An investment Iola Industries made 45 years ago will have an impact on Iola’s housing shortage before many moons.
Tuesday the local development group exercised a $20,000 option on a portion of the old Allen County Hospital site to permit construction of two 10-unit apartment complexes. Development will be done by Tom Carlson, Springfield, Mo., who was responsible for the Cedar Brook Addition on the north side of town.
The housing discussion came on the heels of another stroke of what David Toland called “good news:” G&W Foods has decided to expand the grocery it intends to build on the hospital site by 2,000 square feet, to 17,000 total. That means G&W will purchase just a smidgen less than 80,000 square feet of land, up from 72,000. Purchase price remains at $29,000.
“The bigger store will mean more goods, more sales tax, more utility sales and more property taxes — all positive things for Iola and Allen County,” said Toland, who directs local economic development in a Thrive Allen County contract with Iola and the county. “We have some minor things to work through with the city, but nothing major,” he said of the larger store. “Don Williams (of G&W) wants to be on the ground (and building) in April.”
William Cook, a surveyor hired by the county, began preliminaries to stake out boundaries for the G&W presence Tuesday afternoon.
As for Iola Industries and its housing plans, board member Jim Gilpin told the Register money for the enterprise came to the group’s coffers a few weeks ago when 237 acres it owned east of Iola, along Elm Creek, was sold for “more than $500,000, in which we traded annual income (from gas royalties and farming) for money to build the apartments.”
The land was acquired by Iola Industries, “for less than $10,000,” Gilpin said, when it purchased Lehigh Cement Company property. Lehigh’s plant at the south edge of Iola and associated property, including the 237 acres, were put on the block in 1971 when the manufacturer shuttered its plant.
Gilpin said the initial two apartment buildings would be east and south of the grocery, “the first of three phases of housing development.”
Second and third phases are generalities at the moment, with no specific numbers attached, Gilpin added. However, it is expected the second phase will be additional apartments; third phase duplexes or townhouses, “construction of which we have had inquiries” from private developers.
The initial 20 apartment units will be offered for market-based rent and the anticipation is they will be occupied within 30 days of completion, Gilpin predicted.
“As far as we know this will be the first market-based rental apartments built in Iola since those north of Iola High School,” on the northeast corner of Buckeye and Monroe streets, he said. “Housing has been a need in Iola for a long time.”
Also, Gilpin said, when all is completed — grocery and housing — “it will be a great boost to that part of the city,” and the area as a whole.
TOLAND provided an outline of the grocery store’s design.
The front and side exteriors will be of brick, stone or similar architectural material. The structure will include features such as insets, projections, parapets, canopies or contrasting materials to break up blank walls facing streets.
Parking, with about 90 spaces, mainly will be on the south side of the building. The front facade that will face Madison (on the south) and East streets will have display windows, entry areas, awnings or related features along at least 60 percent of its length.
Construction is expected to take six months.
The county has sent requests for proposals to several excavation companies, with the thought the hole created by removal of ACH’s basement will be filled with dirt within 60 days. G&W engineers have required fill dirt to be tested ahead of time, but have not asked for the county’s tasks to include compaction testing while the hole is being filled.
“It’s not up to us to guarantee the site being ready for construction,” County Counselor Alan Weber told commissioners. “Once the G&W contractor arrives, they will test compaction and decide whether any changes are needed.”
