Plans for an affordable housing development on Whitesboro Street are moving forward in West Utica. WKTV reported this week that the West Utica Neighborhood Association received an update on Columbia Square Apartments, a DePaul project the city estimates will cost about $18 million.
The site is on the north side of Whitesboro Street between DeWitt and Saratoga streets. A Utica Industrial Development Agency document describes a 66-unit development with community rooms, laundry facilities, resident storage and parking. The city says the buildings are designed with townhouse-style fronts to fit the surrounding neighborhood.
What the housing plan includes
A state housing report describes 39 apartments as permanent supportive housing and another 27 for households earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income. Area median income is a regional benchmark used to set income limits for housing programs. The figures describe the plan in the state report. Prospective tenants should use the developer’s final eligibility and application materials when those become available.
Utica previously announced about $9 million in state tax credits and subsidies for the project. The city identifies Columbia Square as DePaul’s second housing project in Utica, following Starting Line Apartments on Dwyer Avenue.
What residents can watch for
The next steps reported this week include a property closing, site fencing and demolition of existing structures. A completed closing, a move-in date and an application opening were not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Sources: City of Utica, state housing report and WKTV reporting by Nolan Hyman.
