Spokane United Methodist Homes, which does business as Rockwood Retirement Communities, has contracted with KOP Construction Co., of Spokane, to build a 38-unit low-income senior housing facility in Spokane Valley.

Rockwood operates two retirement facilities here, including Spokane's largest, Rockwood South, which announced last week that it was considering a $90 million expansion.

Last year, the nonprofit organization bought 3 acres of vacant land in Spokane Valley, located at the southeast corner of Appleway Boulevard and Farr Road, just south of the former Home Base Inc. building.

Earlier this year, Rockwood announced that it would build the low-income housing on the property.

James Maxwell, vice president of finance and chief financial officer of Spokane United Methodist Homes, says KOP Construction's contract for the new Valley facility is for $3.4 million.

Maxwell says living units in the three-level, 33,000-square-foot facility will average about 500 square feet of floor space, and that the facility also will have a two-bedroom unit for a manager. The facility will be called Appleway Court, and Spokane United Methodist Homes will operate it. The address will be 221 S. Farr Road, he says.

Community Frameworks, a Spokane-based nonprofit organization that works to support and develop affordable housing, is developing the project with Rockwood, Maxwell says.

The project likely will begin in September and will take about 10 months to complete, Maxwell says.

Zeck Butler Architects PS, of Spokane, designed the structure.

The project is designed for low-income tenants who are older than 62 years, he says.

Of the 38 units, 18 will be reserved for residents whose income is less than 30 percent of the Spokane area's median income, and 19 units will be reserved for residents whose income is less than 50 percent of the median.

If the project time line goes as planned, Maxwell says, a wait list for the units would be set up early next summer.