Senior cottages possible for Gilmer Road | Local | news-journal.com – Longview News-Journal
Seniors ages 55 and older would have another housing option in Longview in 66 cottage-style apartments proposed for construction on Gilmer Road.
Devin Baker, Commonwealth Development Corp. vice president for development, whose office is in The Woodlands, said during a Longview Planning and Zoning Commission meeting last week that the cottages would be built on a total of 12.24 acres.
Information presented at the meeting said the single-story development would be on the east side of Gilmer Road, north of Jenny Street. The planning and zoning commission gave its approval Tuesday for a necessary rezone from single family to multifamily for a portion of the property. The rest of the property was already appropriately zoned for apartments. The issue must now be considered by the Longview City Council.
Developers for the project have indicated they will apply for federal tax credits distributed through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Developers sell the tax credits to investors, making the project’s construction less expensive. Commonwealth Development Corp., which is based in Wisconsin and has offices in five other states, would build the project.
A number of apartment complexes have been built in Longview using this program, some for income-qualified seniors and some for anyone who meets income guidelines. The complexes typically feature reduced rents for people who qualify and some units at market rents for anyone.
Commonwealth previously filed information with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs indicating it plans to apply for $1.3 million in tax credits for the cottages, which would be called the Commons at Grace Creek. Each region in the state gets a certain amount of tax credits, and this region, which includes Tyler, is estimated to receive $13.2 million, according to information on the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs website. The website shows nine other projects have indicated they plan to apply for tax credits in this region.
