STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSIC
After a year of hammering and drilling, six new units at the historic Ellsworth Inn are ready for someone to claim them home.
ARCH Community Housing Trust will hold an open house for the community to see the new units on Wednesday, April 16, and Tuesday, April 29. The public can tour the workforce rentals from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, and from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 29.
The Ellsworth Inn is located at 702 3rd Ave. S., in Hailey—across from The Senior Connection and the Hailey Grange.
“They’re very nearly finished. By the time of the open house, we’re looking at small punch list improvements,” said Michelle Griffith, executive director of ARCH. “The outside is not finished. We will have to wait until the weather improves so we can paint and do landscaping. But all of the apartments will be finished so people can walk through the unit and see what they look like.”
The open house is designed for people who are curious, people looking for housing or for people interested in the phase two developments at the Ellsworth Inn.
One of the six units ready for occupancy on May 1 has been leased. ARCH is working through its wait list to see who might be interested in the other five. Most of those on the wait list are waiting for three-bedroom homes. Rent is based on income.
“People will have a better opportunity for these one-bedroom units than larger units,” said Griffith.
“I’m really excited,” she added. “They look terrific. The contractors did a great job. We were able to retain some of architectural and historical features, even on the inside. And the units don’t share walls side to side so they’re more private than traditional apartment units would be. And each unit has a washer and dryer and dedicated storage space, which doesn’t happen in most apartment rentals.”
The units were part of a $2.6 million project completely paid for with donations to convert what was an 11-room inn into six apartment units. The project also involved remodeling a one-bedroom cottage behind the inn, which was finished months ago.
The Hailey City Council approved phase two of the Ellsworth Inn project this past week. Bradley Construction will build a duplex that includes two 4-bedroom units with attached garages this spring, along with three 3-bedroom homes north of the inn. The firm will build seven more 3-bedroom homes south of the inn in 2026.
Jeanne Herberger has provided a matching $1 million challenge for phase two, which is estimated to cost $5.6 million. Those interested in donating can go to www.archbc.org.
Griffith said the Ellsworth Inn will be renamed Herberger’s Hideaway in honor of Jeanne Herberger, a valley resident who has donated a big chunk of the money for the project. The new signage will be unveiled in July.
The Ellsworth Inn is a unique collaboration in partnership with the City of Sun Valley, which purchased the property to provide workforce housing, and support from the City of Hailey.
“There’s nothing else like this—in the valley, in the state,” said Courtney Jellaco, manager of Donor Relations and Outreach for ARCH.
Those interested in the apartments or the new three- and four-bedroom single-family homes should go to www.archbc.org or email homeownership@archbc.org. The qualifying incomes are between 80 percent and 140 percent of area median income.
That’s between $51,680 and $90,440 for an individual; $59,040 and $103,320 for a family of two and $66,400 and $116.200 for a family of three.
Questions? Call 208-726-4411.