By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Last September, the City of Great Bend approved an application to apply for a Moderate Income Housing grant on behalf of the Great Bend Economic Development. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation provides grants to cities with populations fewer than 60,000.
If awarded, the grant would offset the cost to renovate the upper floors of the Zarah Mall building
downtown into one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Great Bend was not awarded a grant, but was encouraged to apply again for the
second disbursement. Economic Development Director Sara Hayden said the first
application applied to the just the second floor, but the latest proposal will
be to renovate multiple floors of the four-story building at 1917 Lakin Avenue
to create 15-17 apartments.
"The full scope of this project is that they will have some properties that are for lease, some for sale and a few for temporary residences for people working temporarily, recruiting purposes and trying out the area...more of an Air BnB style," said Hayden. "Last year they weren't ready to submit for the whole thing, so they only submitted for those nine residential units."
Last year, it was reported the apartments would rent for $750 to $850 per
month. The purpose of the grant is to put more funds into the housing project
to allow the owner to then rent the units for a lesser amount.
"This has definitely been an underutilized property," said Hayden. "The owners are excited to finally make use of it. Of course, it's a big building with a big project cost. Anything helps to be able to make it happen."
The Zarah Mall falls under the MyTown initiative, with the majority owned by
Sheryl Cheely. MyTown was created several years ago and given a loan by the
city to foster more downtown businesses with incentives.
If awarded the Moderate Income Housing funds, the grant will be carried out by
the City of Great Bend. The city would just pass the funds to the owner, with
no financial obligation. The construction development and management would be
carried out by Kustom Floor Designs.