Anyone traveling through the Chico Camino area of Monte Vista lately has probably noticed something that is becoming harder and harder to miss.

A new apartment complex is taking shape.

It has been some time since we last checked in on the project, and with construction now clearly visible, it seemed like a good time for another look at what is being built and what it could mean for Monte Vista.

The project is known as Alpine Valley Apartments, a development by JRA Real Estate.

Phase One Is Under Construction

According to the developer, the first phase of Alpine Valley Apartments is now under construction and will include 26 rental units along with a community center.

State housing records place the project at the southeast corner of Chico Camino and Solar Avenue in Monte Vista.

While 26 apartments may not sound like a huge development compared with projects in larger cities, new housing can have an outsized impact in a smaller rural community where available rentals can be limited.

And those first 26 apartments are not intended to be the end of the project.

A Second Phase Is Planned

JRA Real Estate also lists a second phase of Alpine Valley Apartments as being in development.

That phase calls for another 24 rental units.

If both phases are completed as currently planned, Alpine Valley Apartments would eventually contain 50 rental homes.

For Monte Vista, that would represent a substantial addition to the local rental housing supply.

Part of Colorado's Affordable Housing Effort

Alpine Valley Apartments has also received support through Colorado's Proposition 123 affordable housing programs.

The first phase was selected for $3.7 million in Proposition 123 Equity Program funding for its 26 units.

The program is intended to help create housing that remains within reach of working households and other Colorado residents facing rising housing costs.

State information identifies the targeted residents for Alpine Valley Apartments as households earning between 80% and 120% of the area's median income.

That makes this more than simply another construction project. It is part of a broader effort to address one of the challenges facing rural Colorado communities: providing enough housing for the people who already live and work there.

Watching It Take Shape

For months, Alpine Valley Apartments has been something people could read about in plans and announcements.

Now it is becoming something residents can actually see.

Construction at the site is well underway, with framing, exterior sheathing and roofing clearly visible. Crews were actively working at the site when The San Luis Valley Beat stopped by on Sept. 14.

That visible progress is why projects like this are worth revisiting. Development does not happen overnight, and months can pass between the first announcement and the point where a project begins to look like a real neighborhood.

What Comes Next?

There are still questions we will be watching as construction progresses, including when the first apartments are expected to be completed, when applications or leasing information will become available, and when work might begin on the planned second phase.

For now, the biggest update is easy to see:

The San Luis Valley Beat will continue following the project as construction moves forward and will share additional information about completion and leasing as it becomes available.

Construction is moving ahead on Alpine Valley Apartments in Monte Vista. Phase 1 will bring 26 rental units and a community center to the Chico Camino area. Photo by Frank Flohr / The San Luis Valley Beat.