Grace Court Work Near Startup Complex On Broadway Will Provide Low-Income Housing For Seniors

The builders of Grace Court, a 60-unit low-income apartment complex for seniors, will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the apartments on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The complex will be built at 12915 E. Broadway, on the lot between All-Saints Episcopal and Christ Lutheran churches. Actual construction is planned to begin April 1, and should be completed by early 1997.

The project is sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. The idea originated five years ago with members of the two churches it will sit between.

It took a few years to get the money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, but the project got the go-head from HUD in September 1994.

Cheryldene Rogers of Goodale & Barbieri, the company that will manage the property, said the money will not have to be repaid if Grace Court continues to offer low-income housing to seniors for 40 years. Rogers said HUD originally announced it was going to offer $3.3 million toward the project, but has upped the amount to $3.5 million.

Rogers said to qualify for housing there, an individual must be 62 or older and have annual income of $15,150 or less.

Residents will pay only 30 percent of their income as rent.

“You could have someone paying $30 or someone paying $300,” Rogers said.

Grace Court will be three stories tall. Each 540-square foot apartment will feature a full kitchen and bath. The project will also include several activity rooms.

“This is really a nice project,” Rogers said. “The construction is nothing fancy, but of very good quality.”

Rt. Rev. Frank Jeffrey Terry, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, and County Commissioner John Roskelley are scheduled to speak at Sunday’s ceremony.

The project was designed by Integrus Architecture. James W. Elmer Construction will build it.

, DataTimes