A new apartment complex is one step closer to becoming reality in Warner Robins.
At Monday night’s Council meeting, the city's Development Authority said the state awarded a tax credit for the project, which will help pay for it.
Warner Robins has partnered with Pennrose Properties to develop the 15-acre area between the VECTR Center and Memorial Park on Armed Forces Boulevard, across from Robins Air Force Base.
The first phase of the project will be 90 apartment units that will be split between low-income families, market value apartments and apartments set aside for veterans and Active Duty personnel using VECTR Center programs.
Amon Martin is a senior developer with Pennrose and says he hopes this is just the start.
“So what this is going to do is number one, it's bringing rooftops. New rooftops, quality housing. So what that's going to do is hopefully spur, and you saw it when we talked about the masterplan community subsequent phases, and then hopefully spur even more development for this area of town which has lacked significant investment for years,” Martin says.
The project has four planned phases. The first is the 90-unit apartment complex. Then, Pennrose has plans to build a second 90-unit complex, a commercial area, and then townhomes.
Martin says being able to provide apartments for Veterans using the VECTR Center was personal.
“I am a veteran, I was a former-- I served in the United States Air Force and my father is a veteran. So it means, you know veterans-- if it's anyone we really want to work for and take care of its our veterans. So, personally, it means a lot to me,” Martin said after the meeting.
After getting awarded the tax credit, Martin says now the project is in the pre-development or planning phase. They expect to start construction in the summer of 2018.
The city owns the land and will lease it to Pennrose, Pennrose will own the buildings.