This rendering shows the design features of the 12^th Street Heritage Townhomes that may be built at 12^th Street and Woodland Avenue. The 38-unit rental housing complex would feature attached garages, a soccer field and common playground in a gated community setting. Artwork submitted by Excel Development Group

By Laura Wagner
Northeast News
Jan. 12, 2011

A new development between 10th St. and Woodland Avenue may be under way as early as April. The Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation hopes to construct Heritage Townhomes, a 38-unit rental housing complex. Demolition of fourteen public housing units would be required to clear the lot for the new construction.

Dwayne Williams, President and CEO of the Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation, said, “We want to construct something that not only the city can be proud of, but something that will be a green zone effort… one of many hopefully in this community.”

With a request for state tax credits presented to the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) this week, Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation is waiting to see if this construction project gets off the ground. The Housing Department for the city will add their voice to the hearings, letting the MHDC know which Kansas City projects deserve funding. Additional financing will be requested, following the MHDC tax credits approval, from the Kansas City Economic Development Corporation through their Urban Renewal Tax Abatement program, and an application will be submitted for Missouri State Home/Trust Funds for a small portion of the overall funds needed.

The construction project would include two-story townhomes and one-story apartments, both 2-and 3-bedroom units, all with attached garage and off-street parking within a gated community. There would be fourteen handicapped-accessible, 2-bedroom units. All appliances are furnished to tenants. Rent would be from $175 to $599 per month for a three-bedroom, or $150 to $499 per month for a two-bedroom unit, with the low-income rate to apply for those receiving public subsidies. A soccer field for the community, and a playground for the younger residents would be part of the development.

“A project like this helps to provide a mixed-income neighborhood,” said Aisha Jones, Chair of the Board of Directors for the 12th Street Heritage CDC. “You can potentially rent to own, then purchase a home and afford it. You can be a homeowner here.”

This ambitious project would break ground in the spring, then complete construction within eighteen months, all within Silver LEED certification standards for environmental impact.

LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. —According to the U.S. Green Building Council’s web site.

The development team consists of Affordable Housing of Kansas City, 12th Street Heritage CDC, Excel Development Group, Affordable Housing Group, Timlis Arketekcher, and Taliaferro & Brown Engineers.

“It is important that this project takes place,” said Williams. “I want to build something here that has been lacking.”

“Third District deserves this.”