Homewise held a special open house recently, drawing hundreds of people to have a look at a new affordable-housing development on Santa Fe's southeast side called Old Las Vegas Place.

The visiting hours started at 5 a.m. May 9 and continued on until 5 a.m. and beyond on May 10.

Hundreds of visitors streamed through, many of them people, including nurses and firefighters, who work those off hours, to look at the two houses already built at Old Las Vegas Place.

"It's a chance for them to see Old Las Vegas Place and the affordable homes when it works for them," said Nichole Breihan, Homewise's marketing associate. Homewise is an affordable-housing developer.

"The 24-hour thing has been amazing," Mike Loftin, executive director of Homewise, said later in the week. "There was a line of cars out there at 6:30 a.m., and there was another one at 9 a.m., when it was really crowded, too."

Breihan and Ce Ce Derringer, director of resource development and communications for Homewise, together organized the early-hour viewing and said they were pleased with the response.

"We're hoping it will lead to more sales," Breihan said. "We're already getting appointments."

Later in the week at Old Las Vegas Place, staffers from Homewise, as well as bankers, builders, politicians, city officials and would-be home buyers gathered at the new development for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the official opening of the new affordable residential development.

The new development is off Old Las Vegas Highway, on a 15-acre site that will eventually contain 50 single-family homes on lots ranging from 4,000 square feet to 9,000 square feet.

The houses have been appraised between $275,000 and $340,000, but sales prices will be between $106,000 and $300,000 for qualified buyers.

All of the homes built at Old Las Vegas Place meet the city of Santa Fe's green building code and are Energy Star certified.

"By using the simplest green technologies available, the long-term maintenance and operating costs are reduced, so Homewise Homeowners save money over the life of their homes," an information sheet from Homewise said.

The builders of Old Las Vegas Place are Joseph and Valerie Montoya, through their Platinum Sky Construction, a Santa Fe company.

"It's been going really good," said Valerie Montoya of Old Las Vegas Place. "We love working with Homewise. People who buy a home out there are getting a great opportunity at a great location."

Joseph Montoya said he is employing about 10 workers and subcontractors on the job. "We created quite a few jobs," he said.

For his part, Loftin said total construction spending at Old Las Vegas Place is estimated to be $11.4 million, with 170 one-year construction jobs created overall by the time the project is finished.

The annual amount of permanent local spending by keeping the local work force in the community will come to $1.6 million, while the number of permanent jobs resulting from this local spending will come to 37, Loftin said.

"People think of these homes as affordable as something people need," Loftin said. "But the community needs it, too."

Loftin added that there have been 15 pre-sales, meaning the homes in Old Las Vegas Place will sell "relatively quickly."

Contact Bob Quick at 986-3011 or bobquick@sfnewmexican.com.