City approves efforts to move ahead on $20 million affordable housing project

A more than $20 million affordable housing project can move forward after Columbus City Council approved a tax break for the project and a grant to help with funding. The project by Thrive Alliance is planned at the former Columbus Health and Rehabilitation center site on Midway Street

The apartments, to be called Haw Creek Meadows, would be aimed at seniors and working families. Thrive Alliance’s Housing Partnerships program would construct the new housing on the just over 7 and a half acre property that now contains a dilapidated, unused building. The agency plans to add 64 units in a four-story building initially with another similar building possible.

The agency asked Columbus City Council this week to approve a tax abatement that would save the agency about $1.8 million in property taxes over the next 10 years. Under a tax abatement, the property taxes are phased in gradually.

Thrive Alliance also requested a $4.6 million grant from the city’s tax increment financing funds to help with the costs.

City Council approved all the requests unanimously, with councilwoman Grace Kestler abstaining.

Last month, the council approved a rezoning of the property from a public or semi-public facility use to multi-family residential.