For several years, Hutchinson residents Gene and Kay Schmidt had been tossing around what they could do with some of their retirement savings to help the city’s south side.
The area has seen much of its housing deteriorate or disappear over the years, with little new development.
They also wanted to do something, said Gene, former Hutchinson Hospital CEO, that they could physically see happen, yet that might somehow continue to “re-gift” over the years.
After discussions with Interfaith Housing and Community Services staff over the past year, foundations of that something are being laid — literally.
Ground was ceremonially broken Friday at the corner of Avenue G and Plum Street for Southern Pines Townhomes, a planned new housing development owned by Interfaith that eventually will include four two-bedroom duplexes leased to senior citizens.
Construction on the first unit, which will front Plum Street, has already started.
Besides new housing in the south that serves seniors, the project will continue to give back in that a portion of rents collected will be reinvested back into the Lincoln Neighborhood for housing rehabilitation or other neighborhood needs, said IHCS President and CEO Lorna Moore.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)