CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — With hammers and piles of wood, dozens of volunteers began work on the new Habitat for Humanity in the Wavers Grove neighborhood in Chapel Hill.

CEO, Jennifer Player, said it’s not your average habitat build.

“It’s the first of its kind for a Habitat community in the country,” said Player. “It’ll ultimately be 102 habitat homes, 40 single family homes which will be built by our partners at Garman homes and somewhere around 90 condos as well.”

The mixed-use community will also have a playground, a splash pad and a community center in addition to bringing more affordable housing to the area.

“The affordable housing has really hit a crisis level in our community and certainly throughout the Triangle and this is our bold answer to be able to meet the need in Orange County,” said Player. 

They’re keeping the needs of the community in mind as they build.

One of the homes they’re working on is going to be ADA Accessible. 

“We have a homeowner named Sparkle, her name says it all. She’s full of energy and she has really been dreaming of homeownership for a while for her family,” said Player. “She has two kids one of which is in a wheelchair and so we’ve worked with her throughout the process to build and develop the site and home so that she could be close to parking for her son.”

Volunteers like ​Leigh Kempf, who also lives in Orange County, said a project like this is necessary for the community to keep people living and working here.

“The average home price in Chapel Hill right now is $600,000 and so I’m super excited to see the people that have that impact on our community can live here and be a part of everything that goes on here,” said Kempf. 

They hope to have the entire community completed by 2028.