Mark IV Enterprises wants to build a 101-unit, four-story apartment complex on Karges Place, next to 490 at the Goodman exit. The project site is in the Swillburg neighborhood on vacant land that once held a shoe factory. Mark IV bought the land from the state.
The complex, which is temporarily being called 601 South Goodman, would have 15 studio apartments, 55 one-bedroom apartments, and 31 two-bedroom units ranging in size from about 560 to 1,100 square feet of space. Rents would likely range from $700 to $1,600 a month.
The land has been vacant for more than 50 years and the Swillburg neighborhood is excited to see something happening there, says Judy Hay, who is on the leadership team for the Swillburg Neighborhood Association.
“From the neighborhood point of view, anything is better than what has been there, which is really nothing and looks terrible,” she says.
Bike racks, bike storage, fitness center, and at least one electric vehicle-charging station are planned. And there may be a station for the city’s planned bike-share system, too.
The plan should be submitted to the City of Rochester soon, with tentative plans to start environmental remediation this fall.
This article appears in Feb 8-14, 2017.
Wow, a new apartment complex with affordable rent!
Oh, I am sure somebody will have an issue with this vacant, blighted site being developed for a beautiful looking building at an important intersection in the city right within view of the 490 Corridor. And I’m sure somebody will play devil’s advocate and say that they know the demand for apartments in the city better than the banks that are going to give Mark IV a mortgage. But I’m not that somebody. This looks awesome and long overdue for that site!
more ‘affordable’, but not quite affordable. At least local developers are finally, 7 years after the rest of the region, tending to demands.
where exactly is this property fronting? South or Goodman? This is all of the vacant land behind S. Wedge Diner?
Correct, this is the piece of land behind the South Wedge Diner along 490.
The project looks great, but the needs more low-income housing! If a bunch of these units become low-income or mixed-income, I’d be all for it.
So, Andrew, you want lower rents? As a city dweller you are in control of that. Have you voted for the people in public office that want to lower taxes and regulations? Can’t have it both ways. The rents sound pretty low to me already for brand new build. Isn’t there already a highrise with twice as many units of subsidized housing across the street? A good balance then would be for higher end units wouldn’t it?
We shouldn’t call $700 a month for a studio apartment affordable as long as there are people standing in front of McDonalds with “Fight For 15” signs. The truth is that if someone works 40 hours a week at $15/hour, then $700 would be about 1/3 of the take-home amount of the paycheck.
I’ve never been a fan of the fight for 15 movement, but something has to give. The numbers don’t lie. You can’t have it both ways, and so I’m beginning to believe that maybe these people should be out there protesting and the people who think this is affordable housing should be listening to them.
1/3 of their paycheck seems pretty reasonable for a brand new apartment in a pretty desirable part of the city. If that isn’t affordable then I don’t know what you expect, free public housing for everyone? Like someone already said, there is a subsidized building almost right across the street from this right now, the last thing that spot needs is more low-income housing.
It’d be nice to see a couple 3 bedroom apartments as well, for larger families.
RIIIGHT… I remember one of our mayors wanted condos down in Charlotte on the water, but a stipulation to the builder was there was a percentage of units to go to low income housing. YEAH, RIGHT! I’M GONNA SPEND 100 SOME ODD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO BUY A CONDO AND RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS GONNA BE A FAMILY OF 18 paying next to nothing. You’re MAD! This city is destined to FOLD!