Construction crews are at work on a small vacant lot on the northeastern edge of Chavez Park, transforming the unused space into three urban town houses.

Urban Pacific Group businessman and developer Scott Choppin, 50, said the urban townhouse (UTH) concept is something he plans to do more of in downtown Long Beach, calling it an innovative rental housing solution targeting moderate-income residents.

The privately financed 5,700-square-foot project at 538 Golden Ave. addresses a need for middle income housing for large working families, he explained, a housing type that is severely lacking in Southern California. Each of the three built-from-the-ground-up townhomes will be three stories tall and include four to five bedrooms, with ground floor access to garage parking.

“These town houses are designed specially for larger, dual- and multi-generational families,” Choppin said, noting that they will be priced to appeal to middle-income families bringing in a combined 80-120% of area median income. The project is not government subsidized.

“This is what the market can bear,” the third-generation Long Beach resident said. “Rent will be about $3,200 a month, which is about $1.50 per square foot, which compares to $3-$4 per square foot for apartments for rent downtown.”

Construction broke ground on Golden Avenue this month and the project is set for completion this fall, Choppin said.

It’s just one of several projects Choppin and his team, including partners Neal Thompson and David Sazegar, have planned — or have already executed — in Long Beach.

A similar UTH project at 719 Cedar Ave. also broke ground this month and will be complete sometime in the fall, Choppin said, with another larger project in the works soon in midtown Long Beach.

Additionally, Urban Pacific Group already completed one UTH project earlier this year at 325 Daisy Ave., and the company has done several high-end market-rate projects in the city, including the 30-unit Sixth Street Lofts at 431 E. Sixth St., 72-unit condominiums at CityView at Fourth Street and Elm Avenue, and 221 units of apartments at City Place, among other projects.

“If I could do every project in downtown Long Beach for the rest of my life, I would,” Choppin said, noting how excited he is to be a part of the revitalization happening in his city’s downtown.

For details about Urban Pacific Group, UTH housing and other developments, visit www.urbanpacific.com/uth-housing.