The Walla Walla Housing Authority has selected Walker Construction Inc., of Spokane, as the contractor on an $8.5 million housing project near Walla Walla, Wash., says Jon Barter, a project manager for Walker.

The project, to be called Walla Walla Family Homes, will be located on Labor Camp Road just west of Walla Walla, about 160 miles southwest of Spokane, Barter says.

It will include 60 units the housing authority describes as affordable farm-worker housing in 11 townhouse-style buildings and a community building with a total of 73,000 square feet of floor space, he says.

Walker and the housing authority currently are negotiating contract details, Barter says. Construction is scheduled to start Oct. 1 and is expected to be completed in December 2012, he says.

Zeck Butler Architects PS, of Spokane, designed the project, and Walla Walla Family Homes LLC, a subsidiary of the housing authority, will own and manage the development, Barter says.

Beacon Development Group Inc., of Seattle, is the development consultant on the project.

Funding sources for the project include the Washington state Housing Trust Fund, the Walla Walla County Housing Trust, and low-income housing tax credits, the housing authority says.

The housing authority manages rental housing for more than 1,000 low- to moderate-income families throughout Walla Walla and Columbia counties, its Web site says.

Walker also is the contractor on two low-income housing projects under way here. One project, valued at $6 million, involves renovating the former Martindale Apartments building, at 5313 N. Regal, to include 51 one-bedroom apartment units for Northeast Washington Housing Solutions.

The other project, valued at $2.6 million, involves constructing a 33-unit apartment building called Market Street Station, at 5101 N. Market, for Spokane-based Inland Empire Residential Resources.