Developer defends townhome project on Dairy Inn site

Developer Everett Vance is pushing back against online criticism of his first multi-family project, transforming the iconic Dairy Inn site into six modern townhomes. 

The Dairy Inn opened in 1947 and served its last scoop in November 2023 from its small storefront at 1201 Martin Luther King Jr. Street N. Vance said the current owners, who also own and are selling Old Farmer’s Creamery on 4th Street North for $4.3 million, initially approached him to help them sell the Dairy Inn property.

“They know, as a real estate agent, I help buyers and sellers, but they also know that I’m heavily involved with renovating and building single-family homes. So when I saw the property and we talked price a little bit, we saw an opportunity to build a small development of townhomes there and we kind of just put the deal together,” Vance told the Catalyst.

“I see a lot of comments are really passionate about, ‘Running a small business out,’ but I can assure you that was not the case. These guys are ready to retire, and we saw an opportunity to provide some nice housing.”

Despite the nostalgia surrounding the Dairy Inn, Vance aims to create unique living spaces on the land that sold for $740,000 in December. Each townhome will span 2,864 square feet and offer customization options for buyers, including wood flooring, cabinet colors and other upgrades that Vance said will be far from “cookie-cutter homes.” The pricing for these luxury townhomes will start at $1.6 million.

The new 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom townhomes will have two-car garages and a private elevator in each unit, something Vance said is unique for the area. Additionally, residents will have a flex room in the garage with a private bathroom and shower that can be converted into a gym or office. 

“The city actually approved the land for eight [units], but we decided to build six because we weren’t interested in jamming in a bunch of townhomes,” Vance said. “Every single townhouse that will be built here will be 100% block construction. It’s going to have a modern Mediterranean look to it that we think will mix well with the homes that are surrounding it.”

Each of the six townhomes will have three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, an elevator and a garage.

“We’re going to do an extravagant rooftop setting since we don’t have a ton of green space in that area,” Vance added. “One plan that we’re looking at now, if the building will support it, is adding a hot tub on the rooftop. We’re definitely going with a fantastic outdoor kitchen space up there. We’re going to make it a great area for people to just hang out.”

Vance said they’re hoping to break ground on the project in the next six to nine months. Construction on the townhomes is expected to take 12 to 14 months to complete.

The most recent update from the Dairy Inn’s Instagram page still said the business will relocate, although it does not specify where or when it would be moving.