Granite Peak Partners Breaks Ground on $68 Million 300-Unit Dakota Ridge Apts Near Williston, ND

WILLISTON, N.D. - June 26, 2013 - PRLog -- Williston, ND-- Granite Peak Partners, a Santa Barbara, Calif. real estate investment firm, broke ground this month on a $68 million, 300-unit apartment community near Williston, North Dakota, a city that is booming as a result of the discovery and production of the Bakken oil and gas reserves. The first phase of Dakota Ridge Apartments, consisting of 180, two and three bedroom apartment units, is scheduled to be completed in May 2014. The first phase will include six apartment buildings, a clubhouse and infrastructure construction.

         When the community is complete, it will contain 10, three-story apartment buildings with 30 units in each. The 4,500 sq. ft. clubhouse will feature a full fitness center, game room, lounge area, kitchen and community room for entertaining, a business center and a spa room. The 35.5-acre site will include an outdoor sports court, covered barbeque areas and hiking paths.

         The two and three bedroom, two bathroom units will range from approximately 882 sq. ft. to approximately 1,100 sq. ft. Each unit will include such amenities as a mudroom, full size washer and dryer, balconies, granite counter tops and maple cabinets. Four hundred extra-large finished garages to accommodate oversized pickup trucks and more than 200 open parking spaces, many with electrical outlets for block heaters, will be available.

         "One of the goals of the project is to create a quality living environment for families," says Pierre Tada, a principal with Granite Peak Partners. "Most new housing construction in the area resembles workforce housing and aren't appropriate for families. The Bakken is an extremely important resource that will create jobs and help America become energy independent. We're excited about being able to make available much needed family-friendly housing to the companies and their employers who are making this happen."

         Another of the goals of Dakota Ridge Apartments is to help relieve the housing shortage in the area. "The local population has more than doubled in five years as workers are drawn to the area to fill high paying oil industry jobs," says Tada. "The population is expected to double again over the next five years. Already, housing occupancy is nearly 100 percent."

         "North Dakota's harsh weather and the area's underdeveloped water, sewer and transportation infrastructure, labor shortages, logistics issues and lack of available construction financing for institutional-quality projects, make housing construction in Williston one of the most challenging in the U.S.," says Bruce Savett, principal with the firm.

         Granite Peak Partners selected Adolfson and Peterson of Minneapolis, Minnesota as the project's general contractor. "Assembling a design and construction team that can execute with severe weather and labor issues and a short construction window is critical," says Tada. "Adolfson and Peterson has an excellent record of completing projects in remote, resource-constrained environments."

         Intergroup Architects based in Littleton, Colorado was selected to design the project because of its expertise in creating institutional apartment communities in harsh climates. The buildings, for example, will be made with energy-efficient structural insulated panels (SIPs), which provide a 50 percent energy savings over typical wood frame construction. The panels will be installed by Tamarack Construction of Florence, Montana, an expert in SIPs insulation. KLJ engineers from Bismarck, North Dakota and property managers Greystar Real Estate Partners with offices throughout the country round out the project team.

         Dakota Ridge Apartments is located off U.S. Highway 2/85, north of the city of Williston. Apartment reservations for the first phase will be accepted beginning August 2013. The second phase, with its four additional buildings, will be completed January 2015. For more information go to http://missouriridgeapartments.com/ .

         Although the Granite Peak Partners' Bakken Development Fund is nearly full for limited partners, opportunities are still available for accredited investors. Contact Bruce Savett, Granite Peak Partners, 805-892-4900, Bruce@GranitePeakPartners.com (mailto:Pierre@GranitePeakPartners.com) for more information.

About Granite Peak Partners

Granite Peak Partners, Inc., based in Santa Barbara, Calif., is involved in real estate acquisition, management and divestitures as well as investments and portfolio management. Principals have acquired and rehabilitated dozens of apartment buildings and multiple industrial and office complexes, developed commercial, residential and hotel properties from the ground up and managed thousands of acres of agriculture in California. They bring over 90 years of professional experience to the firm and have successfully completed over $1 billion in transactions. Granite Peak Partners focuses on acquiring properties in the United States that can deliver quality returns to its investors and advisory clients. http://www.granitepeakpartners.com/gpp-home.asp