Many have noticed the rapidity with which a large building has risen at the south end of Baker Ave. near Commerce Street over the past few weeks. 

The development, a Ruis Holdings project, is called Peregrine Subdivision. When complete it will include five buildings that house 40 residential units, 18 storage spaces and a small gym/recreation area for the residents’ use. 

The first building is expected to be completed in mid-July and the remainder of the project by the end of the year, as about one building per month is finished. The speed of construction is due, in part, to the use of premanufactured walls that are delivered to the site rather than typical stick framing. 

Levi Diehl, the owner’s representative, said one building will house eight deed restricted affordable units, half of which are ADA compliant, and an elevator. The other four buildings will each contain eight units and a stairway.  

Eighteen storage units, about 700 square feet each, are on the ground floor of each building. They are intended to be used by nearby businesses as overflow space and will include Wi-Fi. 

Each residential unit has a two-bedroom configuration of about 1,000 square feet. The development uses Gypcrete for the floors, which is like a combination of drywall and concrete that provides a sound barrier between floors and in the stairways. It also helps with the energy efficiency of the building.  

All the walls are also built with a sound barrier. 

“We're trying to make these nice apartments while maintaining affordability,” said Diehl, who lives in a Ruis-built apartment in Columbia Falls with the same features. “You never hear your neighbors, whatsoever. It's just extremely quiet and energy efficient. 

"It makes a world of difference, from heating and cooling the space, to sound transfer between the units,” he added. “All the stairwells have it, as well, so when people are going up and down the stairs, you're not hearing them all night long.” 

Diehl said the Ruis company sources all its own materials, has its own plumbing company, excavation company and HVAC company. He said the breadth of the company allows it to control costs and deliver a quality, affordable product. 

Residents can expect to see another development rise quickly from the ground when Ruis Construction begins work on the Whitefish Community Corridor project this fall. 

The project is located between Texas Avenue and Colorado Avenue and comprises 146 units, about 40 of which will be deed restricted affordable units. 

“The site is ready, so we'll be doing building this fall, and then in the spring, all we have to do is pour the slabs for the remaining buildings and start going vertical,” Diehl said. “So, they're going to go fast, too.”