With a new housing development in the works for the city of Emporia, city commissioners are hoping to secure funding from the state of Kansas to move the project forward.
Commissioners approved a resolution during their regular meeting Wednesday to submit an application and letter of support for a moderate-income housing grant through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. The city is seeking $650,000 in funding to support the construction of 12 new buildings containing two single-family units for a total of 24 units.
Current plans are to construct the units on property located at 412 and 416 12th Avenue, 1124 and 1128 Union, 1106 and 1110 Mechanic Street.
The project is being overseen in cooperation between Heartland Housing Partners and Haag Management. Corey Haag says his company has been “honing in on” the results of the city’s latest housing study from 2020 to help with developing plans for this project.
Ross Vogel of Heartland says they are trying to make the state’s “economics” work for the betterment of the community by seeking grant funding from the state.
A timeline for when the grant’s status may be known has yet to be announced.
During the commissioner reports portion of the meeting, commissioner Susan Brinkman offered a prepared statement related to the program realignment and associated job cuts at Emporia State University over the past week. Brinkman stated, “In the past week our community has experienced a great deal of grief and shock with the workforce downsizing at Emporia State University. The city and the commission have been largely silent on the matter and for that I am deeply sorry.”
While the comments were hers alone, Brinkman says she is speaking on behalf of local taxpayers and constituents and is calling for increased “transparency” from the university.
During the commission’s regular study meeting, commissioners resumed conversations on the fate of the historic Carnegie Library building. Commissioners have yet to approve or deny any proposals submitted for use of the building.
At this time, the city has received four proposals from the Emporia Public Library to repurpose the building and aid in an expansion of current operations. Commissioners have also received a proposal from Cassie and Jason Heffron to convert the property into an event venue.
Commissioners also have the option of continuing to mothball the property, a course of action no commissioners seem to be in favor of. During Wednesday’s meeting, commissioners gave city staff direction to conduct a study on the potential cost of demolishing the building as well as how many parking spaces could be constructed if the property were to be torn down.
Word on when that data will come before commissioners is currently pending.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 11 am inside of the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
