A company that manufactures modular affordable housing has confirmed it will open a large facility in Pueblo and employ close to 200 people here.

On Monday, a representative from the company — indieDwell — and the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation held a video teleconference to announce that indieDwell will open a 100,000 square-foot facility in Pueblo. The factory, which will be the second for indieDwell on top of its current facility in Boise, Idaho, will employ up to 200 workers at full capacity and generate an estimated $16 million in annual payroll, according to PEDCO officials.

City Council will be giving indieDwell about $1.7 million from the city's half-cent fund for economic development for the employment commitment indieDwell is making. Council will formally vote to approve that sum at its next regular meeting on Nov. 11.

indieDwell has committed to invest about $13 million in the manufacturing facility it is moving into at 205 N. Elizabeth St. near the Riverwalk — formerly the AG Warehouse — and also has committed to employing a minimum of 171 full-time employees at the facility whose annual salaries before benefits will be $38,248, according to the city and PEDCO.

Based on a study done at Colorado State University-Pueblo, it is estimated that the company will bring $35 million in annual economic impact to Pueblo, according to PEDCO.

"PEDCO is thrilled to work with Peter (Pete Gombert, indieDwell executive chairman) and his team as well as Gary Community Investments, Colorado Health Foundation and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, on this incredible project for Pueblo,” said Jeff Shaw, president and CEO of PEDCO. “Peter and his team have been a pleasure to work with and it is evident why indieDwell has enjoyed such incredible support by all the partners in this project. We look forward to a long relationship with Peter and his team and thank the citizens of Pueblo for making this possible through their continued support of the half-cent sales tax fund.”

indieDwell manufactures modular houses with a stated mission to help solve the affordable housing crisis while improving the health of the environment and empowering communities. It offers three different sizes of energy-efficient, sustainable housing units including a a 320 square-foot design, a 640 square-foot space, and 960 square-foot homes with a number of different floor plan configurations. The cost of the homes range from $55,000 up to $120,000, according to Gombert.

The company anticipates hiring workers and rolling the first units off the production line in the first quarter of 2020, according to PEDCO. Eventually, workers at the factory will construct 1,000 modules or between 300 and 1,000 affordable homes annually for Coloradans.

Gombert cited the region's need for affordable housing and a robust local workforce in selecting Pueblo for the factory.

"Pueblo, like many areas, faces significant shortages in affordable housing, but the combination of the quality workforce and dedicated local partners made this happen," Gombert said.

Denver-based Gary Community Investments, which invests in philanthropic solutions for Colorado’s low-income children and their families, along with the Colorado Health Foundation introduced indieDwell to PEDCO. With further assistance from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the partners came to a solution for indieDwell’s expansion to Colorado.

rseverance@chieftain.com

Twitter: RyanSevvy