The city of Farrell is in need of housing redevelopment and a Pittsburgh developer is working with Southwest Gardens Economic Development Corp. to help change the situation.

Representatives of Barnes and Miles, a global community development company, presented plans Monday to Farrell council for more than two dozen homes for people with low to moderate incomes. They were joined in their presentation by Insulspan, a company specializing in energy-efficient, insulated panel systems.

Barnes and Miles will team with Insulspan to produce 25 energy-efficient homes at a cost of $2.1 million. Five of those homes will be built in the first of three phases over three years.

The two- and three-bedroom homes, costing $70,000 to $80,000 each, are to be built in Weed and Seed areas, a program that provides police crackdown on crime within a target area and addresses problems of community revitalization. The first five will be built on Southwest Gardens property on Darr and Hamilton avenues and Idaho Street. Several dilapidated houses at those sites will have to be torn down.

Additional sites are being considered for the second and third phases.

The homes will consist of side garages and additional storage facilities, but will not have basements. Residents who want basements can do additional financing, said Lamar Barnes, president of Barnes and Miles.

The final cost for homeowners will run between $25,000 and $35,000, should funding come through from both Weed and Seed and a grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. The houses will be energy efficient, saving homeowners money on energy bills. The first five homes will be "model units for the bigger picture," Barnes said.

Southwest Gardens applied for a $100,000 grant through the Mercer County Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which will go toward building the first five homes. Other funding for the project is being sought through Farrell/Sharon Weed and Seed and the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission. The first phase of work will cost an estimated $365,000, with $165,000 coming from PHFA, $100,000 through Mercer County Affordable Housing and a possible $100,000 from the municipality. PHFA plans to match funding dollars on a one-to-one ratio. Plans would also include hiring locally and paying prevailing wages.

Barnes said if funding should happen to fall through, for example through Weed and Seed, they will go through several banks and programs in order to meet their goals. Barnes and Miles have constructed homes in Pittsburgh and Michigan. Farrell will be the first attempt at a community-wide project for the company.

For Farrell, it should not only increase the city housing, but also housing taxes.

Barnes said the purpose of the project is to bring investment back into the Farrell community. "We know you have a thriving community, but you have disinvestment. Our focus is to bring investment back into the community," Barnes said.

Chad Vorky of Insulspan said that "once you get one or two on the market, they pretty much sell themselves."

The objectives of the development are to create investment in the community, develop construction and real estate programs for residents. First-phase construction should begin in August or September, and should take about seven months for completion.

Councilman Louis Falconi said the proposal is something Farrell has needed for "many, many years."

"I commend you in your venture," Falconi said. "Our community is a good place to start and I'm glad to see you're starting here."

Farrell council plans to act on the proposal at its May 22 meeting.

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