This rendering shows what a unit will look like at The Links at Franklin, a luxury rental home community that is under construction on Franklin’s eastside.
Construction is underway on a new rental home community on Franklin’s eastside.
The Links at Franklin, a luxury multi-family neighborhood of 167 homes on more than 30 acres, will be located off King Street, Jefferson Street and Umbarger Lane. It will be bordered by Franklin Fire Station No. 22, Waffle House and Franklin Cove Apartments.
Local developer MultiPro, LLC and five investing partners — Chris Dowty, Pat Dowty, Mark Smythe, Austin Smythe and Mike Jarvis — saw a gap in the local housing market for contemporary, upscale rental housing, Chris Dowty said. A lack of inventory and the toughness of the local market make the project just right for Franklin, he said.
The community fits well with the city’s vision for the I-65 corridor, which has been transformed in the last decade, Mayor Steve Barnett said.
“Franklin has a great need for all types of housing development. I am excited to have local investors bring a diverse offering to our community. This luxury multi-family neighborhood is the perfect addition to our corridor,” Barnett said in a statement.
The name of the development is inspired by how well connected the multi-family community is to the gateway, one of the biggest selling points of Franklin, Chris Dowty said.
“In addition to the confidence we have in Franklin leadership and the rising housing market, what ultimately led us to this location was the opportune proximity to the Greenway Trail, golfing, parks, downtown Franklin, I-65 and the accessibility from multiple entrances on King Street, Jefferson Street and Umbarger Lane,” he said in a statement.
The 167 units will be built across 26 buildings and in two phases. The first phase will include 98 units.
Each unit will have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and spacious two-car garages built to accommodate trucks and SUVs. Select units will have sunrooms.
The units will include maintenance-free living, luxury finishes, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, plank flooring, vaulted ceilings, spacious walk-in closets and in-home laundry, Chris Dowty said.
Rents are market rate and will range from $1,800 to $2,100, with the higher rents applying to the units with sunrooms, he said.
Site work has begun and construction is expected to be in full swing by April. The first units are expected to be move-in ready by fall, Christ Dowty said.
The development is ready to go after nearly two years of planning and continued support for the project from Barnett and other city officials. Though the developers were denied a tax break last year due to the complexities of offering abatements to residential developments, city officials have always supported the project, Barnett said last year.
