Plans for a renovated apartment complex in Downtown Salina are progressing.

This week Salina City Commissioners approved a grant agreement to authorize a project to construct moderate income units at 101 N Sante Fe Ave. The Modern Income Housing (MIH) grant program is planned to be implemented into a new apartment complex. The grant is being funded by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) and coming from a tax credit program, the Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit (KHITC).

The project was proposed by  a development team. The property itself on 101 N Santa Fe, was formerly the Auld Lang Syne antique store. The team also manages a number of rental properties in Salina.

The new complex will consist of 6-loft style moderate income units on the second floor, and a children’s play place, with a functioning kitchen and eating area on the first floor.

One of the developers said the project will be in phases, with phase 1 being the construction of a play place, and phase 2 that will assemble the apartments. The play place will be a stand-alone business that can be entered with the purchase of  a day pass. Those wishing to live in the apartments will need to go through a background check and be approved, due to safety reasons for the play place.

Total cost of establishing the complex will be $3,716,000.

According to Community and Development Services Director Lauren Driscoll, KHITC is a state tax credit and is not based on Salina’s municipal taxes.

As stated by a Community Housing Effort Overview, there continues to be a national housing where demand is high, building materials are expensive, the supply chain is slow, manual labor is limited, lending is tight and interest rates are rising. Salina’s need for housing has been documented in the Live Salina plan, which was adopted back in January 25, 2016.