Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

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  • Jan-Michael Stump

    RIVERVIEW TERRACE
March 4, 2010

TC's public housing program may expand

The commission meets today to discuss new plans

By ART BUKOWSKI

TRAVERSE CITY -- The city's most prominent public housing facility could expand, though officials must first iron out plenty of details.

Traverse City's Housing Commission will hold a study session today to discuss building additional housing at the Riverview Terrace site along Front Street. The 10-story complex, built in the mid-1970s, primarily houses elderly and disabled residents.

The meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at Orchardview Apartments, 10200 East Carter Centre.

Riverview and Orchardview are the Housing Commission's only facilities, and both are always at or near full capacity, commission Director Ilah Honson said. The commission today will begin to determine if more housing is a good idea.

"It really is just an exploration kind of thing to figure out if this is doable and needed and how in the world we would pay for it," Honson said.

The commission hired a private firm to complete market and feasibility studies. A representative from that firm, DeWitt-based Gryphon Group LLC, will gather input from commissioners at today's meeting.

A new structure could be built in Riverview's parking lot, Honson said, though that might cause parking problems for current residents. It's possible a parking deck built partially below ground level could be incorporated into the structure, she said.

But because funding could make or break the project, commissioners likely will first try to figure out that hurdle. Various funding sources, including the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, could be tapped.

Commissioners also must determine unit size, target income levels and other details.

"There's a lot of variables we'd have to look at," Honson said.

It took Rick Hoag's fiancee about 10 months to land the couple a spot in Riverview. He believes Traverse City must develop more public housing.

"There's a need, and it's growing daily," Hoag said. "I think it is very important, especially up here where most of the jobs are drying up."

Collin Jurkovich has lived in Riverview for four years, and he's also a housing commissioner. He believes more housing is needed, and Riverview is the perfect place to do it.

"This is so convenient for people of limited mobility to be so close to downtown and what goes on downtown," he said. "It keeps people very active in the community."

A new building likely wouldn't break ground for a few years, Honson said.

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