Four-plex planned for former rail yard in Fairfield

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield resident Dave Thebodo is planning to build a four-plex apartment building at the site of the former Rock Island and Pacific Railroad yard in Fairfield.

For now, the apartment is known as the Rail Yard Housing Project. It is located just west of the Louden Lofts on West Broadway Avenue. Thebodo said the building will be built to resemble a train station depot.

Thebodo appeared before the Fairfield City Council Monday to seek its approval for an application for state housing tax credits. Thebodo said that if he gets the money, site preparation will begin Oct. 1 and will be finished by the end of August 2022.

Without the tax credits, construction will have to be delayed.

Though the four-plex will be new construction, surrounding infrastructure and amenities will use recycled and repurposed materials such as paver brick, antique depot lighting and recycled rail for perimeter fencing.

The four-plex will be two stories with an extended roof overhang, a small porch at the front entrance and paver brick sidewalks. Each unit will have two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, and at least one will be handicap accessible. Thebodo said he and his wife, Terry Ann, may decide to live in one of the units.

Thebodo said he is excited at the prospect of building on that land, which he has acquired in parcels during the past 32 years and which has been used to store railroad equipment that he buys and sells through Rail Merchants International. Thebodo envisioned that site as the location of the 63-room AmericInn, which he was the local developer for. But after the Highway 34 bypass was built some 13 years ago, it made more sense to build the hotel south of Fairfield.

Thebodo said he was inspired to build a four-plex by a train station depot he saw in Walker, Iowa, which was also a Rock Island depot, same as the one in Fairfield. He said he will not have to make any road improvements for this development, since the area already has access to West Broadway Avenue and West Grimes Avenue, and has ample parking.

Thebodo said he hopes his four-plex will help alleviate the critical need for housing in the area, and that he believes all the units will be spoken for before construction is finished.