New ‘affordable’ apartment coming to North Main area despite neighbors’ concerns
An affordable housing plans to build a 56-unit apartment building in Columbia’s burgeoning North Main corridor.
On Thursday, the Columbia Planning Commission voted to approve the “Benton Crossing” site plan submitted by Ohio-based Woda Cooper Cos.
Located at the intersection of Benton Street and River Drive, the project is being billed as “Affordable multi-family workforce housing,” according to the site plan application.
Parker Zee from Woda Cooper said most of the units would be reserved for residents making 60 percent or less of the area median income. The company has received both a federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit as well as a state housing tax credit to fund the project, he said.
The four story building will include one-, two- and three-bedroom units. There will also be a covered parking area.
At Thursday’s planning commission meeting, several residents from the surrounding neighborhoods spoke out against the project, which they said did not fit the character of the area. Several residents also raised concerns that the building would lead to more traffic.
“It looks like they have tried to fit too much into too small of a space,” said resident Jim Daniel.
The building will join several other upcoming development projects in the area. This includes a luxury apartment complex on the site of the former Jim Moore Cadillac dealership and $34 million Peak Drift brewery, which is being advertised as the largest in the state.
This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
