Barry County Commissioners heard an initial presentation at their regular Board meeting Tuesday morning from General Capital Group, a developer that has been working with the City of Hastings over the past three years in an effort to bring more affordable housing to the city.

 

General Capital had planned to build the Royal Coach development on the north side of the Thornapple River near downtown Hastings, however that project was killed when the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) pulled back from issuing the housing tax credits needed to proceed with the Royal Coach project.  Instead,  MSHDA  has offered to transfer those tax credits to be used at the  location on the corner of  Park and State Streets, just west of the county’s Friend of the Court building.

 

General Capital is asking the Commission to consider selling to them the now vacant Friend of the Court property to be combined with the city parcel and incorporated into the housing development, which will be called “Tyden Lofts”.  The concept is to renovate and convert the Friend of the Court building into amenity space and fitness center for tenants, a leasing office, and community space that could be open to the public.   As part of the purchase agreement General Capital would designate offices on the second floor and approximately 25 parking spaces for continued county government use.

 

The initial concept plan for Tyden Lofts includes approximately 60 affordable income apartment units with a combination of underground and surface parking. The three story development would have a corridor connecting to the Friend of the Court building if the county agrees to sell it.

 

Commissioners expressed surprise at the sudden request to sell the county property but are open-minded to investigating the possibility, knowing what an urgent need there is for affordable housing in Barry County. However, no formal plan or agreement is yet on the table and no timetable is set for making a decision.

 

After the meeting Commission Chair Ben Geiger said about the Friend of the Court redevelopment proposal from General Capital,  “Commissioners need answers. The community needs decisions. Let’s roll up our sleeves and deliver both.”