Canal Commons: Phase I is Complete!

New Rental Housing in Rural Utah

Epicenter is celebrating Phase I of Canal Commons, the first multi-family affordable housing to be designed, developed, and built locally in Green River in decades. A Grand Opening was planned for mid-December 2025, but cancelled to allow more time to grieve the tragic death of Ren Hatt on December 5, 2025. Hatt was Green River’s Mayor and Epicenter director Maria Sykes’ fiancé and life partner. In the publication Why This Place, Ren Hatt said, “A lengthy labor of love, Canal Commons is exactly the type of project that Green River needs—but could not undertake on its own.” The project team consisted of builder JCM Construction and Concrete, architect of record Jason Wheeler (Assist, Inc), Canal Commons project lead Kenny Fallon Jr., and Pearl Baker Park project lead Zoe Gardner.

Canal Commons came about when in response to the growing demand for affordable housing, Green River City issued a Request for Proposals in 2019. Epicenter’s proposal, Canal Commons, was selected for development. The project encompasses 10 affordable single-family homes and a public park on a 4-acre site. Leveraging community input and experience from local projects since 2009, Epicenter designed single-family units with a focus on efficiency, affordability, and durability. The designs cater to the region’s harsh desert climate while minimizing maintenance requirements. Units are oriented inwards, facing what will be a shared greenspace that buffers noise from nearby streets and train tracks.

Phase I of Canal Commons is now complete, which consists of five affordable rental units: two 3-bedroom units and three 2-bedroom units, one of which is fully Type A accessible. Phase II is expected to be five owner-occupied units. Canal Commons takes its name from the historic irrigation canal that traverses the site. The project also incorporates a planned “commons” green space for residents in Phase III, similar to the adjacent Pearl Baker Park & Outdoor Classroom.

While each unit is adaptable, one two-bedroom unit was built to be fully accessible, featuring grab bars and adjustable shower faucet in the bathroom shown here.
Each bedroom has large windows for plenty of natural light, such as this accessible bedroom in a two-bedroom unit.
The front entryway of the three-bedroom units opens into the kitchen, adjacent to the laundry closet and primary bedroom.
The kitchen of each unit was designed for durability, featuring stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, and this three-bedroom unit also has a roll-under countertop and dishwasher.
Each house alternates between three and two bedroom designs that all have front porches and xeriscaping, with more landscape development to come.

All images by Emily Arntsen, 2026

Project Support info:
Phase I construction funders include the State of Utah’s Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), Community Impact Board Fund (CIB), Emery County Community Reinvestment Agency, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines in partnership with Zions Bank, and Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation.

Project development was made possible by Enterprise Community Partners, American Express National Bank, Rocky Mountain Community Reinvestment Corporation, the National Endowment for the Arts, WESTAF, AARP, State Farm, Wells Fargo Foundation, Rocky Mountain Power Foundation, UServeUtah, Dominion Energy, The Corporation for National and Community Service (“AmeriCorps”), Colorado River & Trails Expeditions (CRATE), Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Humanities, Union Pacific Foundation, Sorenson Legacy Foundation, Steve & Juanita Sykes, and the David Gee family.

Board, past staff, and other advisors include Lindsey Briceno, Jason Wheeler, Steph Crabtree, Nick Berger, Tracy Dutson, Chad McDonald, Ren Hatt, Sophie Maguire, Will Kershner, Bryan Brooks, Todd Erlandson, Antonio Herrera, Emily Larsen, Kayce May-Riches, and Elpitha Tsoutsounakis.

About Epicenter:
ruralandproud.org