A housing proposal that would allow Allen Community College to lease an apartment complex could be “the first domino” to resolve multiple needs.
Allen’s board of trustees heard a proposal from developer Shane Lamb Tuesday night. Lamb is in the process of renovating the former Arkhaven nursing home on North Walnut Street into apartments.
Those apartments could be leased to Allen for use as dorm rooms for about 120 students, with additional apartments for faculty and staff. Having apartments for faculty could help Allen recruit instructors and coaches, or to host guests.
That would allow Allen to vacate Horton and Winter Hall dormitories, which are older facilities that need a lot of maintenance. Horton could then be renovated to use for Career and Technical Education classrooms, as it likely would be less costly to make repairs for classrooms rather than housing.
And if Allen chooses to build new dorms, a new CTE building or both at some point in the future, they could end the lease with Lamb.
That gives Allen flexibility and time to decide the best path, President Bruce Moses said.
“If that first domino falls, it opens up the opportunity …. where we can roll out six or seven new CTE programs and put us in line for the maximum amount of funding from the state,” Moses said.
THE BOARD appeared to be divided on the matter.
The conversion of Arkhaven into apartments has been a long, contentious process. The complex has been vacant since 2015. In 2019, developers approached Iola Council with plans for the apartments for the elderly. The plans were rejected.
In 2022, Lamb and a partner who has since retired, approached the city again. This time, Council members agreed to rezone the property to use as apartments despite a recommendation against it by the planning commission. Neighbors repeatedly spoke against the development plans, citing concerns about property values and traffic.
Lamb started construction on the two smaller buildings this summer, with plans to start work on the larger H-shaped building after Jan. 1.
ACC trustee Rebecca Nilges lives in the area and has been an outspoken critic of development plans from the beginning. Now chairman of the board of trustees, Nilges had several questions about the project. Board member Vicki Curry also has lived in the area and had concerns about traffic.
To address their questions, Lamb talked about plans for funding, traffic control and parking. He has the money needed to do the work and has secured a line of credit. He also plans to seek grants to reduce his costs but needs to know about Allen’s intentions because he won’t be able to apply for those grants if the project becomes a joint venture with the college.
As for traffic, he would build a driveway around the north side of the property, creating a sort of loop that would add parking and give two points of entry on Northwestern Street and Walnut Street. The property would become gated, with secure entry and surveillance.
There’s also a question of distance from campus. There’s no direct path to get to Allen, even though the campus is due east of the complex as the crow flies with residential areas, a cemetery and other apartment complexes between them.
