students even got the benefit of learning and coping with one of the challenges of construction when instructor for the first year carpentry class, Adam Hahn, suffered a leg injury. During the time he was away, the project fell three weeks behind.

“The students actually buckled down and did the work,” He said. “They did very well, especially with how they came back.”

Construction of the house began in August of last year and while there were some things here and there still needing to be wrapped up, construction was largely completed by Thursday when the college held its open house for the home.