A July groundbreaking for the Nicky Hayden Apartment complex didn’t happen, but officials with the Daniel Pitino Shelter say things are on the right track after planning and zoning delays halted the project for a few months. If everything goes according to plan, a groundbreaking for the Nicky Hayden Apartment building should take place in February 2020.
The apartment building will be built right across from the Pitino Shelter at Fifth and Walnut Streets in Owensboro. The Pitino Shelter was awarded a $600,000 affordable housing program grant in November 2018 for the project, which will provide transitional housing for those who are homeless. The project, however, has had a hard time getting started due to planning and zoning restrictions and design stipulations.
Pitino Shelter Executive Director Michele Johnston said the most recent delay has stemmed from more zoning requirements.
“Buildings can’t cross property zones,” she said. “They had to consolidate the lots so we’re within those policies.”
The project, which is estimated to cost $1,569,840, is being financed through state and federal funds, so Johnston said those working the project must abide by all of the Kentucky Housing Corporation’s (KHC) guidelines before they can break ground. The funding for the Nicky Hayden Apartment building came from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF).
The Owensboro Historic Preservation Board rejected the building’s submitted design from Wabuck Development Company and REB Architects in March, citing six items that didn’t meet the standards outlined in Article 21 of the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission downtown zoning ordinance.
Those six issues ranged from minimum ground elevation, windows covering 30 percent of the facade and windows fronting all streets. All of these issues have since been addressed.
“We fall into the historical area, so there was certain criteria we had to meet,” Johnston said. “We wanted to make sure we did our due diligence with the [requirements we were given].”
A conservative quote for groundbreaking on the new building would be February, Johnston said, but there’s a small possibility it could happen before the end of this year. The weather will likely play a factor in how soon the project gets started, Johnston said.
