Habitat for Humanity of Collin County has begun clearing land for its 35-unit shipping container townhome community—The Cotton Groves.

The Cotton Groves will be a community of townhomes built in McKinney as an affordable housing solution for low- to moderate-income families who qualify for the Habitat for Humanity program, according to a news release from Habitat for Humanity of Collin County.

The Cotton Groves development will be located on 2.75 acres of land at the southeast corner of Bumpas and Fitzhugh streets.

Hazardous materials located on the property were removed in late June and a home on the property is expected to be removed July 16 making room for the new townhomes, said Elizabeth Johnston, development and marketing manager for Habitat for Humanity of Collin County.

In early June, Habitat for Humanity received an $877,521 grant from the McKinney Community Development Corp. This grant will be used to complete engineering designs; construct roadways; and lay water, sewer and utility lines for the community.

Habitat for Humanity plans to begin construction on a prototype this summer at the organization’s office site, 2060 Couch Drive, McKinney, Johnston said.

The Cotton Groves development will include a playground, townhomes and a community center made from recycled shipping containers.

The community, which is the first of its kind in North Texas, will also be a sustainable and eco-friendly community, according to Habitat for Humanity of Collin County.

Volunteers will transform the interior of the shipping containers into a 1,280-square-foot home by combining four containers in to a townhome. Each home will offer three to four bedrooms, Johnston said.

In January the containers should be placed on the property, Johnston said, and construction on the inside of the containers is estimated to take six to eight weeks with homes move-in ready in March or April 2019.

“Establishing strength, stability and self-reliance for lower-income families is our mission, and The Cotton Grove development is a huge step toward creating that kind of supportive community in McKinney,” said Celeste Cox, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Collin County, in the release.

To qualify for the homes, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident, have lived or worked in Collin County for at least one year and have an income that is 30-60 percent of the area’s median income level. In Collin County, a family of four making between $25,100-$46,320 annually would qualify.

The waiting list for applicants is currently closed, but Johnston said the list is expected to reopen Aug. 1. Applicants will have the option to find a home as soon as possible or wait until The Cotton Groves community is complete.

More information can be found online at www.cottongroves.com.