New families moving to North Judson were happily welcomed by Starke County Economic Development Foundation (EDF) at their new apartment complex ribbon cutting ceremony on March 25, 2023. The new apartments were installed on the corner of George Street and State Street, directly across from the city’s park and dog park.
“The last apartment building constructed in town before this one was in the early 2000’s. It's been several years,” said Mary Perren, executive assistant at the Starke County EDF.
Kirt Verhagen of Verhagen Investments, LLC, purchased the property in 2021 when he realized the need for multi-family housing in North Judson. Since he grew up in North Judson, Verhagen wanted to see the town thrive and welcome newcomers with housing opportunities. These apartments mark the first new multi-family housing units to be constructed in nearly 30 years.
“It's a vibrant community; It's a growing community. But if you want people to come to your community, they need a place to live,” Perren said.
Each apartment is furnished with two bedrooms, each with its separate bathrooms, and a garage as well as an attached patio in the back. Tenants are also supplied with an array of appliances including a washer and dryer. Lawn care and snow removal are provided by Brothers With Mowers LLC. These services are included in the monthly rent, keeping costs low and affordable while welcoming new families to the town.
“All the appliances are electric, so you get one power bill that you're dealing with here. It's much more efficient and less expensive for the renters,” Verhagen said.
The Parks Department is currently working on a million dollar park improvement project. The plan includes building sidewalks around the downtown area to add to the community feel. This Department works closely with the Starke County EDF, as do many other businesses because their main goal is to help the community grow.
“For us, housing is economic development. It's a piece of what we do because we work with industries and businesses to help them grow, expand, maintain, meet their training needs, meet their workforce needs, etc,” Perren said. “We’re very excited to be a part of it all.”
To learn more about the apartments and future projects at Starke County EDF, visit their website at www.scedf.biz.
