The Hatch Development Group (HDG) creates real estate development in urban neighborhoods. HDG has developed mixed income, affordable housing communities in two Des Moines, Iowa inner city neighborhoods – the Sherman Hill Historic District and the East Village neighborhood. Since the beginning, HDG has maintained a commitment to increase the financial capacity of the inner city. HDG's principal, State Senator Jack Hatch, founded the Neighborhood Investment Corporation (NIC) and developed its first two multi-family, mixed-income apartment communities - the Woodland Avenue Brickstone and East Village Square apartment communities. Each project represents a commitment in providing beautiful, spacious and unique apartment living while adding substantial value to each neighborhood. The NIC has a commitment to reinvest a portion of its net-income back to the neighborhood within which the project is located.

The Hatch Development Group is also developing condominiums in the Sherman Hill Historic District, a neighborhood adjacent to the downtown business district. "The Alchemilla" consists of six-townhouses built as a Victorian-style mansion. It is under construction and is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in December 2006. Three units are still available for purchase.

HDG is in pursuit of an ambitious development on the edge of the newly created downtown Western Gateway Park. The "Westgate" project consists of renovating two historic car dealership buildings and constructing a high-rise luxury condominium between them. This project is scheduled to be under construction in 2008.

Management Team

Jack Hatch, the principal of Hatch Development Group, is an Iowa State Senator who has conducted private business under Hatch & Associates Company since 1979 but now it is operating as the Hatch Development Group, LLC. HDG was formed to provide a vehicle for Senator Hatch's long-standing desire to revitalize the urban neighborhoods of Des Moines. Since focusing on housing development, Senator Hatch has become a forceful proponent of blending historical rehabilitation with new construction to revitalize downtown neighborhoods. One of his projects has won national acclaim and has been recognized as one of the catalysts for the resurgence in downtown Des Moines development. Senator Hatch is also a partner in Perennial Properties Management Service, LLC with his wife, Sonja Roberts.

Mike Rossi, Director of Development, formulates strategies and executes the procedures necessary for each development project. He is responsible for the construction management of the East Village Square and monitors the compliance requirements and financing for the Woodland Avenue Brickstone. Mr. Rossi has spent much of his professional career coordinating and executing long-term business strategies as a commodity merchant for ConAgra Foods in Omaha, NE. Prior to joining the Hatch Development Group, he headed the voter outreach operations for a Mayoral campaign in Dade County, FL. He is a 1998 graduate of the University of Iowa, and spent one of his undergraduate years at the London School of Economics.

Matt Hektoen, Associate, acts as legal counsel and compliance officer for the Woodland Avenue Brickstone and the East Village Square. Mr. Hektoen is a 2005 graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law and is licensed to practice law in the state of Iowa. In addition to actively participating in the Polk County Bar Association and Polk County Volunteer Lawyers Project, Mr. Hektoen also is an at-large representative on the Young Lawyers Division of the Iowa Bar Association

Fred Blackledge, legal and financial consultant practiced law for 15 years as a name partner in the Belin Law Firm of Des Moines specializing in finance, development and securities law. For 14 years he was an investment banker in Minneapolis, MN at the firm of Dain Rausher Incorporated, specializing in public/private partnership projects including affordable housing. Mr. Blackledge has 30 years of experience structuring, financing, marketing and managing diverse complicated financial transactions.

	The Westgate Project will overlook the newly created Western Gateway Park at 13th and Locust streets in downtown Des Moines. HDG plans to turn two former auto dealerships into restaurants, shops and office space. Anchored between and extending over the two buildings will be a 10-story high-rise luxury condominium building. The new building is slated to have 48 condominiums that would sell for $500,000 to $750,000 each. The two historic buildings built between 1917 and 1919 originally were built as part of the "auto row" - a stretch of city blocks that clustered the new and emerging automobile dealerships in Des Moines. Taylor Motor Car Company and the Kruidenier Cadillac Company, the first Cadillac dealership in Iowa, occupied these two buildings. Renovation of the two buildings and construction of the new condominiums is expected to begin by early 2008.
	The East Village Square development is a $16.2 million project with 115 mixed income apartments that Hatch Development Group has spearheaded for the Neighborhood Investment Corporation (NIC), a non-profit community resource corporation. Some suggest this is the flagship residential building in the East Village neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa. By far, it was the largest construction project in the East Village since the construction of the Capitol building. Its unique features include 21 live/work lofts facing either Grand Avenue, East 4th Street or the courtyard. These two bedroom loft apartments range from 900 to 1150 square feet that are ideal for artists or entrepreneurs to work from their residence. The remaining 94 one and two bedroom apartments have a breathtaking view of downtown Des Moines or the golden dome of the state capitol. The East Village Square is open and available to lease.
	The Alchemilla is a six-unit townhome development project with units between $331,000 and $390,000. The perennial flower, alchemilla, whose name comes from the Arabic word meaning "little magical place", inspired the project's name. Folklore asserts that the drops of dew collected from its' leaves were an essential ingredient to turn common metal into gold. The development will reverse the model of conversion that populates most of Sherman Hill - instead of dividing a large house into several living units, the new townhomes will be attached and mimic the architecture of one large Victorian mansion. Jeffrey Morgan, the principal for JMA Studio is the architect. This is Jeffrey's second project with HDG after he captured the essence of blending new construction in a Historic neighborhood of Sherman Hill as the architect of the Woodland Avenue Brickstone. In this project, he is partnering with Sonja Roberts, interior designer and Senator Hatch's wife, to bring elegance to the designing of new condominiums in downtown Des Moines. Steve Dallenbach is the contractor. Construction on the Alchemilla is complete and the project is ready for occupancy.
	Des Moines' first mixed income housing development in years is heralded as a welcome sign of urban revival. The Woodland Avenue Brickstone is a $6.2 million project that has one and two bedroom apartments built in an early 20th-century row-house style. Completed in December 2003, the Brickstone reached full occupancy immediately. Its unique urban design, walking distance to downtown employers and its location in the city's first historic district, Sherman Hill Historic Neighborhood, made the Brickstone a success from the beginning. The 56 unit community is a mixed-income complex which was recognized by Affordable Housing Finance magazine as "One of the best Affordable Housing Developments of 2004."

Neighborhood Investment Corporation

As a state senator, Jack Hatch was aware of the continued reliance of affordable housing development in our central cities. They became dependent on receiving grants or low interest loans from the public sector. He then presented to his business partner and long term friend, Fred Blackledge, a new financing model that would allow neighborhoods in our large urban areas, as well as small towns in our rural areas, to build their own, independent financial capacity. The model - create a non-profit housing corporation whose mission is to pursue development projects that generate profit that can be re-invested back into the neighborhood where the project is located.

When they created the Neighborhood Investment Corporation, they began to put this idea into a reality. To ensure success, Jack asked three respected neighborhood leaders to be its initial board of directors: Bob Mickle, retired Des Moines city planner, Jack Porter, former city of Des Moines councilman and Dave Mowitz, a neighborhood activist and executive at Meredith Corporation.

The Neighborhood Investment Corporation is an Iowa non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation whose purpose is the development of urban neighborhoods in Des Moines. The NIC is presently involved in three projects: the Woodland Avenue Brickstone, the Robert W Mickle Neighborhood Resource Center, and the East Village Square development.

Because the NIC invests in Des Moines' neighborhoods, it has received enormous support as a major force in re-developing the city's central neighborhoods. In years to come, when their projects produce a higher net profit, the NIC will be able to rely less on its public partners and create its own financial capacity to invest their capital in other neighborhoods. Click here to read more about NIC in the press.

   The Robert W. Mickle Neighborhood Resource Center is a vibrant, open, and inviting neighborhood community center that serves as a home for activities, programs, community service and non-profit organizations, and performing, visual, and other arts. The center offers training, entrepreneurial assistance, and business facilities for business, not-for-profit, and arts (performing, visual, etc.) organizations that strengthen the quality and capacity of neighborhoods.

Read about our different projects in the news. Click on the respective links to learn more about the Alchemilla, the East Side Village Square, and the Woodland Brickstone.