Two downtown apartment projects that have long been on the drawing boards are ready to move forward, City Council members were told Tuesday.
Attorney Alfred Smith said developers of Walnut Commons near Walnut, Second Street and Riverfront Parkway and Mission on Main at Main and Market will go before the city's Health and Education Board on Friday.
Walnut Commons has been in the planning stage for four years and four months and Mission on Main for two years.
John Clark said Walnut Commons will include a new facility for the nearby Miss Mag day nursery as well as 100 apartments. It will double the size of the day nursery which has long been downtown near the river and also provide a new playground.
Most of the apartments will be in the $700 range per month.
Mission on Main, developed by Eric Cummings and Gavin Thomas at the old Union Gospel Mission site, will have 48 apartments above 18,000 ground floor commercial and retail space. There will be a three-story underground parking garage.
The 1-2 bedroom units will rent for just under $700 to $1,150.
Kim White of the RiverCity Company said it is important to add more affordable apartment units to the downtown mix.